Magic for Beginners: Stories

Slipstream or Liminal Fantasy is strange The reader is simply thrown into a world with all the attributes of realism and is asked to intake any fantastical elements regardless of how inexplicable they may seem in regards to the context. Therefore in order for a reader to be able to engage with it, they must be able to go along with the strangeness. However, though liminal fantasy feels disorienting, and often absurd, after reading Kelly Link's writings in Magic for Beginners its nonsense, though often not perfectly clarified, makes sense, especially in regard to expressing ideas and themes about humanity characteristic of realism. So readers as a warning, prepare to be baffled. But if you like strange you'll like her stories. It takes an open mind to appreciate them fully, and maybe a little time and deconstructing to understand the messages hidden within. Her insightful charming narrative voice definitely makes them easier to get through.

I loved 'Pretty Monsters' so I bought this without checking it out thoroughly first. MISTAKE. I'm guessing it was because 'Pretty Monsters' was a YA collection and this one is adult (possibly?), but the new stories in this one were... well, I won't outright say they're bad, but there are some I deeply regret reading. I'll go quickly story-by story, rate and explain.'The Faery Handbag' had been in Pretty Monsters as well - I love this one.'The Hortlak' was deeply confusing, but had its moments.'The Cannon' was purely weird, and not in a good way. I found myself coming out of the pleasant haze of being swept along by her writing style more and more while reading it, and ended saying 'What the hell was that?' I felt like I wasted my time. Maybe somebody else could get something out of it, but I definitely didn't.'Stone Animals' was unsettling, a pretty decent horror story, but I think 'The Specialist's Hat' and 'Monster' were both better examples of her horror.'Catskins'. Oh boy. I am really trying to be open-minded about this, but put frankly this story made me want to puke. It was DISGUSTING all the way through - characters, descriptions, content, things that were said - I literally have it taped together in my collection so I don't actually glance at it and make myself sick again. I can't recommend it, but maybe... someone would enjoy it...? I think I'd better just move on. But in case you couldn't guess, that story alone docked a star from this review.'Some Zombie Contingency Plans' - weird and plotless. I think that after Catskins I'd lost a great deal of my tolerance for the plotless, rambling nature of Kelly Link's writing, and I might have enjoyed this one more if I hadn't been so shaken before reading it. (God, I'm making myself sound like a fragile old maid. But Catskins was REALLY gross). It's sort of like 'The Hortlak' - it's strange, but it has its moments.'The Great Divorce' - Ugh. I don't even have much to say about this one but 'ugh'. It was unpleasant but not as gross as Catskins, and doesn't have any redeeming moments I can recall... and upon checking my collection, I find that I apparently taped that one together as well. Yep, I guess that's past-me recommending to give this one a pass.'Magic For Beginners' - I felt like weeping with relief when I reached this one. I loved it in Pretty Monsters and despite being seriously disturbed by some of KL's writing I still love it. It's got a bit more plot and drive than most of her stories in here, some beautiful ideas and turns of phrase - my favorite out of the collection, out of almost all her writing.'Lull' - and we plunge back into WTF depths. Seriously, I just - don't know what to do with this story. So much goes on, technically, but it's all a story within a story being told in fast-paced rambling style, and I never managed to connect with any of the characters that showed up - I got bored, frankly. It might appeal to people in a different place than me, though.

