Axis

by Alice Munro

Fifty years ago, Grace and Avie were waiting at the university gates, in the freezing cold. A bus would come eventually, and take them north, through the dark, thinly populated countryside, to their homes. Forty miles to go for Avie, maybe twice that for Grace. They were carrying large books with solemn titles: “The Medieval World,” “Montcalm and Wolfe,” “The Jesuit Relations.”

Genres: Short Stories

18 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Collections of short stories of noted Canadian writer Alice Munro of life in rural Ontario include Dance of the Happy Shades (1968) and Moons of Jupiter (1982); for these and vivid novels, she won the Nobel Prize of 2013 for literature.

People widely consider her premier fiction of the world. Munro thrice received governor general's award. She focuses on human relationships through the lens of daily life. People thus refer to this "the Canadian Chekhov."

(Arabic: أليس مونرو)
(Persian: آلیس مانرو)
(Russian Cyrillic: Элис Манро)
(Ukrainian Cyrillic: Еліс Манро)
(Bulgarian Cyrillic: Алис Мънро)
(Slovak: Alice Munroová)
(Serbian: Alis Manro)

Reviews

[Olivia-Savannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't one that stuck with me. In the end, I just realise I didn't really care about anything? Which isn't really the aftertaste you want after having read a short story. I wanted to care more about the characters and their experiences... but I didn't :/ I can't even really pinpoint why, for some reason.

I think it has some interesting themes, especially when it comes to feminism, sex, family, expectations and friendships. I also thought it was intriguing how Grace's voice was so much 'weaker' and we only ever get to see her story through other people's perspective. She doesn't have her own voice. But then Avie's is the beginning and the end of the story, and much more memorable and assertive.

But except for that one point of interest, I was underwhelmed. The writing didn't astound me and all in all it was just okay.

[Ann Mat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really do like this.

[Luis Louro Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Munro at her best.
Love the mastery in the time jumps. The little details that tell so much about her characters.
This was was listened to instead of read.
From :

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The New Yorker - Fiction - Podcast from 22/06/2011

Lauren Groff reads Alice Munro's "Axis," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Axis" was published in the January 31, 2011, issue of The New Yorker.

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Really enjoyed the reading and the discussion also. A 46 minute listen.
Worth a listen if this speaks to you.

[Panos · Rating 5 out of 5]

a short saga. Only a master at craft could pull this off. Whilst this is straightforward: four very important meetings between characters, Munro takes the reader by the hand and glides them through narratives and time. I can sense exactly how any other writer (including myself) would have handled this plot. This could have been a very senseless and bland story but it isn't. It is very hard to tell what it all means if at all this has a superb meaning. It is truly incredible how Munro captures 50 years in nearly 6 thousand words. I feel obligated to reread this piece to understand its magicality.

[Mateo R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intertextualidad:

Menciones directas:
* The Medieval World, autor desconocido.
* Montcalm and Wolfe, de Francis Parkman.
* The Jesuit Relations (Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France), autores varios.
* Don Quijote de la Mancha, de Miguel de Cervantes.
* Mención a los escritores Sigmund Freud y Leonard Cohen.

Indirecta:
?

* Lugares:
-Escarpe del Niágara, Canadá.
-Kingston, Ontario, Canadá.
-Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canadá.
* Ambientes: Tren, universitario, urbano.