Matt Tompkins

Most short story collections have ups and downs, and "Souvenirs" was no exception. The stories are full of invention, high-concept explorations of odd little concepts.

It's a fun read, and a quick one, but not deep. I got the impression that the author was attempting magical realism at a literary level. There are occasional flashes of brilliance, but it is not sustained. The topics were sufficient, but the stories lack the beauty and precision of language required to elevate them to that higher status. At no point did the characterization get vivid enough to make the people memorable. Instead, I remember the concepts alone, and that is not enough for the writing to truly stick with me.

It's worth a read, though, and Tompkins is worth watching. Whether this collection landed with me or not, his trajectory is a good one.… (meer)

This cute little collection of short stories is deeper and stranger then I expected. As I read about a man taking drastic actions after seeing flames everywhere, a child's father evaporating, and knickknacks appearing in a woman's home, I couldn't help but think that the stories are not just fantastical. There seemed to be underlying possibilities or explanations that are up to the reader to define, interpret, or imagine. An amusing collection. Thank you to Matt Thompkins for writing these and to Conium Press for publishing them.… (meer)