"All those years when they knew what each thought and that they were as close in their thinking as they were in bed, those times were gone. Sunday was the worst day. You couldn't avoid the futility."
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Dances by Robin Molineux Trafford Publishing
book review by JAlpha
Within Dances, a collection of six short stories by Robin Molineux, readers will discover an expressive journey of characters, and places—each story embedded with the depth and complexity of the emotional dances . . . of life and of death and of beginnings and endings.
Particularly refreshing is Molineux's ability to avoid static story telling in the lively way he filters his narrations through the thoughts, actions, descriptions and memories of each of the characters he cleverly illuminates. As illustrated in his story titled Lost, where a woman named Ginny seeks to escape from her life without much of an idea of where that escape might lead. The same thematic notion of one having to live with one's own decisions is central to all of the stories within this collection.
From The Yellow Dress . . .Continuing to work has seemed without purpose, but he couldn't think of anything better to do.
This entire collection of memorable characters moves beyond the function of story action, as Molineux's skillfully conveys each of his characters wants, needs, wishes, and hope, with his clear narrative tone, and occasional poetic framing . . .
I think I will
Just stay around
And watch what goes with Bill
In between I'll
Be on the shelf
With my old chipped mug and smile
Additionally, Molineux's rich attention to both the exotic and mundane details of his stories, infuses each tale with a strong sense of place that linger in the mind's eye.
The rattle of the pickup on corduroy roads
Both enlightening and entertaining, readers will find themselves equally engaged in the reading of the stories presented in Dances, as Monieux was is in telling them.