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‘Buffalo Bill and the Psychiatrist’, ‘The Story of Little-Path and Marcus Kellogg’, ‘Zorro the Chess Master’: the playful titles of Power’s stories appear to belie the seriousness of his concerns. There is light and whimsy in this collection, but how much lies beneath the surface?
Power’s stories skip from Papua to digital worlds, the Wild West to contemporary Melbourne. For all their diverse settings, however, many read as if the events are floating in empty space rather than nailed down by concrete details. Furthermore, the exotic backdrops can feel arbitrary. The orphan protagonist of ‘She Calls Her Boy Amazing’ could be growing up almost anywhere – Vietnam plays no role in either the dramatic or thematic development of the story. Often the settings in Meatloaf in Manhattan seem inconsequential, like a garnish rather than part of the meal.
- Book 1 Title: Meatloaf in Manhattan
- Book 1 Biblio: Transit Lounge, $27.95 pb, 224 pp
Power is at his best when evoking the world in which he lives – urban Australia. ‘Grooming’ is a highlight, in which a gripping suspense is developed and maintained (despite hinging on coincidence). The tension builds until the final scene, when the story simply ends. This is common; Power will craft subtle, intriguing scenarios but rarely let them blossom. One finishes the stories with a sense that something might have happened but dubious that anything did.
Readers will find pleasure in Power’s sharp prose and the colour of his stories’ premises. He favours unusual descriptions (sleep is described as both ‘creamy’ and ‘milky’). At times it seems Power is not quite attuned to the resonance of language: seals shine ‘like new born placenta’. Some will appreciate the sense that meaning is alluded to rather than made explicit, but others will find themselves wondering if this meaning exists, and just what it is Power is alluding to.
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