tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121649472180371405.post761529899353571668..comments2024-01-07T00:08:50.346-06:00Comments on Literary License (short reviews, real opinions): Dangerous Laughter by Steven Millhauser (a review)Gwen Dawsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02802377594686973300noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121649472180371405.post-82897761205337529602009-04-30T15:08:00.000-05:002009-04-30T15:08:00.000-05:00Wow, how disappointing.
Steven Millhauser is an ...Wow, how disappointing. <br /><br />Steven Millhauser is an idol of mine, and although I haven't read a lot, what I've read has appealed to me. But some of the short stories have been remarkable. <br /><br />I imagine Millhauser likes experimenting with short forms a lot. He never was really about portraying characters; even for the novels, I feel as though the protagonist were described in a distant/impersonal way. Millhauser (if I recall) tries a lot of third person limited omniscience, but his characters don't jump to life too easily. We are always conscious of the formality and artifice. In that respect, Millhauser reminds me of Oates (another author I adore!--talk about damning with faint praise). Perhaps Millhauser has moved onto different things, but when I read a M novel, I feel as though I'm reading a gigantic fairy tale. <br /><br />Thanks for the review.rjnaglehttp://www.imaginaryplanet.net/weblogs/idiotprogrammernoreply@blogger.com