Lucy Wood (2) (1990–)

The writing in this collection is really gorgeous, and the tone of the stories really appeal to me. Many of these are bittersweet and not necessarily dark, but not light either. There are magic elements, but they are not treated as fantastic, and most of the stories utilize oceanic imagery. Wood's ability to conjure a scene is fantastic. The details she includes in her descriptions really bring the setting to life.

I do feel that some of the stories sort of end at an awkward spot, almost like they are vignettes more than stories. Sometimes they end before I ever really felt like I had grasped what was happening. The title story, 'Diving Belles,' is really the standout. I think it is the one where the characters feel the most real, and the story feels like a story, rather than a scene. It unfolds slowly, which gives you time to acclimate yourself to the world in which the story exists. I also enjoyed 'Of Mothers and Little People' and 'Beachcombing,' both about the relationship between a child (one grown, one small) and a parent/grandparent.

I'm really excited to see what comes next from the author. She reminds me a little of a combination of Graham Joyce and Karen Russell, two of my favorite authors. And I feel like the world could always use more weird, bittersweet, quirky, magical, fairy-tale, fable-based stories.… (meer)