Customer Reviews

Down to a Sunless Sea

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As a rule, I truly enjoy dark stories, but I like a little satire, a little dark humor--and perhaps a big dollop of horror--in the mix. That's probably why few of these fifteen short stories held my interest.

My favorite story was "Alabaster," about a unique, caring relationship between a Holocaust survivor and her daughter, and what happened when a little boy entered their lives for a warm, fleeting moment. That story told me something; it made me think and had a beginning, middle and end ... as I like my stories to do.

I also liked "Echo," the story of a man who always destroyed his friendships. The best friend he ever had struggled to understood him, but was eventually forced to let go. This was a fine character study of both men.

My favorite character was "Herbie," a tough, resilient, little guy. I cheered when he finally stood up to his abusive father. The author, Mathias Freese, doesn't say, but I like to think that Herbie made it in life.

I felt empathy with all these troubled souls and give this author credit for digging into their minds, but he just went in, looked around, reported his findings, and not much else happened. But at least he understands the inner workings of the mind, it appears. With his background as a clinical social worker and psychotherapist, he should.

I was going to give this short book three stars because of its "dryness," but because the stories are so well-written--even poetic in places--I'm giving it four stars. Perhaps the lack is in me for not understanding what the author was trying to say, but I feel justified because only the few I mentioned entertained me.

FYI, I won this book on J. Kaye Oldner's Book Blog, a great place for avid readers. This is the sixth book I've won in her weekly raffle. You should visit and try your luck.

Reviewed by: Betty Dravis, 2008
1106 Grand Boulevard

Mathias Freese has been a clinical social worker and psychotherapist for twenty five years. By his own admission, he has a dark view of humanity, but has kept a wry sense of humor. He shows understanding and compassion to the deviant and damaged in these fifteen short stories which are collected in his book DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA.

Jane Holt, MLA, wrote in the book's foreword "To be understood-to be felt- is the author's purpose in this collection of short stories as in all of his writings because it is his purpose in his relationships with others and the world at large."

The stories are all different and there are no happy endings or sense of closure. "I'll make it, I think" is based on Freese's crippled cousin. "For a While, Here, In this Moment" was written for his daughter showing his understanding of her physical agony and despair.

Dark humor shows in "The Chatham Bear" and "Arnold Schwarzenegger's Father Was a Nazi." Chatham Bear was based on actual events while Arnold's Father was written in 1991, before he became Governor of California.

"Alabaster" is a about a concentration camp survivor, and "Juan Peron's Hands" is about a psychotic and how he has regained himself. "Little Errands" was scary; it was easy to see how a person can become neurotic. "Echo" ends with "What a lethally fascinating if not insular experience it must be to value one's own self above all others and not fully realize that narcissistic attraction for most of one's life." "Young Man" had emotionally died a long time before his actual death "Nicholas," who is in high-school, is a commentary about our educational system.

"Billy's Mirrored Wall" shows how easy is for parents to instill their dysfunctional behavior in children. Another in this vein is "Mortise and Tenon", which make you wonder if this is another serial killer in the making. "Unanswerable" uses a lesson from a father to a son to illustrate the unanswerable - what ignites human beings to hate feverishly, kill wantonly in huge numbers, and revel in genocide and final solutions.

Each of these short stories ignited in me despair, or pity, or anger. I look on these characters and feel compassion and understanding, while being a little repulsed of them or their situation. Regardless, each leads to reflective thought and a bit more insight into me.

DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA is a great collection of dark, offbeat stories by the gifted and award winning author, Mathias B. Freese. While this might not be everyone's type of read, for those of you that like it or want to expand your reading, I highly recommend it.

This is a very literary book---the words curl in and out in a sort of prose poetry, and I know there were historical and literary references I didn't catch. It is this without being elitist or pompous in the way that some literary pieces can be; there's no sense of the author trying to stump or impress the reader with his base of knowledge. He includes what's relevant and necessary to his pieces and that's all.

Unlike many short story collections by a single author, this one varies dramatically from piece to piece. Each one is told in a voice appropriate to its subject, whether that's a barely literate high schooler scornful of his English teacher or the inner chatter of an obsessive-compulsive.

