Jill McCorkle’s “Another Dimension” is a marvelously written tale of family relationships that have long ago spun off track. Ann’s beloved brother Jimmy is a sort of twisted soul, and, love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him, which makes me want to hug Ann, or punch Jimmy, or shed tears for them both. I took so much pleasure from this story that I reserved her novels at my local library.
A perfectly constructed story incorporating the major bugaboos of childhood and the longing that sent us to the TV to find something we hoped was real.
Paulette Livers replied on Wed, 03/04/2009 - 05:32am
Jill McCorkle's "Another Dimension" is, despite its rather pedestrian title, a brilliant short story. I could feel and almost touch the eight-year-old Ann's superstition, playfulness and, ultimately, terror through the no-nonsense narrative of the adult Ann. "Another Dimension" is a prime example of why we read short stories: the sweeping scale of a novel told with the compact grace of a poem.
Jill McCorkle’s “Another Dimension” is a marvelously written tale of family relationships that have long ago spun off track. Ann’s beloved brother Jimmy is a sort of twisted soul, and, love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him, which makes me want to hug Ann, or punch Jimmy, or shed tears for them both. I took so much pleasure from this story that I reserved her novels at my local library.
A perfectly constructed story incorporating the major bugaboos of childhood and the longing that sent us to the TV to find something we hoped was real.
Excellent.
Jill McCorkle's "Another Dimension" is, despite its rather pedestrian title, a brilliant short story. I could feel and almost touch the eight-year-old Ann's superstition, playfulness and, ultimately, terror through the no-nonsense narrative of the adult Ann. "Another Dimension" is a prime example of why we read short stories: the sweeping scale of a novel told with the compact grace of a poem.
Fantastic story that ties external specifics into the personal to heighten the emotional context and interpersonal tension. Beautiful work.
Great story! Very nicely written, Jill.