Harry Danced Divinely – Marian D. Schwartz

Book: Harry Danced Divinely
Author: Marian D. Schwartz
Year: 2014
Kindle Price: $3.99
Pages: 247

Despite having meticulously chosen the book myself, I was unaware that it consisted of five short stories when I started reading it. As a result I was a tad disappointed when my expectation was not fulfilled as I finished the last sentence of the first story to find there was nothing more.

This, by the way, was one of the comments made during the brief Book Club discussion on the book. All the stories end abruptly, but once you start expecting it, it stops bothering you.

I personally found that once I started to get a feel for the moral lessons, or social commentary behind the stories, the abrupt endings highlighted the commentary it and gave you smoothing to ponder. However briefly.

Characters for the most part are three dimensional. Even though there’s very little space for character development in such short stories, it’s sufficient as vehicle for the moral of each story.

I did however notice that all the men and all the young ladies are very alike – which is unlikely in a street with people from such different social and religious backgrounds.  Men are kind enough, treat their wives well, provide sufficiently and an occasional, or habitual marital infidelity could be overlooked…

Young girls, where set up as attractive, have feminine hips, light skin and although the exact words and shades escape me, seem to have rust- or strawberry coloured hair.

And that’s about it – a quick and easy read with the charming setting as common background. Had I a few days next to a pool with nothing to do, I would not object to returning to Giffort Street in another one of the books in the series.

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