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Mr Jolly: Short Stories
Mr Jolly is the first collection of short stories by Michael Stewart, and contains some of the award-winning novelist’s most extraordinary writing to date. Each tale offers a unique, utterly compelling insight into the human condition, framed by a mind-bendingly original concept that no other writer working today could – or indeed would – have concocted.
Readers will meet a conformity-obsessed league of bald men, breaking into homes for an extended debate about the nature of freedom; discuss the nomenclature of the marshmallow with a man whose single goal in life is to witness them accidentally skewered on stiletto heels; and meet God, in perhaps the most frustrating (yet believable) depiction of the divine being in modern literature.
Last phone calls, alien abductions, murders and more are grounded in stories of struggling parents, baffled lovers and lost children (some of who may live permanently on the number 606 bus). However long you live, and however much you read, you’ll never come across another book quite like this.
Readers will meet a conformity-obsessed league of bald men, breaking into homes for an extended debate about the nature of freedom; discuss the nomenclature of the marshmallow with a man whose single goal in life is to witness them accidentally skewered on stiletto heels; and meet God, in perhaps the most frustrating (yet believable) depiction of the divine being in modern literature.
Last phone calls, alien abductions, murders and more are grounded in stories of struggling parents, baffled lovers and lost children (some of who may live permanently on the number 606 bus). However long you live, and however much you read, you’ll never come across another book quite like this.
- GenresShort Stories
160 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 14, 2021
This collection is so unusual and challenging that I didn't hesitate to give it the full 5 stars.The stories in 'Mr Jolly' are varied in subject, but they share a bare simplicity of style and a pervasive sense of menace - with an occasional touch of the grotesque. Isolated individuals communicate - or fail to - in a bleak world where personal territory, conformity and brutality are explored. The stories come from an imagination which always has a trick up its sleeve, and the darkness is laced with humour.
May 19, 2021
These reminded me of either Inside No.9 or Black Mirror.
All these stories are thought provoking, leaving you a bit confused.. and I guess that's exactly what the author wanted to happen...
All these stories are thought provoking, leaving you a bit confused.. and I guess that's exactly what the author wanted to happen...
January 20, 2017
I love short stories. I adore great short stories. Little snippets of life, the past, the present and the future. I look for bold themes, character, excitement and emotion when I read short stories as the author doesn't have time to build up a scene or plot. Mr Jolly is brimming with short bursts of emotionally poignant and potent story telling, provoking the mind and exciting the reader.
There is a huge variety of drastically different settings and scenarios within Mr Jolly. Exploring a wide variety of important themes such as existential dread, the beauty of nature, nostalgia, old age, relationships (new and old) and unconditional love (to name a few). There are 16 stories in total, varying in length. Some are short and sweet, framing a relevant problem in modern day society. Several explore deeper into subjects that relate to us all. The rest break the boundaries of normality and touch on topics we all consider at some point.
Michael Stewart does not hold anything back when he writes. Using a mixture of 1st/2nd/3rd person perspectives he challenges the reader to embrace the edgier style of writing. I did enjoy most of his stories, though they do scare me a little. Mr Jolly is deep, I spent a lot of time trying to unlock the depth of what Stewart is trying to say. This is a short piece but there is plenty of re-read value. I definitely recommend adding this to your collection.
MS's more risky stories didn't pay off, I felt A Story Without Meaning (though ambitious) was too uncomfortable and jarring. Third Person was intense, angry and obsessive. Above and Beneath was outright bizarre, but I appreciated MS's inventiveness. Mr Jolly contains a healthy balance of beauty, nostalgia, concern and insanity. Pick it up and see for yourself. Thank you for reading my thoughts on Mr Jolly and please leave me a comment on what you thought of this post.
There is a huge variety of drastically different settings and scenarios within Mr Jolly. Exploring a wide variety of important themes such as existential dread, the beauty of nature, nostalgia, old age, relationships (new and old) and unconditional love (to name a few). There are 16 stories in total, varying in length. Some are short and sweet, framing a relevant problem in modern day society. Several explore deeper into subjects that relate to us all. The rest break the boundaries of normality and touch on topics we all consider at some point.
