Jean Ryan

Whatever she needs, it’s not our company.

That’s from “Greyhound,” the first in this collection of 13 short stories (their titles comprise the cover’s design). “She” is a dog I'll never forget, one who’s adopted out after she refuses to race anymore. But “she” is also thematic of all the characters unable to meet needs in these poignant stories of human (and animal) interactions and failed relationships, mostly lesbian. There is a sameness to many of the stories but show more they're beautiful and I’d eagerly read more by Ryan. show less

The Short of It:

This collection touches on the insecurities that exist within all of us and manages to capture the moment when happiness intersects with longing. Ryan handles both with dignity and grace.

The Rest of It:

I’ve been incredibly lucky lately when it comes to the books that end up in my hands and this collection is no exception.

First, I’ll tell you a little about the collection itself. These stories center around love and loss but particularly the moment when a person first show more realizes that love is waning. That moment where you know it’s over, yet you’re not willing to admit it.

What makes this collection unique, is that nearly all of this loss is the result of an accident or nature intervening in some way.

In Looks for Life, a young woman is given a new face after a car accident and the new face is so different from the one she had, that she becomes a different person.

In the Double Take, a young woman becomes infatuated with a child who resembles her own sister.

In Waiting for Annie, a woman waits for her lover to come out of a coma and while waiting, worries about how it will affect their relationship once she does.

My favorite story is Paradise, which happens to be the last story in the book. In Paradise, the relationship of two women is challenged by a parrot! One of them ends up in Palm Springs and that is probably why I loved it so much. With two sets of in-laws that own property in Palm Desert, I’ve spent many weeks observing the people in town and Ryan captured the desert lifestyle so perfectly. In fact, I am going there this week so I found it incredibly amusing to read this story right before my trip.

Years ago, I read short stories for two reasons:

I was strapped for time.
My attention span was all over the place.

I have changed over the years. I’ve come to appreciate the short story form and it’s because of wonderful writers like Jean Ryan. Writers that can capture a moment in time so vividly that it pains me when the story comes to an end.

This collection surprised me in a lot of ways. For one, I coud not tell right away if a story’s narrator was male or female. There are same-sex relationships in the book and so often I was surprised to find myself thinking that the story was told by a man, when in fact it’s told by a woman. The collection kept me guessing and I welcomed it.

I also appreciated the unique nature of the stories themselves. Fresh, likable characters yet ones that you could easily relate to. All of them in unique situations, questioning their place.

This collection is a treat for anyone who reads but if you’ve been in a reading rut and need a book to shake things up a little, this collection is what the doctor ordered. It will wake you up and get you thinking again. I find that I need that every once in a while.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. show less

Loved it! I've taken so long to put up a review for this one because I've been trying to think of how to express what I liked about it. It's beautifully written, eloquent and not a word out of place. The characters in each story strive to overcome pain and loss in their own unique ways, each with a distinct voice. Some moved me to tears, some were gently humourous. There's a lovely current of nature throughout the stories, whether expressed through animal companions or landscapes or show more characters working with plants. My favourite story, 'A Sea Change,' tells of a woman whose lover leaves her because her heart is stolen by the sea. Truly beautiful; I hope these will be widely read. show less

'Survival Skills' is an entrancing collection of short stories. Jean Ryan conjours up a series of worlds that resonate emotionally. She is skilled at putting her finger on the moment when a relationship starts to shift and change and the impact on those involved. The stories use two key touchstones: nature and our relationship with it (surely its not coincidental that more than one narrator works in a garden centre); and the quirks of accident and how they affect our fate. The language is show more simple but compelling. I would recommend this collection highly. Stories to revisit and reflect on. show less