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A Review of "The Liars' Asylum"



Introduction

The Liars' Asylum (also known as The Liars' Asylum: Stories) was sent to me by author Jacob M. Appel in exchange for an honest review. It is a collection of eccentric short stories that focus on different plots and characters. Additionally, it would seem that the stories aren't even set in the same time period, which struck me as interesting and most enjoyable! I believe that the book offered a variety of written worlds to dive into--much like an ice cream shop, there's something in it for everyone.

My Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis: "SHORT STORIES: The frustrations of romantic love in its various guises--a domineering kindergarten teacher for a dashing artificial foliage designer, a suicidal physicist for his star student, a dialysis patient at a sleep-away camp for the camp owner's daughter--provide the common theme for the stories in Jacob M. Appel's seventh collection. We meet a psychiatrist dabbling with infidelity during a crisis in which rain turns into truth serum, a Finnish-American soldier charged with facilitating his commanding officer's extra-marital affair, and a couple transporting a wealthy, 'locked-in' patient across the Piedmont to his new nursing home. Appel's literary short fiction offers a quirky window into the pangs and promise of love." (via Goodreads)


Thoughts and Comments

Pros

  • The writing and grammar were fabulous, which thrilled me, because I often see novels with some grammatical mistakes, but I can't say the same for this short story collection!
  • Every story had an engaging plot that kept me reading. I'm typically wary of short story collections, because I tend to get too attached to characters to not see them for more than twenty pages or so, but I'm happy to say that I did not get this feeling during the reading.
  • The dialogue was consistently interesting and natural and made the characters feel authentic and palpable.
  • I have to commend the beginnings of each of the stories on a separate bullet because they were all so well-done! The author does a wonderful job at pulling the reader into the next story.
  • There were comedic moments scattered throughout the book that I found to be delightful and light-hearted.
  • The author is fabulous at describing physical surroundings, regardless of the setting--it really gives the reader a sense of where they're at in the story.
  • Each story has a strange, otherworldly vibe to it that I can't quite put my finger on, which also presented itself to me as an appeal.

Cons

  • I do not believe that the formatting is ready to be read on a Kindle. The formatting was alarmingly off throughout the entire book, and it resulted in a continuous start-and-stop feeling, which was incredibly distracting.
  • In the first story, there was a strange situation that made me a little uneasy, as it dealt with an unsure romance between a fourteen-year-old girl and her thirty-nine-year-old summer employer. Although the characters never developed a sexual relationship, there were several sexual themes involved in some interactions.


Conclusion

I enjoyed The Liars' Asylum, and it actually made me more open to reading short story collections--which is saying something! This book really does have it all--laughs, tears, love, and loss, all wrapped up under one big giraffe-print bow. I would certainly recommend it to anyone that enjoys reading short stories. Mr. Appel, I appreciate the opportunity to review your work, and I look forward to seeing more from you in the future!


Amazon Link: See here
Goodreads Link: See here
Riffle Link: See here


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