Michael Stewart does not hold anything back when he writes. Using a mixture of 1st/2nd/3rd person perspectives he challenges the reader to embrace the edgier style of writing. I did enjoy most of his stories, though they do scare me a little. Mr Jolly is deep, I spent a lot of time trying to unlock the depth of what Stewart is trying to say. This is a short piece but there is plenty of re-read value. I definitely recommend adding this to your collection.
MS's more risky stories didn't pay off, I felt A Story Without Meaning (though ambitious) was too uncomfortable and jarring. Third Person was intense, angry and obsessive. Above and Beneath was outright bizarre, but I appreciated MS's inventiveness. Mr Jolly contains a healthy balance of beauty, nostalgia, concern and insanity. Pick it up and see for yourself. Thank you for reading my thoughts on Mr Jolly and please leave me a comment on what you thought of this post.
March 17, 2018
Mr Jolly is a series wonderful short stories by author Michael Stewart, each one absolutely unique. Stewart writes about everything, from a man's relationship with his scarecrow to breakups that are inevitable but no less hard to deliver. Mr Jolly really taps into the full range of human emotions and interactions with each story an entertaining read and an opportunity for contemplation.
I really enjoyed reading Mr Jolly, especially as one who hasn't read many short story anthologies. Each piece was unique enough and written in very different styles that it almost felt like it was written by multiple authors, rather than one talented one. At the start of the book the first few pieces all had some connecting factor which I absolutely loved and thought would be a continuing thing throughout but sadly that faded after the first quarter/third of the book. However, even without the linking element the stories were still hugely enjoyable and Mr Jolly was a really quick read for me; I glided through Stewart's writing so easily. And for an English student constantly bogged down by reading for uni or by assignments it's wonderful to relax with an uncomplicated but still enticing book at the end of the day. I would highly recommend Mr Jolly, whether you're an aficionado of the short story form or not. Stewart's book will not disappoint.
I really enjoyed reading Mr Jolly, especially as one who hasn't read many short story anthologies. Each piece was unique enough and written in very different styles that it almost felt like it was written by multiple authors, rather than one talented one. At the start of the book the first few pieces all had some connecting factor which I absolutely loved and thought would be a continuing thing throughout but sadly that faded after the first quarter/third of the book. However, even without the linking element the stories were still hugely enjoyable and Mr Jolly was a really quick read for me; I glided through Stewart's writing so easily. And for an English student constantly bogged down by reading for uni or by assignments it's wonderful to relax with an uncomplicated but still enticing book at the end of the day. I would highly recommend Mr Jolly, whether you're an aficionado of the short story form or not. Stewart's book will not disappoint.
March 18, 2017
Mr Jolly is a thoroughly enjoyable collection of quirky and surreal stories. Most of the stories are quite short and all seem to have a reasonable ending (unlike so many short stories that drift off into foggy obscurity art the end). Hard to say much more without spoiling the stories themselves but, just to give an idea, imagine a residential home for older people being surrounded and invaded by hostile monkeys from whom the residents must flee.
January 19, 2016
Michael Stewart's MR JOLLY is a collection of unsettling stories that twine echoes, names, tensions, and motifs into a narrative braid. Most of the tales are on the short end of the spectrum and serve as brisk, tingly palate stimulants. (They are too eerie to be called palate cleansers.) Stewart's short stories often deliver lines like sucker punches--before you know it, your teeth have cut your lip and your mouth buzzes in unexpected pain.
The world of MR JOLLY introduces readers to characters and situations that run just shy of The Twilight Zone, keeping expectations tethered (mostly) to reality but veering dangerously close to psychosis or horror.
There is "THE LEAGUE" of Facist Bald Men with a 1984 twist and a last line that rings like a biblically apocalyptic prophecy. In "YOU ARE GOING BACK," a child tries to save one fish but instead, through the years, damns it and himself to a kind of hell. The unnerving title story is one of a lonely man building a scarecrow or companion or probably something that is neither--it begins as a disquieting tale but ratchets the tension higher until readers are checking behind them for surprise uninvited company.
