Review: Stories to Enjoy – Tom Mach

Blurb

This unique collection of 16 short stories written by prize-winner Tom Mach includes stories such as “Real Characters,” which is about a writer who gets his wish–that his characters come alive…. “Breakfast, Over Easy” makes you wonder about loyalty in the face of temptation…. “When Kansas Women Were Not Free” takes you to a time when women were less free than former males slaves…. “Son” make you think differently about compassion. One novelist describes STORIES TO ENJOY as “memorable and intriguing, with O. Henry twists that are sure to surprise and entertain.

Review

Stories to Enjoy is an eclectic mix of short stories from Tom Mach, covering everything from the down to earth to the downright other worldly.  My favourite story involved a woman who combined telekinesis and fraud to make a great living: by using her abilities she was able to alter old stamps, moving the gum or the franking from one stamp to another so the high value ones ended up in pristine condition.  Very ingenious and with quite a twist to the tale (which I won’t reveal).

Not all of the stories resonated with me and at times I found it a little difficult to connect with the characters – alas, this is sometimes the downside of the short story – but generally I found the tales to be very engaging.  They are ‘quick reads’, allowing you to dip in and out of the volume or perhaps even read it in one sitting, as I did.

Stories to Enjoy is quite a remarkable volume in that it probably has something for everyone.  While readers may not enjoy every tale (or they might – who can say?), the chances are that the book will pass from hand to hand and at least one of the stories will engage the recipient.  Therefore, it’s an excellent choice for a family bookshelf or communal reading room.

I understand Mach is also a novelist and I would be interested to see how his writing talents translate to a fuller arena in which to develop characters and stories.  As a short story writer it’s clear he’s very confident in his genre and able to produce very compelling reads.  I would certainly be interested in reading more of his stories in the future.

Title: Stories to Enjoy

Author: Tom Mach

Source: I received a review copy from Goddess Fish Promotions in exchange for my fair and honest review

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