In his liner notes to a 2005 CD titled "Back in New York," jazz enthusiast Peter Straub (yes, that Peter Straub), briefly touches on the concept of mastery, stating "What is represented here is mastery of a very particular kind. As a rule, mastery of any kind demands both a rich talent and an utter dedication to its development; in improvised music, only a few obtain mastery of this kind." Although Straub was referring to the great tenor saxaphonist Scott Hamilton with those words, he probably could be persuaded that they also apply to fantasist Kelly Link (heck, he's already dubbed her "the most impressive writer of her generation") , who, for the last decade, has demonstrated an unparalleled mastery of the short story form in every sense of that word. In retrospect, to say she has mastered the form is perhaps an understatement: not only has she tamed this particular beast, she's taught it a few new tricks. Her talent and dedication shine through in each and every tale.Link's collections are treasure troves of creative storytelling, each volume a celebration of the power of the imagination, each story a unique, glittering gem worthy of careful and repeated inspection. Combining fantastic concepts with familiar elements of the real world, Link's works reveal there are myriad ways of interpreting and portraying "reality". You'll rarely encounter a writer as warm, adventurous, eclectic and sharp witted as Link. Fearless, there is no place she won't go; empathic, she effortlessly conveys to her audience the nuances of her characters' pain, bewilderment, joy and understanding.Stranger Things Happen contains stories about dead men, newlyweds, twins, thieves, princesses, strange cousins, cannibals, marriage, unrequited love, ghosts, and girl detectives. Magic for Beginners sports stories featuring handbags, zombies, cannons, a haunted house, felines, contingency plans, divorce, a television show, and peacocks. Link writes about each of these topics with equal aplomb and inventiveness. She's aware of the numerous levels of story, of tales within tales, of the many paths she can choose in telling her stories-amazingly, she always picks what seems to be the most entertaining road to travel.Her titles alone are arresting. Stranger Things Happen (featuring stories written between 1995-2000) contains, among others, "The Specialist's Hat," "Flying Lessons," "Travels with the Snow Queen," "Shoe and Marriage," "Most of My Friends are Two Thirds Water," and "The Girl Detective." Magic for Beginners (with stories written between 2002-2004) boasts the title story, "Catskin," "Some Zombie Contingency Plans," and "The Great Divorce." The titles fulfill their strange promise in surprising ways.Simply put, these collections are delightful, the stories perfect for engaging your intellect and sense of whimsy and purging yourself of the mundane. Check them out, and learn for yourself that, when it comes to spinning edgy tall tales, the unconventional Link is in a class by herself.

If you like realism in fiction, 'Magic for Beginners' might not be for you. Move on, nothing to see here. However, if you like a sprinkling of magic with your realism (ok, maybe more than a sprinkling – a teaspoon, a tablespoon, a whole darn shaker's worth of magic) get ready to enter Kelly Link's Carroll-esque world where everyone has a zombie contingency plan, the living can marry the dead and the stone animals on the lawn are not what they seem. With the exception of the odd straightforward, albeit terrifying, fairytale such as the very disturbing 'Catskin', Link's tales usually have one foot in the real world and the other in – well, a world like no other but one with its own internal logic. And she is very funny. Take this comparison of vampires vs zombies: 'Some people thought of vampires as rock stars, but really they were more like Martha Stewart. Vampires were prissy...They had to look good. Zombies weren't like that... You didn't need luxury items like silver bullets or crucifixes or holy water. You just shot zombies in the head...' And the marital problems between a living man and his dead wife (they met at a cocktail party given by a New Yorker-profiled medium and matchmaker) in 'The Great Divorce': 'The children had communicated to their father, via the household planchette and Ouija board, a desire to be taken to Disneyland; because divorce is always hard on the children, and because Disneyland offered, at that time, an extraordinary discount to the dead.' And all this might be going on at the All-Night Convenience or while someone is commuting to work. That's not to say she doesn't tackle emotions; many of her characters seem to be lost or alone in the world or estranged from their loved one(s). If all this sounds entrancing, don't move on, there's plenty to see here. Highly recommended.

I bought this after being underwhelmed by her latest collection. I wanted to give her a second chance. I think this was stronger but not by much. Maybe I've just read too much Neil Gaiman, but these stories are way derivative and kinda dull. Shame.

I was disappointed with this book, although that may well have more to do with my taste than with the book itself. I found the kind of thing I was looking for in " Could You But Find It" by Robert Cilley. It is difficult to explain, but there is magic and them there is Magic. I like a book that can convince the reader that the Magic might be real.

Original, quirky, dark, wonderfully written - a great collection of short stories. Love it. Why not 5 stars? There are a couple of stories in the book that are in my opinion not at the same level as others. Other than that, strongly recommended, and I'm off to buy her other books.

This is my second copy of Magic for Beginners. Strange and quirky book with very strong imagery which is both unsettling and funny - all at the same time. Loved the book and have loaned it to friends which is why I have bought another copy. If you liked the movie Shaun of the Dead and like quirky stories - this is for you.