Sam's review
The Truth About Celia by Kevin Brockmeier
Gosh, what the hell is wrong with Keven Brockmeier? One minute he's writing classic short stories like "The Ceiling", the next minute he's writing stuff like this. I mean, this isn't a bad book, by any measure. But do we really need more disappeared child, sad parent novels? And the way the story is handled, with a mix of magical realism and extreme emotion, makes it difficult to really connect with the characters. Still, Brockmeier is a talented writer, and nothing he writes is without some kind promise. But if you're interested in the aftermath of children's deaths on parents and communities, I'd recommend "The Sweet Hereafter" before I'd recommend this.
