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Not many books could've followed my frenzied reading of Don Winslow's masterpiece THE POWER OF THE DOG and not collapse under the weight of the expectations and the intellectual stimulation granted by the novel. Almost no crime novel could've held a candle to it, really. Matt Rowan's short story collection BIG VENERABLE was so far removed of Don Winslow's universe that it was a great follow up read. It's probably far removed from most things you've read in your life, to be honest, except maybe the American avant-garde (Donald Bartheleme, John Barth, etc.) and nobody is going to judge you if you haven't read that. Rowan's universes are cerebral mind benders that are fun and rewarding, but it's not exactly the kind of thing you read to get away from it all and have yourself a simple, quiet good time.
There are seven short stories in BIG VENERABLE and the collection clocks right above 250 pages, so each story is approximately 30 to 50 pages long *. It's not exactly a straightforward, visceral read. Think of BIG VENERABLE of a series of short intellectual puzzles about contemporary and universal issues crafted by Matt Rowan for you to solve. When I say they are puzzles, please don't feel intimidated. What I mean by that is that they are creative and elaborate allegories truffled with symbols that are easy and rather pleasant to decipher. If anything, Matt Rowan's stories are idealistic and ambitious in the best possible way: they have something to give. BIG VENERABLE is not just straight entertainment. It has a unique perspective. A vision of our world to share.
My two favorite stories were Infant Flight and The Bureau of Everything Fitting Into Its Rightful Place. The former dealt with questions of faith and purpose. A priest gets infatuated with a little boy ** that disappeared and starts building an idea of the kid that doesn't necessarily match reality. Rowan illustrates his point so bluntly that it blindsides you and the portrait isn't complete until the very last page. The latter is speculative fiction and probably the most ambitious short story in BIG VENERABLE. It has several layers and tackles multiple questions from the purpose of voting to the nature of disinformation. Don't get me wrong though, it's not didactic. The reader is still very much involved in the process of drawing meaning from Matt Rowan's stories.
The writing style of Matt Rowan is not very complex, although his usage of grammar can be creative *** at times. The best thing about BIG VENERABLE is the patience and playfulness Rowan displays in crafting this peculiar set of stories. He will deliberately let the meaning construct himself as the reader reads along and sometimes it won't make any sense at all before the last paragraph. It's demanding because you cannot skim any detail at all although it's sometimes tempting to, but there is a carrot at the end of every stick here. BIG VENERABLE isn't a quiet, good time indeed, but its snaky storytelling and intricate vision are fun and challenging to any reader who dares giving this collection a chance. It's not for everybody, it sure as hell doesn't have mainstream appeal, but Matt Rowan's literary paradigm is a unique and engaging place.
* I wouldn't swear on that, but the stories were more or less of equal length. Some are longer than others, but there are no very short or very long ones. Every story demands about the same level of involvement from the reader.
** I know what you're thinking, sickos. Keep reading.
*** Albeit legit.
There are seven short stories in BIG VENERABLE and the collection clocks right above 250 pages, so each story is approximately 30 to 50 pages long *. It's not exactly a straightforward, visceral read. Think of BIG VENERABLE of a series of short intellectual puzzles about contemporary and universal issues crafted by Matt Rowan for you to solve. When I say they are puzzles, please don't feel intimidated. What I mean by that is that they are creative and elaborate allegories truffled with symbols that are easy and rather pleasant to decipher. If anything, Matt Rowan's stories are idealistic and ambitious in the best possible way: they have something to give. BIG VENERABLE is not just straight entertainment. It has a unique perspective. A vision of our world to share.
My two favorite stories were Infant Flight and The Bureau of Everything Fitting Into Its Rightful Place. The former dealt with questions of faith and purpose. A priest gets infatuated with a little boy ** that disappeared and starts building an idea of the kid that doesn't necessarily match reality. Rowan illustrates his point so bluntly that it blindsides you and the portrait isn't complete until the very last page. The latter is speculative fiction and probably the most ambitious short story in BIG VENERABLE. It has several layers and tackles multiple questions from the purpose of voting to the nature of disinformation. Don't get me wrong though, it's not didactic. The reader is still very much involved in the process of drawing meaning from Matt Rowan's stories.
The writing style of Matt Rowan is not very complex, although his usage of grammar can be creative *** at times. The best thing about BIG VENERABLE is the patience and playfulness Rowan displays in crafting this peculiar set of stories. He will deliberately let the meaning construct himself as the reader reads along and sometimes it won't make any sense at all before the last paragraph. It's demanding because you cannot skim any detail at all although it's sometimes tempting to, but there is a carrot at the end of every stick here. BIG VENERABLE isn't a quiet, good time indeed, but its snaky storytelling and intricate vision are fun and challenging to any reader who dares giving this collection a chance. It's not for everybody, it sure as hell doesn't have mainstream appeal, but Matt Rowan's literary paradigm is a unique and engaging place.
* I wouldn't swear on that, but the stories were more or less of equal length. Some are longer than others, but there are no very short or very long ones. Every story demands about the same level of involvement from the reader.
** I know what you're thinking, sickos. Keep reading.
*** Albeit legit.