Voodoo Heart by Scott Snyder

I really, really wanted to to like Voodoo Heart. I really did. But I didn't. I sometimes have this problem when I read short story collections - the writing feels one note and repetitive. With Voodoo Heart, it was that and the fact that none of the stories really ended. It's sort of like my first time reading a Philip K. Dick collection - all of the stories seemed to end on a sort of "da-dum!" sort of way. Men are on Mars looking for a future, possible Earth and...Da-Dum! Men came from Mars and already destroyed that planet!! Voodoo Heart was the same way - it felt like all of the stories had that sort of not really an ending, ending. Once, okay. Twice, okay. All 7 stories, not so much.

The tone of the stories was nice, in a sort of combination of Alice Hoffman-y whimsy and magic with a sort of Stewart O'Nan mix of characters, but overall it really wasn't enough to make me like the collection as a whole. For instance, I loved the idea of the story that the book takes it's title from, "Voodoo Heart." It's about a young couple that buy a dilapidated Florida mansion that is right next to a women's prison. The setting is lovely, and the story about a young man who ends up pushing every one a way and destroying all sorts of relationships is easy to find yourself sinking in to, but really the ending just doesn't exist. The story just stops, like the author couldn't decide what the answer was so he just didn't answer. I liked "Happy Fish, Plus Coin," about a young man on the run from his controlling, very wealthy family who meets a man who inspires him to reach for more. The character of Indestructible Gay Isabelle, the man who just can't seem to die is quite touching but again, the story just sort of ends with no real resolution, like Scott Snyder's seen one too many indie movies that decide to leave you not knowing what Bill Murray said to Scarlett Johannsen. When you do it too many times in a row it seems more like a cop out than an actual need of the story.

Maybe it's because I don't really care for the overabundance of indie films with that sickly sweet, coming of age, whimsy melodrama and this collection reminded me too much of that. Who knows. All I know is I really wanted to like it because it was so highly recommended, and there was something about the over tone and lack of resolution in every story that just turned me off.

Rating: Meh. I wanted to like it. I really, really did. But it just didn't capture y attention like so many other short story collections have.