What do you think?
Rate this book
The Aversive Clause
"[B.C. Edwards] is a writer possessed of a quicksilver anarchic imagination and I recommend his fiction highly to all and sundry."—Patrick McGrath
From "My Recipe for the Best Tuna Salad in the World":
Malcolm,
I've finished clearing out the apartment, you boy-hungry mongoloid. The last of your things are in the vestibule. I'd come pick them up soon, as I'm sure you're aware, the front door won't shut completely and the glass has been broken in and so the rain is doing a number on that collection of forty-fives you inherited from your father but never got around to playing a single one of.
Meanwhile, as requested, here is that recipe for tuna salad that you've enjoyed so much over all of these apparently bitter years.
Every story in The Aversive Clause has its own unique world: the quiet moments of a couple's destruction as one inexorably turns into a monster, a girl trapped in a tree at the end of the world, acrobats hired to tumble at an oil tycoon's birthday, an entire city come to life to terrorize a dwarf.
- GenresShort Stories
180 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2012
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 8, 2013
Reading a book written by a friend is a nerve-racking proposition. I was afraid to start THE AVERSIVE CLAUSE, a short story collection by B.C. Edwards, because I've known the author since high school. (As a result, I know all manner of embarrassing things about him, and vice versa. None of those will be revealed here.) I didn't want to find myself in the position of disliking the work of a person I'm fond of.
I had no reason to worry. From the first page of the first story, "Tumblers," I was taken in by the writing. Get a load of these sentences: "He wasn't always a driver, the man dressed as our driver said. Just this afternoon he was dressed as a man discovering his wife sleeping with another man on a fainting couch." How great is that?
So now I face the other problem with reading a book by someone I know: I have to convincingly explain that these are truly fabulous stories, independent of my friendship with the author. Fortunately, I can point out that other people think so, too.
Some of the stories in this collection are of this world, and others are set in worlds where things are a little different. In "Goldfish," a nineteen-year-old boy is drunk at a party and thinking about the girl who's always been good to him, and then the story circles around in a horribly clever way. "Aggie With The Hat On" features a slacker who discovers there's a more together version of himself living in the same town. In "Sweetness," a zombie-type illness begins with a constant sweet taste at the back of the throat.
Several of the stories have settings that are apocalyptic or on their way there, but one is the simple reality of a guy attending a family reunion with his boyfriend for the first time. In other words, there are lot of things happening in this collection, and if you don't like one of the stories, the next one will be completely different. I hope you'll give it a try.
I had no reason to worry. From the first page of the first story, "Tumblers," I was taken in by the writing. Get a load of these sentences: "He wasn't always a driver, the man dressed as our driver said. Just this afternoon he was dressed as a man discovering his wife sleeping with another man on a fainting couch." How great is that?
So now I face the other problem with reading a book by someone I know: I have to convincingly explain that these are truly fabulous stories, independent of my friendship with the author. Fortunately, I can point out that other people think so, too.
Some of the stories in this collection are of this world, and others are set in worlds where things are a little different. In "Goldfish," a nineteen-year-old boy is drunk at a party and thinking about the girl who's always been good to him, and then the story circles around in a horribly clever way. "Aggie With The Hat On" features a slacker who discovers there's a more together version of himself living in the same town. In "Sweetness," a zombie-type illness begins with a constant sweet taste at the back of the throat.
Several of the stories have settings that are apocalyptic or on their way there, but one is the simple reality of a guy attending a family reunion with his boyfriend for the first time. In other words, there are lot of things happening in this collection, and if you don't like one of the stories, the next one will be completely different. I hope you'll give it a try.
September 7, 2013
The collection's appeal goes beyond the allure of dystopian exploration and beyond the dissection of relationships. He quietly--yet not exactly subtly--highlights the problems with blind faith, our society's constant hunger for change,and reality television. I like that all sexuality is not a character or a problem or needful of discussion, just the backdrop to the drama.
I did write a full review of the collection, which you can find here: http://www.cleavermagazine.com/the-av... (another source of great short fiction.)
I did write a full review of the collection, which you can find here: http://www.cleavermagazine.com/the-av... (another source of great short fiction.)
April 9, 2019
I suspect, based on B. C. Edwards’ stories, that anyone who uses a Forrest Gump metaphor to describe Edwards’ short-story collection, The Aversion Clause, will befall a strange fate. But here goes anyway—The Aversion Clause: box of chocolates.
It’s a testament to Edwards’ talent that he’s able to write in many different registers and modes, from the realist dysfunctional family dynamic in “Bigger Than All These Buildings” to more fantastical work, and, not surprisingly, it’s those stories that stand out more.
Indeed, when Edwards lets his imagination run wild, it goes in astonishing directions. The media crews following a Tyrannosaurus Rex in “Eugene and the News,” for instance, contribute to a feeding frenzy, both metaphorically and literally. “Evitative” not only includes an apocalypse, but throws in primal regression, tree house fortresses, and cannibals, to boot. Edwards is fearless in his imaginings and, better yet, isn’t above occasionally getting silly, from the cocaine-loving acrobats in “Tumblers” to the accidentally-ingested passenger bus of “Still Here/Help.”
A few times, though, Edwards seems to rest a little too much on the concept, which makes those particular stories feel like shaggy dog stories. “My Recipe for the Best Tuna Salad in the World,” though humorous, falls into this category, and while “The City of God Is Your Town, America… If You Make an Effort” answers the hypothetical question of What if God decided to run for President?, it doesn’t carry this idea far enough. The story ends on a punchline, whereas if it had gone the Steven Millhauser route and pushed the story to its extreme edges, it would have taken on even more fascinating dimensions.
