Strange Weather by Joe Hill

"A collection of four short novels that all have a very different "feel" to them, so none are alike. Each had its good points and bad but overall it made for an interesting read."

3 Stars. 

Pros: Each story is very different and keeps your curiosity piqued/Each story has its own "feel" much like the Seasons. 

Cons: Basically all of the characters in Loaded left me feeling disgusted by the human race/The ending of Rain was a little saccharine and the character of Honeysuckle had moments of intense, detective like scrutiny that seemed out of character and very convenient when situations had to be explained in a no-nonsense, detail oriented way. 

Full Review: 

A collection of four short novels, Snapshot, Loaded, Aloft and Rain. Each story had its own unique feel and narrative and each were entertaining in their own way. Snapshot and Aloft were much more surreal and based in fantasy while Loaded and Rain were disturbingly realistic. 

Snapshot - An unsettling story told from the perspective of Michael, a lonely 13 year old who is a whiz with computers, has no friends and spends most of his free time taking things apart and learning what make them tick. The story begins with him seeing his old neighbor standing barefoot at the end of his driveway. She's disoriented and confused and he does what he can to help her. As he walks her back home she admits that she's hiding from The Polaroid Man and that Michael must never let him take his picture or he'll lose a part of himself. Basically, it's a message to hold onto every memory, even the bad ones, because they're all worth it in the end. 

Loaded - A story stuffed to bursting with racism, the right to bear arms, accidental shootings, mass shootings, rash decisions, murder. It just goes from bad to absolutely worse in one horrific, interconnected tailspin. It was interesting how all the pieces came together but at the same time I was too disgusted with all the characters by the end that I just wanted it to be done. If we could just practice the "Golden Rule" and "treat others as you would be treated" than you would hope the world would be a better place. It was a disturbing, difficult read that left a bad taste in my mouth and I think that was the point. 

Aloft - A very "out there" story of a man who lands on a sentient UFO like vehicle in the clouds during a sky-diving incident. During his time on this "cloud" he is forced to consider the many failing in his life and his relationships. In the end he comes out as a stronger, more assertive person and makes a more dedicated effort to actually live his life instead of stand by as a spectator. 

Rain - It starts to rain in Boulder, Colorado, but these raindrops aren't water, they're crystals, razor sharp and deadly. The first rain wipes out most of the city of Boulder, including Yolanda who had just pulled into the driveway to move into her new home with her girlfriend, Honeysuckle. After the first rain, Honeysuckle takes it upon herself to make her way to Denver to inform Yolanda's father of the deaths of his daughter and wife. Along the way she has run ins with all sorts of characters, from cult members, to convicts, to the queen of the Apocalypse. In the end, it's a story about love, freedom, diversity and how fear and distrust can lead to horrible, deadly consequences. It had a bit of a saccharine ending but out of the four novels, it was probably my favorite. 

Overall, Strange Weather was very strange indeed. But as someone used to the temperamental weather of New England, I think back and find it amusing that each story had its own "feel", just as all the seasons in the year do as well. Though Joe Hill is not my favorite author, he is an entertaining one and this was a a good collection of his work.