GIVE ME SOMETHING TO REMEMBER....

I recently read a 'debut' author. Not their FANTASTIC BEST SELLING  novel, but their collection of short stories that also were given rave reviews, great write ups and WOW blurbs.
Frankly I read them, and if you asked me the next day what any of those ten short stories were about, I would not be able to tell you.

A setting to remember, characters that stood out, even a theme to tie them all in would have been delightful...but no.

Themes are almost a forgotten art. They shouldn't be. They really help to know what to wear if a friend decides to have a Charlie Chaplin themed birthday....


Or when another friend, had a Harry Potter themed party.


All those little details made it work.


And added a spark of fun to the festivities.


There were HP foods, decorations and games. Not to mention a team of wizards and a few assorted muggles.

Theme - 'an idea that recurs in or pervades a work of art or literature- really helps. If , such as in the case of the recently read short story collection, a group of characters that are so bland they merge into one another, at least a theme connecting the stories would have helped me.

None of the stories stayed with me. None made me think 'wow, what a great idea'. Hopefully this is not the new norm. Short stories full of beige characters doing nothing when nothing happens.

Oh, I hope not!
Vicki 

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