Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Wednesday, June 3, 2015

"The Prospectors" by Karen Russell (June 8, 2015, in The New Yorker)





Prior to reading "The Prospectors" I have read and posted on four delightful short stories by Karen Russell and her novella Sleep Donation.  I was very happy to learn the current issue of The New Yorker has a new story by Russell.  My main purpose today is to let my readers know of the opportunity to read a Karen Russell short story for free and to keep a reading journal for it.


The story is set in 1931, the terrible economic down turn known as the depression has  just begun. Our central characters are two young women from Florida.  One is from a prosperous hotel owning family and one used to be a maid the hotel.   They decided they might find better times in Oregon and moved there.  They make a living by stealing things from the houses and parties their good looks gets them invited to.  They are also border line prostitutes at times.  It is kind of an adventure and the girls are very bonded to each other.  The big thing in the town they are staying at is the construction of a new giant ski resort.  The government has programs to give jobs to all kind of workers.  The big day comes for the opening night party at the new ski.  Every big whig in the state will be there and the girl figure it could be a great opportunity for them.

They get on the ski ramp to the hotel, or do they?  Now things take a turn for the very strange.

I greatly enjoyed this story.

My Prior Posts on Karen Russell


Read the story here

Mel u

No comments: