RaveThe Washington Independent Review of Books... a total nightmare—in the best way possible ... This merging of reality and dream states has a powerfully unsettling effect, implying that much of what we accept as normal is, in fact, more than slightly Kafkaesque and underscoring a central theme of the collection: that the real nightmare is the one we create for ourselves by attempting to constrain or conquer nature—both human and environmental ... All of this might sound irredeemably bleak and misanthropic, but Percy nestles shimmers of hope in the dark forest, as it were ... Above all, the language throughout is remarkable: sharp and stinging, yet replete with desolate, hypnagogic beauty. Settings are imbued with distinct personalities ... This precision of language and metaphor is most affecting when it immerses us in the characters’ peculiar worlds ... Poignant, caustic, empathetic, and extremely relevant to our contemporary social climate, the narratives in Suicide Woods linger like a not-unpleasant, post-migraine aura, framing perceptions of what we accept as normal in our surroundings—and in ourselves—long after their sometimes-inconclusive conclusions.
Stephen Hunter
PositiveThe Washington Independent Review of BooksReaders who have little interest in the history and workmanship of guns and even less in the transformative effects of shooting them might find themselves wary of the Swagger series and author Stephen Hunter’s well-known, multi-paragraph homages to gunmanship ... However...Hunter’s meticulous research and attention to detail in gun history and theory are extremely impactful when applied to characterization ... Like Swagger himself, though, Hunter does not take himself too seriously. The suspenseful narrative is sprinkled with wry humor, all the more effective due to its sparseness. Like in G-Man, it includes a secondary mystery — but, in this case, the reveal is genuinely smirk-worthy ... Among the most potent aspects of the novel is that the aging Swagger is an imperfect force, often stunted by impatience, lapses in research and education, and the consequences of hip replacements. This leaves room for Mrs. McDowell — with persistence, watchfulness, critical thinking, and empathy — to assume a place as the novel’s quiet hero ... not only an enjoyable read, but also a fitting and respectful tribute.