What ties these stories together is Freese's remarkable empathy, his astonishing ability to get inside the heads of his characters and simply present them as who they are, show the world from their eyes without any outside judgments clouding the issue. A young man with a lame arm and foot (he's named them Ralph and Lon) swears and speaks frankly about all sorts of 'taboo' topics. A sighting of a bear in a rural community serves as a lesson in fear and normalcy. An old woman's chat with a boy on a bench one evening is a heart-breaking look at what it can mean to live life after a concentration camp. Several stories touch on the Holocaust from various directions, while others examine the everyday slings and arrows that leave their marks---for good or ill---on our psyches.

These are fascinating stories, and I don't know how to adequately express how worthwhile they are.

When reading a book you commit to a relationship. You commit to reading the book in the hopes that it in turn will commit to entertain and educate you. The problem or rather the effort in reading a short story collection is that you have to make this commitment again and again and again. Many people are scared off by that as they're afraid the commitment and the time-effort won't be worth it.

And unfortunately in the case of Down to a Sunless Sea, they'd be right. The short stories are dark, disturbing and cynical, which is not a problem in itself, but it seems as if they are dark, disturbing and cynical for the sake of being dark, disturbing and cynical. There's no rhyme or reason behind it.

The common theme that runs through all the stories is growing up, the quest for maturity and the joys and sorrows of coming of age - either slowly through the natural process, or abruptly and harshly through some external influence. While not a unique theme, it is a theme that never grows old and as such is very appropriate for a short story collection. But without explanation one of the stories falls completely outside this category. As a description of Arnold Schwaznegger's childhood and the fact that his father was a Nazi, it reads more like a piece of non-fiction or even propaganda. It is so different from all the other stories that I was forcibly drawn from the flow of the book and back into reality.

Most of the short stories in "Down to a Sunless Sea" would work very well as writing prompts for a longer novelette or even a novel, but when used for short stories they stop too abruptly and some are even inconclusive. While I don't expect all threads to be tied up neatly in any story and especially not a short story, it is rather frustrating when the entire point of the story goes missing because of it.

Fortunately there are exceptions to any rule, and I loved the story Alabaster - the tale of a young boy who meets an ex-concentration camp prisoner, and in his innocence is not ashamed of her tattooed number, but dares read it aloud. Poignant and well-written, I wish all the stories had been like this.

I have no doubt that Mathias Freese is a talented author, as his writing clearly bears witness of this fact. Unfortunately his plot ideas are not really suitable for short stories, and he would be better off sticking to novels.

Deviant and Damaged ... yes, that pretty much says it all with this book of short stories, each an outpouring of bile from the human sewer. I am not being harsh here either. Fact of the matter is, the characters in these stories have lost compassion for themselves. They leave themselves to rot and obsessively desecrate their own souls. Some of it almost reminds me of the disquieted musings of Pessoa, and some, the lamenting Philosophies of Nietzsche.

Here we have a cast of characters reflecting upon and deconstructing the lack of normality in their lives: abusive and psychologically tainted family members, deformity and disability, the confrontation of one's mortality, and polluted self-esteem--yet all the characters are fighting to survive themselves. If you are a big fan of self-examination, self-deprecation, and self-flagellation, and like your reading material on the darker side, then this book is quite a good read. There is no closure, no happy endings ... and that is real life for these very non-fictional souls. In this book, we cannot escape or ignore that fact.

The stories are written in different voices and tones, some from an almost clinical detached external view, some from a surrealistic stream of consciousness view, and some from a wounded internal one. Personally, I like the first person wounded internal ones the best, which, to me, allows a more personal connection with the character. The style is matter of fact in most cases, serious, with levity injected at the just right moment to lighten the load. Yes ... you will be shocked and appalled not only by the subject matter but also by the macabre themes, not to mention the smattering of self-righteous sarcasm, and you might even find yourself laughing at times - and you will feel guilty about it.

Mr. Freese's characterizations are convincing, as they should be, and the stories are relatable at a base human existence level that most are afraid to confront. My only complaint is that some of the stories, (I use that term loosely as many are really existential and philosophical musings) not all but some, feel a bit like case studies--clinically detached essays, maybe a bit too detached for me, as we get told everything we need to know, and we don't really get to experience a full manifestation of their individual pathologies, like you do in say Bataille's "Story of the Eye or My Mother", which explore similar subject matter. Many of the stories are overtly subtle in their message, requiring a bit of contemplation from the reader, some are blatantly extreme, and some, the short format might not allow for enough texture to fully appreciate the psychological depth, its cause and effect. So, individual reader interpretation and reception will vary greatly.

