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How They Were Found
by
Matt Bell (Goodreads Author)
In this debut collection, Matt Bell draws from a wide range of genres to create stories that are both formally innovative and imaginatively rich. In one, a 19th-century minister follows ghostly instructions to build a mechanical messiah. In another, a tyrannical army commander watches his apocalyptic command slip away as the memories of his men begin to fade and fail. Else...more
Paperback, 243 pages
Published
November 2nd 2010
by Keyhole Press
(first published October 1st 2010)
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How Who Was Found?
A book review of Matt Bell’s How They Were Found
Do I dare write about Matt Bell’s book? I mean, he’s not just a colleague—he works for my publishers! Shouldn’t I avoid it? Isn’t that kinda dangerous?
Alas, that’s what I do. I write. I share. I say stuff. So, here I go.
Remember this: I’m living on the edge.
I’m not much of an experimentalist. I’m not much of a postmodernist. I read some Experimental Fiction and roll my eyes in disdain. Some of the prose I’ve literally thrown ac...more
A book review of Matt Bell’s How They Were Found
Do I dare write about Matt Bell’s book? I mean, he’s not just a colleague—he works for my publishers! Shouldn’t I avoid it? Isn’t that kinda dangerous?
Alas, that’s what I do. I write. I share. I say stuff. So, here I go.
Remember this: I’m living on the edge.
I’m not much of an experimentalist. I’m not much of a postmodernist. I read some Experimental Fiction and roll my eyes in disdain. Some of the prose I’ve literally thrown ac...more
Read "Cartographer's Girl," the first story in Matt Bell's powerful debut collection, HOW THEY WERE FOUND, and I challenge you to stop reading. This modern day fairy tale moved me deeply, and sets the extraordinary tone for these fresh, inventive and deeply affecting stories.
From "Cartographer's Girl":
"The compasses are disappointingly true, pointing north over and over, when all he wants is for one to dissent, to demur, to show him the new direction he cannot find on his own."
"... and then she'...more
From "Cartographer's Girl":
"The compasses are disappointingly true, pointing north over and over, when all he wants is for one to dissent, to demur, to show him the new direction he cannot find on his own."
"... and then she'...more
(insert my usual preamble about my eh-ness about short story collections)
That said, again, this book has some of the problems I normally have with short story collections, but there is a difference. Where too many authors have story collections that end up blending into what is basically the same story just told a bunch of different ways with some different characters and things happening and they might all seem different on the surface they are just treading on the same ground. See for example...more
First off, I want to say I was familiar with Matt's work coming in, having hooked up on the social sites (we writers be pimpin' yo!) and downloading a free sample of his short story The Collectors which was probably the best short story I've read in aa while- then came these stories.
Not every story in the collection caught my emotion. The apocalyptic story about the dimmed older soldiers at the receiving tower was written with pin point precision and I could feel how cold it was by the descripti...more
Not every story in the collection caught my emotion. The apocalyptic story about the dimmed older soldiers at the receiving tower was written with pin point precision and I could feel how cold it was by the descripti...more
How They Were Found is a powerful collection crossing genres and styles, but always with a distinctness to it. It's not a writer trying to fit into different modes, but a writer applying himself to stories, bending genres and conventions to his will with extraordinary ease.
The title is rather apt in that each story, at some level, is about people searching for something or someone, whether it be themselves, their mother, their lost lover, their daughter, or just a reason to keep going, to keep...more
The title is rather apt in that each story, at some level, is about people searching for something or someone, whether it be themselves, their mother, their lost lover, their daughter, or just a reason to keep going, to keep...more
One of the few short story collections I have had trouble putting down. This puts it in line with Drown and Interpreter of Maladies.
Won this book from First Reads! There are times when I enjoy reading short stories. This is one good book. I felt like I had completed a book after each story. Even one that was an award winning story.
I have added this book to my "To Read" list and am looking forward to it solely based upon the review by Jennifer.
Okay - first sitting - I have read one and a half stories which I am enjoying but I think maybe this book should have been subtitled 'Stories of Hopelessness and Despair'
Finished - Here is my review:
In deciding upon this book to read I discovered the term "Experimental Fiction".
Some of the stories take the form of a type of poetry - beginning each section with the same words (Her ba...more
Okay - first sitting - I have read one and a half stories which I am enjoying but I think maybe this book should have been subtitled 'Stories of Hopelessness and Despair'
Finished - Here is my review:
In deciding upon this book to read I discovered the term "Experimental Fiction".
Some of the stories take the form of a type of poetry - beginning each section with the same words (Her ba...more
How They Were Found is a book made out of contradictions. Characters die left and right, but still there is hope. Everyone is looking to stitch together a ruptured world, to map nonexistent places and open doors into them, to make sense of the senseless, but still there is careful order and architecture. There are passionate stories about the most sensitive subjects, delivered in calm, measured prose, in carefully constructed architectures.
Read the rest of the review here.
Read the rest of the review here.
Matt Bell has found a fan in me; his stories are original and exciting, touching and inspiring. In one story, about an isolated sociopath, Bell manages to maneuver the reader into empathy, making monstrosity beautiful and sad. In his novel retelling of the Red Riding Hood tale, he turns ancient weakness into modern empowerment. His writing is crisp and colorful, and his stories are bright--they massage emotions and they push boundaries; they shine and they haunt. I highly recommend this collecti...more
Matt Bell, you brilliant bastard. If he's not already your favorite new writer, you might want to fix that. The genre-defying author of Cataclysm Baby has done the world a favor by combining all of his best, previously published short stories into a single collection. Not a complaint can be said about the whole bunch. Every story bleeds originality and leaves an indelible mark on the reader that borders between child-like wonder and green-eyed jealousy. For me, Bell's prose is simply inspiring....more
What Bell accomplishes in just one of these stories is jealousy-inducing. As a whole, Lord! This guy is sickeningly talented.
