Cover Image: Anne Frank on Tour and Other Stories

Anne Frank on Tour and Other Stories

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I very much picked this up based solely on the premise in the title.  An interesting series of extremely short stories dipping in and out of seminal points and people in history, to more day to day life experiences. 
Very well structured for those who like to dip in and out of a book on an ongoing basis.
Was this review helpful?
As with all short story collections there were some tales that I liked more than others - all of the historical 'what ifs' really captured my imagination as did the letters that closed the book.
Some of the stories were shockingly dark but I found them compelling and was unable to skip any of them!
Was this review helpful?
Just not appealing to me😒

2.5-3🌟stars
These stories did not impress me.  Too many seemed to cut off with an abruptness that left me wondering the point of the whole thing.  In some instances I felt more like I was reading writing exercises than finished stories.  Definitely not my style preference.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the story collection; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Was this review helpful?
This independently published short story and flash fiction collection was a hoot! I laughed through most of it, and moreover, if I may be frank, it was an overdue belly of snortish laughs I emitted. This collection is the sort that encourages the emission of belly laughs. For readers who enjoy a bit of snark, a bit of cheek, and a good dose of make-believe, Anne Frank on Tour & Other Stories will deliver on its eponymous promise of a "What if... " world. 

The collection opens with a section dedicated to "What Ifs", titled "History" and a delightful tale of vengeance, "Sally and Thomas." The title characters are Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. Readers, I will leave you to discover the thrill of this tale yourselves, but know that it remits a great deal of satisfaction. Other sections are themed, "Love", "Need", "Excess", and "Final Acts", the last of which offers a fictionalized glimpse into the lives of certain long-dead celebrities. Some stories are lengthy, though not exceeding more than a reasonable ten or twelve pages; some are flash fiction, punchy bites of a few paragraphs (or less!) Most depict landscapes and characters amply familiar to ourselves: "Speed dating", "Must Sell", and "Online Doctor" for example. We know the people in these pages (perhaps they are ourselves, or perhaps we hope they are not) and all their flaws and funny quirks. Most of these stories are hilarious photo-realistic caricatures. 

Some tales are surprisingly sobering, offering readers a respite from their giggles; but these tales might hit closer to home than one expects. This may be Clark's special skill as an author; the subject matter of some stories is dark and perhaps triggering for some readers (sexual assault and gaslighting), but Clark delivers these messages with both humor and a powerful, succinct punch. The result is that the reader is disarmed by their own humor and left with a fading whisper of a giggle to assuage them in the aftermath of the trauma they've just witnessed the characters experience. In other words, the reader may find themselves smiling, recognizing the landscape of the story -- and then, BAM, Clark delivers a coup d'etat, and the reader may then feel a little guilty for having laughed only a moment before. It is a rare skill to cause a reader to twist internally and Clark does it well several times in this collection. This is not a collection of tales for the sensitive or morally righteous reader. Be prepared to say, "Oh. I didn't think this was headed that way." 

Clark's voice is that of a matured storyteller, and it is unique. Fans of Neil Gaiman may recognize the confidence and the trace of dry humor. Fans of Margaret Atwood will appreciate Clark's wit. Fans of speculative fiction in the vein of Ted Chiang will notice Clark's imaginative approaches to things that never happened.
Was this review helpful?
Enjoyed this creative collection of short (some very short) stories. I requested via netgalley as a jumping off point to start reading again this summer after a short respite from reading to review.
What a nice way to get back in the saddle.

The author really captured the voices of each of his characters which was a delight and unexpected. The titular character had the same voice as I recall reading from her diaries back many long years ago. The other characters from Putin to Dolly Parton to Elvis are all covered here and with seemingly great care to not disrupt their professional spirit.

This is an easy read and a fun journey into what could be, could have been and what a character can be in a short story.

I really enjoyed it and it was a great reminder that a terrifically told story doesn't have to be a huge diatribe. It can be a few paragraphs for the point of the story to be made. What a treat.
Was this review helpful?
Not as interesting as I had hoped it would be. I actually found the non-celebrity-based stories better than the ones based on celebrities, which is what drew me to the book in the first place. Some of the stories are a little too short and some of the endings feel like a bit of a cop-out as well.
Was this review helpful?
You know from the title that this book is irreverent and from the page of contents that each story is short but imaginative. I thoroughly enjoyed Clark's ability to shine the light of fiction on familiar people and events and find the bug in the amber. Perfect as a dessert course to finish off your daily reading anything else.
Was this review helpful?
A short collection of brief short stories - topics are widely varied, including Anne Franck, Palestine, Putin, speed dating, Covid, celebrities, and often darker subjects such as addiction, depression, and violence. There is almost always a twist at the end.  A quick and quirky read.
Was this review helpful?
A great book to dip into as it has such short stories.  I loved the alternative take on so many different historical characters and events.  It’s well written, clever and interesting.
Was this review helpful?
I was quite intrigued by the description of this book but I believe this collection of short stories is probably too far out of my personal comfort zone. 
The concept is brilliant, and the writer has a wonderful imagination but the writing is too fast paced and skips over details too much for me to be able to connect with the stories. 
I'm sure this will be a fascinating read for others but it did not suit me.
Was this review helpful?