*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Title: Pauls
Author: Jess Taylor
Publisher: BookThug
Publication Date: October 2015
ISBN: 9781771661683
Synopsis:
Pauls, the debut short-story collection by the exciting young writer Jess Taylor, is about people: the things that remain unseen to them; how they cope with their unforgettable pasts; the different roles they take in each other’s lives; how they hurt each other; how they try to heal each other; the things they want to learn; and the things they’ll never discover. At the same time, Pauls is a portrayal of the world as these people see it—they all exist in a universe that is strange and indifferent to those within it. Coincidences, relationships, conversations, and friendships all pose more questions than answers.
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Pauls is a short story collection that’ll take your breathe away. These stories are open, raw, and truthful. They do not shirk away from tough topics and seek to portray reality as it is: harsh, tough, and unforgiving. The Pauls in this short book do not have easy lives. They struggle with abuse, depression, pain. But they also find love, friendship, and healing. This collection moved me and more than once, it took my breath away. Taylor’s writing style is coaxing. She writes with the power of experience. She made me feel as her characters feel. I understand their sadness and their hurt, their need to love and protect, their desire to find contentment. Taylor’s writing made me feel like I knew these experiences. In a few short pages, I felt like I knew the characters intimately. Pauls is a window into the lives of strangers, that could so very easily be our own. Few stories have happy endings, but all stories share their lives as they really are. They don’t try to hide or alter. It’s an excellent collection.
Worn Pages and Ink 