Customer Reviews

Here Beneath Low-Flying Planes (Iowa Short Fiction Award)

5 star:		(2)
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3 star:		(1)
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Each of the stories in this collection are rueful,clever,energetic and big-hearted. Feitell's prose is a revelation-- finding humor in the bittersweet details, the essential stuff of life. I know that the brave and conflicted characters who populate these pages will stay with me. This is a true gem of a book.

The Publisher's Weekly summary of this book is right on target: most of these stories are poignant depictions of characters in search of love and acceptance. Feitell does a good job of sketching familiar character types in literary fiction: men and women in their late twenties or early thirties with vague commitment problems and a lingering feeling of missing out on what makes life special. Only one of the stories doesn't work: Such a Big Mr. England is actually an unlikeable story, and should have been left out of the collection. Otherwise, Feitell provides thoughtful and well-crafted pieces. This collection works best if you take a break between reading the stories, as the similiaries in theme and language make the stories blend together if you read them in one or two sittings. The best way to approach this book is one story at a time, and allow a few days between stories. Fans of literary fiction won't be disappointed.

One of the best prize-winning collections I've read. I picked up this book about 4 years ago and still have the stories stuck in my head. They are very smart and cleverly written, and after revisiting them, I am even more amazed at their power. If you are a fan of modern short fiction, about mostly urban characters, you will really enjoy this collection. So many fresh moments in here - lines that just stick in your head. Feitell is a great writer and I hope to see a lot more of her books in the future.