Town

by James Roy

Paperback, 2007

Description

In Town, James Roy turns his hand to the short story, using it to explore the lives of the young residents of an Australian town. This town doesn't have a name. But if it seems familiar, it's because we recognize the people who walk its streets. From the serendipity of an unexpected moment of connection, to the sadness of leaving home, and the pain of the desperate decisions we make, these stories take a personal and uncompromising look at life. Love and loss, grief, humor and passion. Hope and hopelessness. Thirteen linked short stories, spanning a year in the lives of thirteen young people, from a town near you. From the serendipity of an unexpected moment of connection, to the sadness of leaving home, and the pain of the desperate decisions we make, these stories take a personal and uncompromising look at life. Love and loss, grief, humor and passion. Hope and hopelessness. Thirteen linked short stories, spanning a year in the lives of thirteen young people, from a town near you.… (more)

Local notes

13 stories of young people in one town, linked through common mates, friendships and school. Roy tries to address all the issues facing teenagers, drugs, alcohol, sex, rape, early death, anorexia, family breakdown, jobs etc. Each story focusses on one person dealing with one of these issues so the work as a whole is rather disjointed and laborious. The overuse of teen vernacular and idiom renders the book difficult to read.
Has taken me about three weeks to persist and finish it. Not on my top reads list.

Publication

St Lucia, Qld. : University of Queensland Press, 2007.

Original publication date

2007

Physical description

298 p.; 20 cm

ISBN

9780702236372
Page: 0.0613 seconds