In the chilling "THIS IS WHERE YOU GET OFF," a woman who is ending a relationship contemplates the innocent freedom of a three year old playing on her bus. Claire's personal anxieties are pushed aside by her concern that the boy doesn't seem to have any parents on board. Who would leave a toddler on a bus? This injustice animates Claire in a way her own life hasn't. When no one seems to want to help her, the answer takes the mystery in an eerie direction that seems to waken her.
Stewart does go whole-hog horror in a few tales. In "ABOVE AND BENEATH," a monkey rips a man's arm off. "THE BLUE & THE DIM & THE DARK CLOTHS" (and its inexplicable title) wins for most bizarre fetish involving pink marshmallows and stilettos.
Other stories achieve their tension from the banal, situations that we can all too easily see ourselves in. For example any commuter can relate to "MANN," whose possible alternate title might be "FML"-- we've all been there. Or the tragic "THE MAN IN THE WHITE COAT," in which a 13-year-old boy watches helplessly at the center while his family tears itself apart, made all the more poignant with second person point of view.
In several stories, such as "THE BUTTERFLY ON THE CEILING," Stewart forces us to reconsider how much we know about our friends, our family, our spouses. How much do we even know about our own selves? In "MAKING CONTACT," a wife finds her husband asleep naked in the barn. He can't remember how he got there. Karin tries to understand the distance growing between them but fears Paul is being called somewhere she can't follow.
The longest of the stories is "THE BLACK MAN AND THE WHITE MAN," a bizarre encounter between two strangers at a bar, one that starts with a stood-up date and leads to an alternatingly easy and uneasy companionship. I had an inkling halfway through what the surprise would be, but for the life of me couldn't see how we'd get there. The ending had yet another twist, one I thought a bit implausible, though no less shocking. I'm still not sure what I think it all means, at least other than OMG.
If you like a few narrative chills before bed, expect Michael Stewart's collection of short stories, MR JOLLY, to deliver. You may also have a few disquieting moments before you...eventually...fall asleep. You should probably add a prayer that Mr Jolly himself doesn't show up. That noise was just the house settling, right?
[Advance copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
The world of MR JOLLY introduces readers to characters and situations that run just shy of The Twilight Zone, keeping expectations tethered (mostly) to reality but veering dangerously close to psychosis or horror.
There is "THE LEAGUE" of Facist Bald Men with a 1984 twist and a last line that rings like a biblically apocalyptic prophecy. In "YOU ARE GOING BACK," a child tries to save one fish but instead, through the years, damns it and himself to a kind of hell. The unnerving title story is one of a lonely man building a scarecrow or companion or probably something that is neither--it begins as a disquieting tale but ratchets the tension higher until readers are checking behind them for surprise uninvited company.
In the chilling "THIS IS WHERE YOU GET OFF," a woman who is ending a relationship contemplates the innocent freedom of a three year old playing on her bus. Claire's personal anxieties are pushed aside by her concern that the boy doesn't seem to have any parents on board. Who would leave a toddler on a bus? This injustice animates Claire in a way her own life hasn't. When no one seems to want to help her, the answer takes the mystery in an eerie direction that seems to waken her.
Stewart does go whole-hog horror in a few tales. In "ABOVE AND BENEATH," a monkey rips a man's arm off. "THE BLUE & THE DIM & THE DARK CLOTHS" (and its inexplicable title) wins for most bizarre fetish involving pink marshmallows and stilettos.
Other stories achieve their tension from the banal, situations that we can all too easily see ourselves in. For example any commuter can relate to "MANN," whose possible alternate title might be "FML"-- we've all been there. Or the tragic "THE MAN IN THE WHITE COAT," in which a 13-year-old boy watches helplessly at the center while his family tears itself apart, made all the more poignant with second person point of view.
In several stories, such as "THE BUTTERFLY ON THE CEILING," Stewart forces us to reconsider how much we know about our friends, our family, our spouses. How much do we even know about our own selves? In "MAKING CONTACT," a wife finds her husband asleep naked in the barn. He can't remember how he got there. Karin tries to understand the distance growing between them but fears Paul is being called somewhere she can't follow.