Bell excavates the human experience without sacrificing character development or plot for the sake of fancy-pants word-naningans. Even crossing genres as deftly as he does, this never feels like a "wacky for wacky's sake" experience. In simpler terms, Bell respects his reader. There are one or two points where things tend to go too long or too short, but the emotional grav...more
Bell excavates the human experience without sacrificing character development or plot for the sake of fancy-pants word-naningans. Even crossing genres as deftly as he does, this never feels like a "wacky for wacky's sake" experience. In simpler terms, Bell respects his reader. There are one or two points where things tend to go too long or too short, but the emotional grav...more
It took me a while to get into this book, but when I did, it was completely rewarding. There are two reasons for this. First, the book presents alternative realities that are perfectly believable. "The Leftover" is the best example of this, as the science fiction in the story is secondary to the character changes that are going on. The characters are real; the only thing that is unreal is what happens to the characters. Thus, this book is a perfect example for me, as that describes exactly the k...more
downloaded audio by Iambik for review
Listened 3/8/12 - 3/15/12
4 Stars - Strongly Recommended to fans of wicked sharp short fiction
Audio Download (approx 6 hrs)
Publisher: Iambik / Keyhole Press
Narrator: Mark F Smith
Matt Bell's How They Were Found was one of those books that sat on my to-buy list near forever but never really jumped out at me from the shelves as I was roaming the aisles of bookstores looking for something to buy.
Yet when I recently saw that Iambik had recorded it, I knew this was...more
Listened 3/8/12 - 3/15/12
4 Stars - Strongly Recommended to fans of wicked sharp short fiction
Audio Download (approx 6 hrs)
Publisher: Iambik / Keyhole Press
Narrator: Mark F Smith
Matt Bell's How They Were Found was one of those books that sat on my to-buy list near forever but never really jumped out at me from the shelves as I was roaming the aisles of bookstores looking for something to buy.
Yet when I recently saw that Iambik had recorded it, I knew this was...more
Excellent short story collection from an excellent writer I just recently stumbled upon. Absolutely original and striking architecture to many of the stories included; structured and revealing in very diverse and unique ways. From one story to another Matt Bell shows his ability to use a very full pallet to voice his visions, yet the book, as a whole, is quite fluid and focused. More than just well thought out stories you will later think about, this collection will reside much deeper than in yo...more
These are crazy good stories. I have my favorites, but the approach in each makes things that cannot possibly be new seem fresh and never before seen. There is an emotional urgency, a pleading, to the stories as well that makes them all the more gripping and fascinating. This is my first experience with Bell, but I'm definitely hooked. I want more.
When I read the last page of this book, I had to take a deep breath and say damn. This is the kind of book that is so perfectly executed it makes a writer want to put down her pen forever, and makes her want to start from page one again to see just how the author pulled it off. It's truly a spectacular collection.
This is a very strong collection. Stories that really stood out include "The Cartographer's Girl," "The Receiving Tower," "Dredge," The Leftover," "The Collectors," and "An Index Of How Our Family Was Killed."
Nov 02, 2010
Jim
is currently reading it
About 100 pages in. "The Receiving Tower" my favorite story so far...
Fantastic dark/horror/weird collection of short fiction.
Wonderful. I'm reviewing this for a literary journal so will say more later.
Sep 06, 2010
Charles White
marked it as to-read
Looking forward to this one, for sure.
Read about in The Believer
Visceral, scalpel sharp placing of words to create people on the edge. Wolf Parts, The Collectors (previously in chapbooks), Dredge, and Her Ennead were particular faves.
Bell brings us everything: symbolism, futurism à la David Ohle, devastation, surrealism, scenic energy, fractured fairytales, consumption, struggle, claustrophobia, and family decay. But this is not to say How They Were Found spreads itself too thin or is too chaotically varied; Bell knows how to keep his world in check, his every word balanced against another, delicately, like a system of weights...[read the full review at The Rumpus: http://therumpus.net/2010/10/how-they... ]
3 great stories
The stories in this book were strange, dark and amazing. I enjoyed some a lot more than others, but the collection as a whole was fantastic. Glimpses of Bell's skill with prose are evident throughout with passages that absolutely aim to floor you.
Dreamy, surreal, a bit fantastical, sometimes overdone. A slow, chewy read except for the last few stories, which were enthralling.
Particularly neat uses of format:
"The Collectors"
"An Index of How Our Family Was Killed."
Particularly neat uses of format:
"The Collectors"
"An Index of How Our Family Was Killed."
Feb 12, 2013
Kristyn
added it
I was thrilled to receive this book from the goodreads giveaway. I've been reading Matt Bell's stories for several years now, and this book confirms that he's writing some of the most interesting fiction today.
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Matt Bell is the author of How They Were Found, a collection of fiction from Keyhole Press. His fiction has been anthologized in Best American Mystery Stories 2010 and Best American Fantasy 2. He is also the editor of The Collagist and can be found online at www.mdbell.com.
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Jan 27, 2013 01:15am
This is one of my earlier reviews. I was tryi...more
updated Jan 27, 2013 08:08am
updated Jan 27, 2013 08:30am