Ryan ChartrandI discovered Joe Meno rather accidentally when I was lured toward a green novel with a picture of a pink spiky hairdo on the front. I’ll admit I read it solely because of the amazingly cool cover, but more importantly, I discovered a fresh writer who incorporates life’s hilarity with just the right amount of depth. Recently, the aforementioned cool-cover book “Hairstyles of the Damned” popped back into my mind as I was searching for a good read, and I was pleased to find that Meno had just come out with a collection of short stories.
“Demons in the Spring” is Meno’s latest creation, and aside from the array of wonderful short stories gracing the pages, this book is like nothing I have ever seen. Each story is accompanied by a different artist’s illustration, giving the book itself a whimsical, fairytale feel. It is reminiscent of a child’s storybook, if children’s books dealt with heavy topics such as miscarriages and bank robberies. With 20 stories riding on no particular theme, each page is a surprise. I found this book to be very refreshing, as it was something you could pick up for 10 minutes, get your fix and put it down, having consumed an entire, quality story. It was amazing to me that Meno, in only a few short pages, could provide the reader with enough characterization, and emotion to bring me in and then spit me out feeling fully gratified.
From the first story, I knew I had come across something special. “Frances the Ghost” told the brief tale of a young girl who found solace in dressing as a ghost every day, much to the dismay of her mother. Through her story, we are able to see into the mind of her worried and exhausted mother, unhappy with her marriage, as well as witness the trials of a struggling childhood. It was like looking at a snapshot of a day, barely scratching the surface, yet somehow telling more than what was on the page.
Moving on from Frances, we travel to Stockholm and are entertained by a bank robbery gone awry. I was delighted by this unpredictable tale, oddly because it felt so normal. It was as though this situation could happen to any of us, even though it was a rather strange happening. Observing the robbers showed how the human mind is able to rationalize things, even beyond the point of no return.
My favorite of the eclectic bunch, “I Want the Quiet Moments of a Party Girl,” is one of the longer stories. It deals with a couple who becomes pregnant, and their journey through their personal struggles and ultimate hardship. Although it was sad, it was a beautiful portrayal of love and tragedy told through the honest voice of the boyfriend. Through minute details and descriptions, Meno opens windows to the characters’ souls that force the reader to connect with the story, place and time. When I finished this story I had to just breath it in for a moment, because it truly was a grand piece of work.
Meno’s contemporary tales made me feel like I was spying on the characters, suddenly comprehending what dwells in the deepest corner of their minds. Some of the stories take on a fantastic fable-like tone, with people turning into clouds, and wild animals parading around neighborhoods. I usually like to stick to reality, but the way the stories present themselves, it doesn’t seem like anything is out of the ordinary. I enjoyed the realistic stories more however, and was completely amused by the pretentious art student Audrey in “Art School is Boring So.”
Overall, I was completely amazed by Meno’s ability as a writer, and his range. Some of the components in this collection are so wonderfully bizarre and gorgeous that each story gleams with an originality that you just don’t see everyday. I have never read anything like this before and I loved the variety. It has caused me to think harder about my surroundings and the people inhabiting them. What are they thinking about, what story consumes their lives? I think Meno must wonder those things too, and with “Demons in the Spring,” he is able to put his interpretation into writing.
Some stories are action filled and some are not. Either way, the beauty that it is simply life will undoubtedly affect you. “Demons in the Spring” is at times uplifting, occasionally heartbreaking and always wonderful. Read this! You will not be let down. Besides, with titles like “Miniature Elephants are Popular,” you really can’t lose.
Next week’s book will be international bestseller “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson.