Nine stories set in the author's native Los Angeles herald a voice both unique and memorable; David Marshall Chan's Goblin Fruit is a remarkable literary debut.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Chan's dreamy, nostalgic debut story collection draws out the experience of growing up Asian-American in Southern California. A number of the pieces deal with loss and mourning; the obscure young Asian actor in the title story reflects on his failing career while replaying the death of his brother, a child movie star who perished during a helicopter crash while shooting a film. "Open Circles" follows a boy as he watches his brother drift into mental illness, while the narrator of "Falling" recalls blissfully aimless high school afternoons he spent with his best friend, a reckless and vaguely self-destructive boy who vanished several years later and is now rumored to be dead. Elsewhere, Chan is more lighthearted: "Mystery Boy" turns a young boy's memories of his days as an imaginary childhood sleuth into a poignant ode to the era of boy detectives in young adult literature. "Brilliant Disguise" is a tongue-in-cheek coming-of-age yarn about a boy who tries to escape the publicity stemming from his father's career as a cartoonish professional wrestler. Chan produces some luminous passages, capturing the golden haze that swaths childhood memories-even only moderately happy ones. His best characters and premises are appealingly quirky, but some stories simply fall flat, burdened by overly obvious plot trajectories and character descriptions (Jon, the boy who disappears in "Falling," would "get eyestrain staring at the ghostly figure captured standing on the balcony on the cover photo of the Hotel California album, wondering how it got there"). Chan is a promising newcomer, but he has yet to find a consistent, sure voice.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
In this rich and seductive collection of short stories, the author takes the reader on a mystical journey of L.A. "Lost Years" is a ghostly story of a family on the run for reasons never explained. Names are never given as the family passes through town after town in fear and hope. "Goblin Fruit" is a tale of two brothers, both phantoms. One brother died on a movie set in a horrific accident, and the survivor is trying to carve out a career in show business using his dead brother's name. In "Falling," a young man tentatively remembers his high-school buddy but refuses to confront what may have become of his friend. Although the book is billed as an "important contribution to Asian American literature," these stories have an everyman feel that will touch all readers. From an extremely promising new writer, this collection is recommended for public libraries. Kaite Mediatore
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
definitely worth reading...,
By A Customer
This review is from: Goblin Fruit: Stories (Hardcover)
There are some very lovely, well-crafted stories in this collection. Chan really captures the mood of growing up in the 70's and 80's in the landscape of Southern California. I particularly enjoyed "Falling," "Brilliant Disguise", and the final story in the collection. Chan's writing is honest and reflective, and his language is poetic without being flowery. I was impressed by how he developed and wove in the themes of transformation and self-discovery to bind the stories together and create a satisfying arc in the collection. I look forward to reading more from him.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
heartfelt and hip,
By A Customer
This review is from: Goblin Fruit: Stories (Hardcover)
This collection is gorgeous--full of pop culture references, yes, but the stories have an odd, beautiful resonance that is all their own. Friends, this author is going be someone, so don't miss his debut.
3 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
not very good,
By A Customer
This review is from: Goblin Fruit: Stories (Hardcover)
What can I say? This book is only okay. It's the kind of book you pick up and then don't think twice about putting down again. Wish I would have spent my hard-earned cash on a better one. Oh well. Better luck next time, I guess.
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