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Reviewing a story by Aimee Bender is not an easy task. In fact, it's a taunting task. Because what do you point to when there is so much to point at? I suppose I should talk about story, and this particular story, "The Leading Man" was published by one of the leading literary magazines about, The Paris Review. It's a story of a young boy who grows into an older man and along the way, he seeks his identity within himself, within his family and within his community. It is a slow process, but one furthered by Aimee Bender's use of the fantastic in the real world. The boy is born with fingers shaped like keys, his father fights in a foreign, unannounced war, and, later, the boy finds employment in a factory where he breaks glass for a living. The wonderment of this story about a latch-key kid, isolated in more ways than one, is the way the pieces of the story, the pieces of the protagonist's life fit together, not unlike the way the right key fits into the right lock and opens the way with a solid click, the way child holds the keys and becomes a leading man of his own right. One can hardly ask any more than that in a story and when it happens, applaud it and place on a site where others can discover it as well. Written and posted by Pam McNew Post a comment in response: |
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