It's difficult to write about this subject matter at best, using imagery to portray deep psychological realism is even more difficult ... a sense of detachment can be a lifeline, and even though the lifeline is apparent here, I have to applaud this author for going down a road very few attempt to negotiate. Mr. Freese does it with intellectual elegance and subtlety, with wit, and with candour. The prose is often poetic, and on occasion, disarmingly innocent and charming. All of the stories are thought-provoking and a bit haunting, not necessarily in what they say or how they say it, which is always eloquent, but often in what is not said. As far as personal favourites go, mine are: "I'll make it I Think", "For a While, Here, In This Moment", and "Young Man"

Some might find the subject matter challenging and/or offensive, so be warned, this is not a light read.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the short story format (and no, not just because my attention span is waning, smarty-pants). Not only do I enjoy being able to read a story here and a story there, but I've also come to appreciate the difficulty of writing the short story. It is, in my considered opinion, one of the trickiest genres out there.

One of the of authors who have mastered this art form is Mathias B. Freese. Down to a Sunless Sea is a treasure-trove of fifteen short stories in which Freese captures verbal snapshots within the human brain. In other words, he explores what makes people tick. As a psychotherapist and teacher, the author commands extraordinary insight into the mind. But so do a thousand others in his field. So what makes Down to a Sunless Sea so impressive? It's simple: Freese's ability to present each errant character in an understandable light.

My favorites? Since you ask:

"Little Errands" takes only four pages to perfectly convey what it's like to live with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. (I know, I know, I ramble on about my book OCD all the time, but this is the real thing.) This poignant vignette takes one small incident -- the mailing of a letter -- and manages to convey the scope of living with the disorder without condecesncion.


In 1987, the tomb of former Argentine President Juan Peron was broken into and the hands removed from the corpse (they were ransomed for $8 million, in case you're wondering why someone would steal a dead person's hands). In "Juan Peron's Hands," Freese delves into the (just a little bit creepy) minds of the graverobber.

Two unclenched hands in a back street, no self, no name, no one, a reminder of us all. Two hands against a Magritte sky.
"Juan Peron's Hands," by Mathias B. Freese

Creepy the story may be, but prose like this is certainly beautiful to read.

"Alabaster" is the touching story of an elderly Polish concentration camp survivor who befriends a young boy. The boy, of course, knows nothing of the evil perpetuated during the War. His innocence, however, lies in stark contrast to the irreperable damage done to the old woman in the camps. The story is a haunting snapshot of a destroyed life. The woman survived, but at what cost to the psyche?

"Billy's Mirrored Wall" was perhaps the most resonant story in the collection. A man reflects on the importance of a seemingly innocuous event in his childhood. Coming from a solid blue-collar background, he remembers being vaguely impressed (in a twelve-year-old-boy, off-hand sort of way) after being invited over to a upper-middle class friend's home. The modern dishwasher, carpet instead of linoleum, but especially a wall covered in mirrors were all things he was unused to seeing in a home.

Boys being boys (even in the 1950's), his interest was passing at best. Just enough to mention it off-handedly to his own mother who, to his surprise, took great umbrage to the entire event. Her hurt at not being able to provide her own son with such minor luxuries morphs into anger and while the matter is quickly dropped, it is an event that her son never forgets. In fact, it incorporates itself into his adult life-view.
What Ma has done is to put something into me of her own design, unwillingly, and here I am left to master it, or make sense of it - really to metabolize it.
"Billy's Mirrored Wall," by Mathias B. Freese
The story begs the question of any parent: how much do we unwittingly damage our children in such passing moments?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories and Down to a Sunless Sea has earned a permanent spot on my bookshelf.

