The Blue Woman

by Mary Flanagan

Book Overview

From childhood violence to romantic ruin in a retirement home, mayhem and magic are never far away in this work. Deliciously conceived, highly flavored, and subtly blended, these stories are a feast... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393038033
• ISBN13: 9780393038033
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.6" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Slick and expert

Stories about women in relationships. That's about as much as I could say about unifying theme. I agree with the reviewer who invoked Alice Munro (did I spell that right?) but the problem is she's not quite as good as Munro. Sometimes she does a Roald Dahl twist or lays on a little Joyce Carol Oates horror and again it's well done but Dahl did it better. I didn't come away with my view of life changed so that I encounter a person or situation I say "that reminds me of Mary Flanagan." There are some short story writers (such as Trevor and Updike) who are so darned good at what they do that they need no gimmick. They simply write very well. Flanagan approaches this level but again does not quite reach it. She is good at being bilingual in British and American. I liked the ones about Greek islands and cats best, but that may be because I like Greek islands and cats.

The Blue Woman

I found this book absultely exhilirating. Flanagan has a very pedantic, vivacious perception. Each of the stories has something to which every woman could relate. My favorite of all the Alice's Ear.