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Trouble. From the first page of each of the edgy and unrelentingly intense stories in this debut collection, the teenaged characters are headed for big trouble. The adult world has mostly failed them, and they find themselves entering into highly charged situations where they make their own rules, with misguided understanding of the consequences. The stories burn hot and fast, providing searing insights into their world of sex, drugs, drinking, violence, and accidental grace, played out in small, tough towns. Written with raw directness and understanding that makes these nine stories impossible to forget, The History of Vegas announces an exciting, fresh talent with the impact of Mary Gaitskill, Mary Karr, and Jayne Anne Phillips.
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By vannieo (Tejas)
The History of Vegas is an excellent read. Angel's stories are not courageous---they are core. She offers a different angle of insight into the lives of the surviving young. Each story carries its reader through rare and heavy moments of young folk making decisions about their lives, love, children, and bodies as if they are adults. The saying "too grown before it's time" literally plays out in Angel's characters and is best shown through one young mother's decision to prostitute her body for...
Congratulations to this young, gifted author. I look forward to more! The History of Vegas is recommended.
By Megan Boyd (San Francisco, CA USA)
This new author's first collection is filled with provocative stories about youth balancing their inexperience with hope and inspiration.
Angel's writing says it like she sees it, honest and raw sometimes in her imagery. But, it is these same uncomfortable situations and interactions that leave the reader thinking about why the characters act or react the way they do. In fact, in most of Angel's stories, she doesn't give you the only answer at the end of the story. You have to take a moment to reflect to decide what course the character took and why.
I enjoyed the intensity of "History." Unlike so many authors that seem formulaic to their approach to plot, setting, conflict, resolution, Angel asks the reader to step up and participate in the evolution of her characters. I enjoyed the challenge.
Loved the book; highly recommend.
By A.N. LeFay
Not only do most of these stories follow the cop-out of "throw enough dysfunction at the wall and hope it's shocking and/or angsty enough to stick and seem meaningful and interesting" but they're also a tease.
In writing workshop, I learned that every story has to have a problem (of which there are plenty in these), a climax (mostly lacking) and a resolution (of whatever kind, even if nothing really gets resolved. In this case, lacking in almost every story).
Most of these stories just end, often when things just seem like they're about to happen. Most of the characters blend together. I didn't care about them, and the stories didn't feel finished. A bunch of kids in trouble, broken homes, drugs, sex, violence and incest doesn't make good writing unless the story is complete and compelling. To me it just felt like an angsty laundry list.
By Ashley
The History of Vegas wasn't for me. I enjoyed some of the stories, but a few were too sick. I wasn't really pleased with how the book was written. I'm sure that some people would enjoy it, but it defiantly isn't for everyone.
The History of Vegas has 10 short stories. They are all about very different people. Everyone in the stories are experimenting and learning about everything from sex and drugs to killing someone.
The stories in The History of Vegas are something we don't want to believe happen. I recommend this book to people who are ready to read about real life and what kids actually go through. The book was easy reading and I went through it quickly, but I didn't like being left to imagine what was going to happen next.
By boomer (San Francisco)
Okay, so, full disclosure. I grew up with the author. Hell, I probably spurred at least one of the characters in these short stories. Love the translation.
So, hey, I knew Jodi was talented, and it's of ZERO surprise to me that her first "published" work would be so good. I remember reading some of her stuff when I was barely two digits old, thinking, "man, I wish I had the knack to tell a story like her."
Pay attention to this author - my next prediction is that Quentin Tarantino will pick it up this book and put pieces of it on the big screen.
I'm happy - happy that someone with this much talent can't (and refuses to) be swept under the rug. Jodi's works are edgy and unapologetic - and scary enough - they're real. Sure, maybe nothing in this book is based on real events (they come close) but if you think that it could never happen, you're either from Iowa or your kidding yourself.
Trust me. Been there, done that, and now I've bought the book.
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