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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Short Stories from Faraway Places I by Kevin O’Flaherty is a series of stories set in various locations, each focusing on characters handling everyday life and work. In The Bells of Gloucester, David and Johnny manage school and family. Johnny has difficulties at home and school, resulting in hospitalization, while David supports him and takes care of his own friendships and activities, including boxing. The Garden of the Republic follows James, a history graduate from New York, who travels to Argentina to assist with an NGO health clinic; he learns carpentry, oversees clinic funding, interacts with locals, and helps Sofia trace her biological parents. In Zabalburu Urkia, Liam moves from Dublin to Durango, Spain, to teach at a primary school, carrying out classroom duties, cultural projects, and local integration while adjusting to health, social, and adaptation issues.
Kevin O’Flaherty’s Short Stories from Faraway Places I is a really interesting collection of stories. This is the second time I have read the work of O’Flaherty, having just recently indulged in the second book in this series. I did see some similarities, but the works are, in their entirety, distinct, and every story stands on its own two legs beautifully. My absolute favorite is Lost Noir Letters in Ink and its portrayal of Owain, Nora, and Dahiana managing the aftermath of a car accident where tragedy forces the three to honor a memory while handling practical matters. Celtic Verde is a close second, showing Connor’s move from Chicago to Ireland, describing his contacts with locals, the discovery of ancient sites, and traces of his past. Across the collection, O’Flaherty presents stories that are evenly balanced with feeling, incredibly unique plotlines, and a sense of place. I love it when an author can pack a huge punch in a small bite, and O’Flaherty does exactly that.
