27 stories

Not an easy book to rate- some stories were amazing while others left me feeling completely indifferent. ( )

Jayne Anne Phillip’s collection of short stories Black Tickets were touted as “original” and “the best since Eudora Welty” and “early genius” upon first publication in 1979.

In 2008, I didn’t find them to be all that compelling or original, but that may be a sign of the times. I just don’t believe that if these were published today for the first time they’d inspire the same accolades. And isn't that the test of a classic, standing the test of time?

The use of shock and rawness as a literary device used in some of these stories was valid and useful when written but have lost their effectiveness.

Phillips characters fall either to the side of immorality and their victims: the drug dealers, sluts, loners, raped, abused, confused, or they are the sweeter narratives of relationships between parents, children and siblings. Where she was more successful at engaging me was with the straight forward story telling of familial relationships. These classic family dramas were worthy of the accolades Snow and Souvenir.
( )

Beautifully written and at least the Finnish translation by Marja Alopaeus made me believe in the power of language again. Shorter stories could almost be considered as prosaic poetry. Unfortunately the mesmerizing language didn't carry through all the stories... The moments and the feelings got through, but it was the lack of realisation that left me with nothing in the end and I will forget this book as so many others. ( )

I think I have this because I don't know how to get rid of it. Considered by some to be erotica, it's soft and hard porn written with literary stye. Does that make it art?