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Lowry Pei

Autore di Family Resemblances

6+ opere 45 membri 2 recensioni

Sull'Autore

Comprende il nome: Lowery Pei

Opere di Lowry Pei

Opere correlate

The Best American Short Stories 1984 (1984) — Collaboratore — 104 copie
Edges (1980) — Collaboratore — 102 copie
Crawl Out Your Window #4 — Collaboratore — 1 copia

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One of those books I picked up completely on a whim, 'Family Resemblences' seems just about forgotten. On doing a bit of "research" (read: Googling), I found that Pei has kept a low profile since the mid to late 80s, publishing little through official channels, though a great deal is available on his website on a Creative Commons license, including this book and six other novels (!). If I were the ebook kind I'd be sorely tempted.

On the surface this seems like a typical summer coming of age story: the extended visit with a relative, the idle small town, some romance, but what I liked was how Pei got deeper into that mercurial time when you're learning to shift your relationships with relatives from that of a kid to an adult. Karen's Aunt Augusta tells her a great deal of secrets and gives out knowledge that Karen's unsure if she's able to handle yet.

For a Chicago teen (even a suburban one), 15 and a half year old Karen seemed at times a little too naive about some unpleasant realities, with expectations more suited to the early 60s than the mid 80s. Overall though I think Pei struck a good balance in how he dealt with Karen's coming to terms, through Augusta, with her parents' fallibility, how she herself acts with others, and different perceptions of love. There were times, especially early in the book, when the tone seemed too academic somehow in its treatment of the characters and how it was set up. By that I mean that it seemed written by someone whose written a lot more about these books more than actually enjoying them.

But those misgivings were submerged by how much I enjoyed reading the simple and direct prose and following Karen's thoughts as she for the first time becomes aware of the complex relationships people can share and that most things aren't as straight-forward as they appear.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
ManWithAnAgenda | 1 altra recensione | Feb 18, 2019 |
Pei nicely captures the stillness and anguish of that last summer before you get a car and a job, and the tension and exhilaration of a first real romance. The book has a subtle style to it that tricks you into thinking that nothing much is happening right before the emotions and personalities of the characters crash or connect. Occasionally the voice of Karen or Augusta hits a wrong note, but overall Pei gives us two well-written characters and an ambiguous but satisfying ending.

[full review here: http://spacebeer.blogspot.com/2010/02/family-resemblances-by-lory-pei-1986.html ]… (altro)
½
 
Segnalato
kristykay22 | 1 altra recensione | Feb 17, 2010 |

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Statistiche

Opere
6
Opere correlate
3
Utenti
45
Popolarità
#340,917
Voto
½ 3.4
Recensioni
2
ISBN
3