Melanie Rae Thon

I'm particularly fascinated by literary representations of the human body, that process that turns ink and paper into flesh and bone, so it's hard for me to give "First, Body" a negative review. Thon's body-centric collection of short stories does, at any rate, deliver on its premise: the human form undergoes a dizzying number of permutations here, and the author describes its constantly shifting appearance and meaning with great care. At the same time, readers who like to enjoy seeing the show more solidity and physicality of our bodies expressed in print are likely to be disappointed. While Thon's prose is focused on the physical, it also has an airy, delicate quality to it that's miles away from, say, Hemingway or Lawrence's unapologetic celebrations of the flesh. Several of these stories also veer into fantasy or new age territory and, while these themes are dealt with skilfully, they may not be to everyone's taste. More problematic still is the fact that many of these stories deal with bodies that have been abused or neglected. Again, Thon shows genuine empathy for her characters, but I'm still not sure there's a way to write about underage homeless prostitutes without seeming sort of exploitative – heck, ask "J.T. Leroy" about that. These criticisms are mostly matters of personal taste, though, and might have somethig to do with your reviewer's male gender and expectations. Thon's book is still a good addition to what we might call the literature of the body, the way that our physical forms look, feel, act and breathe in text. show less

Melanie Rae Thon's new short story collection explores the themes of love, guilt, grief, and redemption. Thon's brilliant lyrical prose transcends the gritty mundane into spiritual timelessness. Most of these stories are old favorites gathered into one volume. There are, however, a few new gems which I devoured.

In the short story, "Confessions of Raymond Good Bird," Thon's use of word choice paints a portrait of a man delivered from his earthly sins to eternal life in love. Thon describes show more Raymond's scarred face as "a face to love: without love, there was no way to look at you." When Raymond returns home after a twenty-two year absence, Thon describes the homecoming as "a song inside you." The family rejoices like the Biblical father in the tale of the prodigal son. No matter how many people Raymond killed during the Vietnam War, he was forgiven for "blessed was the God who hears, who had kept you alive and sustained you and delivered you whole to this moment." When Raymond dies, his soul is delivered not to Hell but into the arms of the Vietnamese mother whom he killed during the war. This Vietnamese mother becomes "the mother of God." In her arms, both she and Raymond find "only comfort." That is true deliverance. show less

Absolutely heartbreaking and lyrical. Thon weaves a haunting cyclical narrative told through an intimate point-of-view of a deaf aunt whose niece and nephew try to escape their past only to create their future within a flawed and equally troubled human world.

Flint is a juvenile delinquent on the run after escaping prison. He takes his little sister, Cecile, with him on his journey out of state. But a series of misguided judgments, bravado, and ignorance end disastrously.

Thon has the ability show more to transform the most grim circumstances into holy redemption through her keen observation and mystical use of language. I cried from sorrow, joy, and fear throughout reading this novel. I am left a changed person through walking in someone else's moccasins.

A must read for anyone needing forgiveness or wanting to understand those who do. A must read for anyone living in the human condition. show less

Few writers possess the gift of transforming the ugly into the beautiful or taking the marginal and making it mainstream. In "The Voice of the River," Thon illuminates the infinite goodness inherent in all of humanity by uniting the misfits and castaways in a common cause: to find a 17-year old boy and his beloved dog who have fallen into a frozen river.

With lyrical mastery and a good sense of story, Thon weaves each character's unique narrative into a tale full of magic and mystery. A must show more read for anyone curious about nature and spirituality. show less