Where Alligators Sleep
Sheldon Lee
Compton. Foxhead Books, $18 paperback (160p) ISBN: 978-1-940876-08-5
Where Alligators Sleep is a collection of flash fiction, containing stories usually two or
three pages in length. Sheldon Lee Compton demonstrates a flair for capturing
the grotesque in the everyday. From the opening tale 'Ouroboros' onwards, the
reader is presented with a range of situations that simmer with violence and
explore how extreme consequences grow out of an inability to speak up or
listen. At the heart of the collection is a parade of dysfunctional families,
particularly fathers and sons who are not on speaking terms. Arguably, Compton
catches the theme best in the title story, a subtle tale about a family
ignoring relatives they should perhaps be doing a better job caring for. The
collection builds into a series of variations on the themes that are
established. If the collection has a weakness, it is perhaps too bound to
notions of literary respectability regarding length. The book contains over 60
stories, which feels like a defensive compensation for the genre chosen rather
than value for money. As a result, some of the effect of the flash is
diminished. In general, the writing is high quality, engaging and vivid.
Compton is obviously an extremely talented writer who deserves attention, bending
familiar themes to produce work that feels fresh. (August 2014)
Purchase Where Alligators Sleep HERE.
Reviewer bio: Simon
Travers published his first collection of poems, entitled 'Anatomy', in
November 2013. It is available from http://stackhousejones.com/anatomy/
