Helpful Score: 2
Brown Dog is the first novella in this collection. He is the storyteller and his experiences may lead to the unearthing of an ancient Native American grave mound to his friend and lover whose dream is to become a famous anthropologist. He does not know who his father might have been, a fact that haunts him throughout his life. When he discovers the body of an Indian chief he wonders if it could have been him.
The second story, titled Sunset Limited, finds four friends who demonstrated against war, the draft, and other issues together again after making their own lives. Originally, there were five friends and while four of them went on to other lives, Zip continued his unorthodox lifestyle which eventually lands him in a Mexican prison with an impending 50-year sentence and he fears he will be murdered. He writes to Gwen and tells her of his fears. She rounds up the others and they travel to Mexico with the hope of freeing Zip. The story finds one friend who hopes to redeem himself after abandoning zip so long ago.
The Woman lit by Fireflies was my favorite story. She loved fine literature, married, raised children and finds that her husband has turned into a controlling person and she doesn't want to live with him anymore so she runs away. The tale depicts her first night outdoors where she thinks about her life, what it is and what she wants it to be. The wonderful ending finds her in Paris living and reading as she always dreamed she would.
The second story, titled Sunset Limited, finds four friends who demonstrated against war, the draft, and other issues together again after making their own lives. Originally, there were five friends and while four of them went on to other lives, Zip continued his unorthodox lifestyle which eventually lands him in a Mexican prison with an impending 50-year sentence and he fears he will be murdered. He writes to Gwen and tells her of his fears. She rounds up the others and they travel to Mexico with the hope of freeing Zip. The story finds one friend who hopes to redeem himself after abandoning zip so long ago.
The Woman lit by Fireflies was my favorite story. She loved fine literature, married, raised children and finds that her husband has turned into a controlling person and she doesn't want to live with him anymore so she runs away. The tale depicts her first night outdoors where she thinks about her life, what it is and what she wants it to be. The wonderful ending finds her in Paris living and reading as she always dreamed she would.
I'm a fan of Harrison's work, but found myself disappointed in "The Woman Lit By Fireflies." The first story, "Brown Dog," is much the same story as the novella "Wolf" and quite similar to the novel "Raven," both in terms of characters and themes - and both the novella and novel tell it better. The second story is simply slow and doesn't really gather the usual energy until the final few pages, which redeem it somewhat. Finally, the title story "The Woman Lit by Fireflies" is what I was hoping for when I got the book - classic Harrison. It doesn't entirely make up for the others, but at least ends the book on a good note. I tend to keep Harrison's books, but this one I'm returning into circulation - not his best.