The longest of the stories is "THE BLACK MAN AND THE WHITE MAN," a bizarre encounter between two strangers at a bar, one that starts with a stood-up date and leads to an alternatingly easy and uneasy companionship. I had an inkling halfway through what the surprise would be, but for the life of me couldn't see how we'd get there. The ending had yet another twist, one I thought a bit implausible, though no less shocking. I'm still not sure what I think it all means, at least other than OMG.
If you like a few narrative chills before bed, expect Michael Stewart's collection of short stories, MR JOLLY, to deliver. You may also have a few disquieting moments before you...eventually...fall asleep. You should probably add a prayer that Mr Jolly himself doesn't show up. That noise was just the house settling, right?
[Advance copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
March 25, 2016
‘Mr Jolly’ is the first collection of short stories by Michael Stewart, and is published by Inpress Books. It is a strange conglomeration of separated lovers, lost children, and weird friends.
This was everything a short story collection should be – although the stories were clearly separate, they were linked through their eerie tone and the detached method of narration. Some of the stories felt like they could – or should – be linked, but Stewart leaves that entirely to the reader’s imagination. I enjoyed that a lot, as the stories felt like they flowed naturally with each other, without being too forced into set themes or philosophies. I could guess some of the plot twists, but I didn’t mind, because I was interested in seeing what he would do with them. Invariably, it was something interesting.
There was also a large difference in the length of the stories, which I personally appreciate. I find it easier to differentiate and remember individual stories when their structure isn’t exactly the same. It also just kept my interest – seeing as the compilation was fairly short, I read it in the course of an afternoon, and perfectly happily, too. I felt that the shorter works were, on the whole, better than the longer ones – unusually for me, because I often get frustrated with shorter pieces of fiction, because I just want more, dammit! However, I felt the ambiguity of the shorter stories fit better with the tone created by the book.
My one problem was with his handling of LGBT themes. Two of the longer pieces in the collection used queerness as a plot device – and a seemingly shocking one, at that. In a collection that seemed to explore the non-normative in a detached and abstract way, it was just weird to see it handled like that. It felt like Stewart was interested in thinking about queerness, but wasn’t sure of where to go with it. Which is a shame, because these stories were particularly well written, in my opinion.
On the whole, this was an entirely enjoyable short story collection. With a little bit less hesitancy about ‘real world’ non-normativity, it could have been brilliant.
This was everything a short story collection should be – although the stories were clearly separate, they were linked through their eerie tone and the detached method of narration. Some of the stories felt like they could – or should – be linked, but Stewart leaves that entirely to the reader’s imagination. I enjoyed that a lot, as the stories felt like they flowed naturally with each other, without being too forced into set themes or philosophies. I could guess some of the plot twists, but I didn’t mind, because I was interested in seeing what he would do with them. Invariably, it was something interesting.
There was also a large difference in the length of the stories, which I personally appreciate. I find it easier to differentiate and remember individual stories when their structure isn’t exactly the same. It also just kept my interest – seeing as the compilation was fairly short, I read it in the course of an afternoon, and perfectly happily, too. I felt that the shorter works were, on the whole, better than the longer ones – unusually for me, because I often get frustrated with shorter pieces of fiction, because I just want more, dammit! However, I felt the ambiguity of the shorter stories fit better with the tone created by the book.
My one problem was with his handling of LGBT themes. Two of the longer pieces in the collection used queerness as a plot device – and a seemingly shocking one, at that. In a collection that seemed to explore the non-normative in a detached and abstract way, it was just weird to see it handled like that. It felt like Stewart was interested in thinking about queerness, but wasn’t sure of where to go with it. Which is a shame, because these stories were particularly well written, in my opinion.
On the whole, this was an entirely enjoyable short story collection. With a little bit less hesitancy about ‘real world’ non-normativity, it could have been brilliant.
July 26, 2016
These stories are touching, funny, disturbing and original. There is a touch of Michael Faber here, but Michael Stewart has a distinctive voice of his own. I'm looking forward to reading more from him.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews