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Rising and Other Stories
by
From the award-winning author of The Girl from Blind River comes a collection of transformative new stories
In story after story in this diverse new collection, Gale Massey illustrates the moments that shape and alter destiny. Bringing each to life through interconnected themes of moving water and transience, Massey shares with us an unvarnished narrative of a world that ob ...more
In story after story in this diverse new collection, Gale Massey illustrates the moments that shape and alter destiny. Bringing each to life through interconnected themes of moving water and transience, Massey shares with us an unvarnished narrative of a world that ob ...more
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Kindle Edition, 132 pages
Published
April 13th 2021
by Bronzeville Books
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Rising and Other Stories is a collection of short stories from Gale Massey.
These are stories of characters, mostly young women, who are struggling with their circumstances, their decisions, the people around them. These are characters that may be deeply flawed (a few believe that killing is the best option) The reader stands beside them hoping that things will get better but knowing it won't. Massey does a wonderful job with just a few pages of getting us invested in the characters, no matter ho ...more
These are stories of characters, mostly young women, who are struggling with their circumstances, their decisions, the people around them. These are characters that may be deeply flawed (a few believe that killing is the best option) The reader stands beside them hoping that things will get better but knowing it won't. Massey does a wonderful job with just a few pages of getting us invested in the characters, no matter ho ...more

Massey's potent collection explodes with powerful emotions not meant to comfort but instead challenge your perceptions of family, growth, choices, and consequences. The stories will draw you back to reveal more with each reading.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Bronzeville Books for the advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. ...more
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Bronzeville Books for the advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. ...more

This is an extraordinarily well written collection of powerful short stories. Themes include loss and grief, coming of age, the meaning of family, and questioning of roles and purposes in life. The stories were very well written and often either breath taking or haunting. My only caution would be that this is NOT a feel good book although it does have a powerful and life affirming final line. Thank you to Net Galley and Bronzeville Books for the ARC.

Everything you've heard is true: Gale Massey's characters are filled with desires, ambitions, misgivings, and the whole range of human emotions. They are people whose fates you need to know.
Massey's figurative language is often stunning and powerful, contributing to each story's plot, characterization, and emotional tone. The opening of "Racine," for example, describes the inevitability of the story's conflict and its stoic emotional tone with "The minutes gather at her feet, pooling there like ...more
Massey's figurative language is often stunning and powerful, contributing to each story's plot, characterization, and emotional tone. The opening of "Racine," for example, describes the inevitability of the story's conflict and its stoic emotional tone with "The minutes gather at her feet, pooling there like ...more

As she did in her award-winning novel The Girl from Blind River, Gale Massey, in her new collection Rising and other Stories, explores the gritty underside of contemporary American lives. Set primarily in the southeast United States, Massey’s stories explore boundaries—the boundaries between parent and child, sanity and insanity, sea and shore, life and death. The simplicity of Massey’s prose belies the complexity of the human relations at the heart of her stories. The stories verge on the Gothi
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A beautifully written and powerful collection of short stories. I enjoyed the themes of grief/loss, mental health, intuition; and the symbolism of fish, birds, and nature. Some of these stories did not have happy endings, but I appreciated the realistic outcomes. Rising, Not So Fast, Ivy Waters, and Long Time Coming were some of my favorites. 7/10.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Bronzeville Books for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Bronzeville Books for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. I had the chance to read this book early and could not put it down. The stories were compelling and moving. Such powerful story telling from Massey, you'll want to read this book.
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This collection of thirteen short stories is to be savored. They deal with loss in one form or another, from the death of a parent to the loss of innocence. The first, “Glass”, deals with a girl’s first experience with racism. The story is understated but makes the point. There are also some spectacular views of childhood with remembrances of a father and doing things like fishing. These are poignant yet not sappy. I have similar memories of fishing with my dad and his friends. He quit taking me
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I was very pleased that this author finally came out with another read. I tried not to devour it all at once, to just savor it, nope couldn't do it. Cleverly concise you know and understand what these characters are feeling and experiencing. The stories draw you in right from the start, you will not be able to put it down - Enjoy!
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Rising and Other Stories will be published by Bronzeville Books on April 13, 2021.
Early praise for Rising:
“Gale Massey’s insight and empathy resonate throughout this beautifully written debut collection. She has just the right words to make us feel the pain and hardships affecting her characters, but always with hope. This a must-read from a wonderful new writer. I can’t wait to see what she does ...more
Early praise for Rising:
“Gale Massey’s insight and empathy resonate throughout this beautifully written debut collection. She has just the right words to make us feel the pain and hardships affecting her characters, but always with hope. This a must-read from a wonderful new writer. I can’t wait to see what she does ...more
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