3.5 out of 5: Down to a Sunless Sea is a collection of fifteen short stories. Some of the stories are longer than others, but for the most part, these are very brief set pieces. More often than not, nothing happens. The apparent point is to invoke a certain mood or to describe a particular emotional state. My favorite in the collection--"Little Errands"--is only four pages, but that small space is sufficient to expose the minor paranoias and insecurities we all confront, even when completing the most mundane tasks. In another favorite--"Mortise and Tenon"--Freese manages to tell a story, and even to build suspense, using little more than shape imagery. In the better stories like these, the overall effect is impressionistic and a bit mysterious. The weaker stories in the collection could use more focus and precision.

The brevity of these stories, combined with their edginess, leaves you feeling uncomfortable--not uncomfortable in a negative way, but in a way that makes you question how you managed to avoid the unhappy situations and states of mind these protagonists inhabit. In short (literally), these stories will leave you feeling thankful your life isn't as bad as it could be.

A short story anthology by Mathias B. Freese that is truly sunless. The stories in this collection exude darkness as they delve into the minds of disturbed souls. That the author is familiar with such human darkness is not surprising since he spent twenty-five years as a clinical social worker and psychotherapist. He doesn't offer answers or solutions to the problems that disturb humanity, but a sense of compassion for the damaged does come through as he refuses to look the other way and ignore the ugliness that is a part of life.

The format of the stories is not traditional, with beginnings and middles and ends, nor are they plot driven. Each story has its own style which is tailored to the telling of that story. As with even the most tragic things in life, humor can sometimes be found within the pages of Down to a Sunless Sea.

I've got two favorite stories from this collection, and true to my nature they include a touch of the humorous. I was reminded of the tendency of folk to fear the wrong things in "The Chatham Bear." As the residents of a small town run for their guns in order to defend themselves from a foraging bear that all but ignores them, these same townspeople don't even notice the human cruelty that confronts them on a daily basis.

I laughed as I recognized a bit of myself in the compulsive behavior of the character in "Little Errands." I admit that I too have opened the chute to the corner mailbox repeatedly just to make sure my letter did indeed drop down into the collection bin! Haven't you?

The stories were sometimes baffling and mostly sad. If you're looking for something light or "sunny" to read, then these stories are not for you; but if you don't mind looking at the darker side of the human psyche, then you will find Down to a Sunless Sea thought provoking.

Down to a Sunless Sea is a nice ecliptic collection of short stories. Down to a Sunless Sea features everything from growing up to dealing with death as well as dealing physical disabilities. Each story is only a few pages long but within those few pages are some very powerful, meaningful life lessons.

In Down to a Sunless Sea is a sweet but sad story of a son who remembers loves his mother and all the good times as well as laughs they shared together. Then there is the story of a son who is so in awe of his father shining his shoes that he wants to open a shoe shining business during the summer in Herbie. In Nicholas, the student is beyond his years more advanced then the teacher. Or how about the one titled Arnold Schwarzenegger's Father was a Nazi. Mr. Freese makes sure there is a story for everyone big or small...young or old.

I usually am not a big fan of short story books for the simple fact that I either just start to get into the story and it ends or the author can't fit all that they want into so few a pages that the story just sort of fizzles. So you can imagine my complete surprise when that was not the case with Down to a Sunless Sea. To my amazement I really enjoyed reading this collection by Mathias Freese. I sat down and started reading and about an hour later I was finished. After reading Down to a Sunless Sea, I am happy to report that I would read more by Mr. Freese.

This is a group of short stories, some previously published, on a variety of subjects, but with an overall, general theme.

There are a couple of stories about growing up in post-World War II Brooklyn. In one of those stories, a couple of kids want to set up an after-school shoeshine stand, to bring in a few dollars. The father of one of the boys totally forbids such a thing. Until the son is old enough to get a job, the father believes, the only thing on his mind should be education.

The main character of another story chops the hands of former Argentine dictator Juan Peron right off his corpse, and steals them. What is it like to have a body that is half normal, and half disabled by cerebral palsy? The title of another story is "Arnold Schwarzenegger's Father was a Nazi." During a trip to the beach at Coney Island, a father teaches his young son to swim by taking him into deep water (for the son), bodily throwing him into deeper water, then forcing the son to find his own way back to shore.

As you may have guessed, these are not happy, optimistic stories, but they are very good stories. These are short, almost psychological case studies of troubled people. The author is a psychotherapist and social worker, so he knows what he is talking about. This book is easy to read, and very much worth checking out.