Book Review: All We Want is Everything by Andrew F. Sullivan
Title: All We Want is Everything
Author: Andrew F. Sullivan
Release date: June 30th, 2013
After devouring Andrew’s novel, ‘The Marigold’ and his co-authored novel ‘The Handyman Method’ (with Nick Cutter), I had the fortune of actually meeting Andrew when I was out in Toronto this past May. It’s always great when you connect with someone and that connection continues in person and it was fantastic spending some time with him.
Also, after having read those two novels, I wanted to go back and read his previous output, which consists of this, his debut collection, as well as another novel (‘Waste,’ which came out back in 2016 and one I’ll be reading soon). Unfortunately, this collection isn’t currently available as a digital book on the Zon, where I’d have bought it and read it on my Kindle, BUT! Andrew fantastically shared on his Twitter account not long ago that the publisher was having a sale and the ebook was there! So, I grabbed it and got to it on the double.
What I liked: Much like ‘The Marigold,’ this group of stories is covered in grime and festering pond water. Nothing shines, everything feels dirty and you know that the good ones will die young. From top to bottom this one feels like you’re desperately hanging onto a rope, dangling from a cliff, as you watch the rope slowly fray and prepare to snap and send you plummeting to your death below. The cover should have a little fake sticker on it that says ‘Warning: No Hope In Sight.’
We start off with the ‘Good King,’ a story about Big Red, a labourer who ends up revisiting a particular Christmas from his youth. No good comes from that. This occurs while he attempts to save a coworker and we get a claustrophobic ‘A Christmas Story’ retelling where there are no good players and the reader will need a long shower after to clean the sorrow away.
From there, nothing gets warmer, there are no smiles on the character’s faces. Andrew can do more in a flash fiction piece than some authors can do in an entire novel, both in character development and in emotional damage. Take ‘God is a Place.’ Actually, scratch that. I wish I hadn’t read that story. It’s like reading ‘Red X’ from David Demchuk. It follows Caleb, who takes Twink’s baby while she’s at work and ruminates on how life will be better when they’re found in the morning. Heartbreaking.
‘Crows Eat Well’ is another masterful portrait of Canadiana, where a man returns home from prison to have ‘words’ with his father.
‘Towers’ comes at you like a precursor for ‘The Marigold,’ a story about a sinkhole, people living in the buildings and just what might actually be down below.
The story ‘Cloud’ is a unique take on dystopian, apocalyptic occurrence where birds arrive and invade a small town and two friends come up with a plan to take their homes back. This one walked the line of coming-of-age and can’t-trust-anyone themes.
‘Pumpkinheads’ felt like a small town diary, where Juan dies at the factory, and George forces his way into Anita’s life, Juan’s widow. It covers a lot of ground in a short page count.
Of all the stories, I think my favorite was ‘In A Car In A River Outside Peoria, Illinois.’ To sum it up in a single line, this is about a man at the end of his life. But it’s so much more. It’s shame, regret, gaslighting, acceptance, fear of the unknown and understanding. And it all happens as the water slowly fills up the inside of the car. Wonderful story even if the subject matter is very far from that adjective.
What I didn’t like: Like all short story collections, some just didn’t connect. Each story had an energy, a pulse to it and some shared the same wavelength as my reading brain did while reading it and some didn’t.
Why you should buy this: If you liked ‘The Marigold’ or ‘The Handyman Method’ you’ll definitely want to dive into this collection. A solid cross-section of everyday people struggling with the ramifications of the decisions they’ve made and where they’ve ended up because of it. Sullivan’s managed to create characters you immediately know, situations you understand and in each story, an ending that will have you catching your breath.
Truly, a solid solid collection.
4/5
Publisher’s link:
Amazon link:
