Jeff Roberts' Little Stories Are Edgy, Dark And Existential
Little Stories (Outskirts Press, 2008), Jeff Roberts’ first collection of painful portraits of life heralds the arrival of a new voice in modern American writing. Roberts’ work, edgy and dark, is the voice of urban America, replete with characters who profoundly experience the alienation of modern man.
Cleverly titled, Roberts’ stories are nonetheless heart-rending as they portray lonely people striving for an epiphany of meaning. Lost in their loneliness and misery, they are unaware of life beyond the borders of the darkness that surrounds them. These stories are truly a slice of life, but not the suburban, pastoral life of mindlessly happy, complacent people intent on social mobility and expanding mutual fund accounts. Roberts’ people are lost in the existential quagmire of striving for love, meaning and a reason to be.
While not all of Roberts’ stories reflect modern alienation, most deliver a painful reminder of a misery that even the most content can easily recall. The betrayal in “Relativity” can easily rub salt in old wounds; “Most Likely to Succeed” will stir long forgotten memories. Each story brings a veil of sorrow and the revelation of the disappointment that life can allot, from “Cosette” to “Kisses,” and “A Triptych.” Throughout the stories, the characters, lonely and largely disillusioned, are haunting, reminding one of dark rainy days and cold cafes.
Gritty, dark and existential best describe these vignettes of life. Roberts may well be the new voice of the modern man, lost in the city of despair and despondency.
Unfortunately, in this reviewer’s opinion, editorial oversights keep this noteworthy first book from achieving the high rating it so richly deserves.
Becky Coffield is an award winning freelance writer and the author 5 published works. Coffield also writes under the name of R.L. Coffield. Her work is available at amazon.com and local bookstores.
Jeff Roberts' Little Stories is available at amazon.com
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