Indeed, some of Edwards’ stories evoke other authors who also play between the real and the fantastic. The robotic corporate-speak of “Doppelgangers Local 525” and “Looking Through Transparent Things” recalls George Saunder’s scathing satires, while the fairy tale qualities of “Illfit” bring to mind Aimee Bender’s “The Healer.”
But in his most successful stories, Edwards merges the fanciful with a strong emotional core, which gives those fantastic elements a deeper, metaphorical meaning, particularly when paired with queer characters. In “Invasion of the Hittites,” for instance, the gay house-flippers who discover a seemingly never-ending metal sculpture in the basement of their latest project are confronted with their own impermanence and the nature of grief itself. Similarly, “The Providence of Angels,” with its subtle allusions to Angels in America, examines the immensities of faith.
Edwards also uses familiar tropes in less familiar ways. Even though the zombie outbreak in “Sweetness” differs little from the run-of-the-mill zombie, Edwards’ story draws unique comparisons: the zombifying infection invites comparisons to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the roving zombie-killing hordes appear almost indistinguishable from gay bashers. Throw in a reference the Armin Meiwes case, and the trope rises from its grave, refreshed.
So while not all the stories in The Aversion Clause will be to everyone’s taste, the diversity in the stories themselves will keep people sampling. And, more often than not, there will be a flavor that lingers on the tongue, long after the sugar rush has faded.
It’s a testament to Edwards’ talent that he’s able to write in many different registers and modes, from the realist dysfunctional family dynamic in “Bigger Than All These Buildings” to more fantastical work, and, not surprisingly, it’s those stories that stand out more.
Indeed, when Edwards lets his imagination run wild, it goes in astonishing directions. The media crews following a Tyrannosaurus Rex in “Eugene and the News,” for instance, contribute to a feeding frenzy, both metaphorically and literally. “Evitative” not only includes an apocalypse, but throws in primal regression, tree house fortresses, and cannibals, to boot. Edwards is fearless in his imaginings and, better yet, isn’t above occasionally getting silly, from the cocaine-loving acrobats in “Tumblers” to the accidentally-ingested passenger bus of “Still Here/Help.”
A few times, though, Edwards seems to rest a little too much on the concept, which makes those particular stories feel like shaggy dog stories. “My Recipe for the Best Tuna Salad in the World,” though humorous, falls into this category, and while “The City of God Is Your Town, America… If You Make an Effort” answers the hypothetical question of What if God decided to run for President?, it doesn’t carry this idea far enough. The story ends on a punchline, whereas if it had gone the Steven Millhauser route and pushed the story to its extreme edges, it would have taken on even more fascinating dimensions.
Indeed, some of Edwards’ stories evoke other authors who also play between the real and the fantastic. The robotic corporate-speak of “Doppelgangers Local 525” and “Looking Through Transparent Things” recalls George Saunder’s scathing satires, while the fairy tale qualities of “Illfit” bring to mind Aimee Bender’s “The Healer.”
But in his most successful stories, Edwards merges the fanciful with a strong emotional core, which gives those fantastic elements a deeper, metaphorical meaning, particularly when paired with queer characters. In “Invasion of the Hittites,” for instance, the gay house-flippers who discover a seemingly never-ending metal sculpture in the basement of their latest project are confronted with their own impermanence and the nature of grief itself. Similarly, “The Providence of Angels,” with its subtle allusions to Angels in America, examines the immensities of faith.
Edwards also uses familiar tropes in less familiar ways. Even though the zombie outbreak in “Sweetness” differs little from the run-of-the-mill zombie, Edwards’ story draws unique comparisons: the zombifying infection invites comparisons to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the roving zombie-killing hordes appear almost indistinguishable from gay bashers. Throw in a reference the Armin Meiwes case, and the trope rises from its grave, refreshed.
So while not all the stories in The Aversion Clause will be to everyone’s taste, the diversity in the stories themselves will keep people sampling. And, more often than not, there will be a flavor that lingers on the tongue, long after the sugar rush has faded.
March 28, 2013
Somethings strange this way come...
B.C. Edwards may just be one of the more bizarre and immensely gifted writers to come down the pike in a long time. Leave it to Black Lawrence Press to discover these disparate geniuses - wherever do they find them? THE AVERSIVE CLAUSE is a collection of short stories, each one so well crafted that it seems like a compressed novel. Edwards can take and idea (fairly bizarre idea at that) and in a very short time make it blossom into something that feels as though it should be contained in a cage of sorts lest its effect seep out into the permanent pixels of our psyches.
`Aversive' is defined as `causing avoidance of a thing, situation, or behavior by using an unpleasant or punishing stimulus, as in techniques of behavior modification' - so the title of the book gives a bit of a clue where we are headed. Edwards seeks out fantasies that in other writers' hands may just become sci-fi or off the wall zaniness, but he writes his stories with such precise language - beautifully creative but never for the sake of being so - that attempting to choose but a few to read is like swearing off chocolate. Every story is worth reading and in a way, they grow more interesting as the collection's pages turn.
Example: the first story is simply titled `Tumblers' but within a few words we find ourselves accompanying two men clad in orange singlet's on their way to a strange costume party hosted by a major coarse Russian bigwig just outside Moscow, and the yarn may only be four pages in length but by the end we have a full story and have a keen perception of our orange clad tumblers - or do we...? And from there we progress to stories such as `The City of God is Your Town, America...If You Make an Effort!' in which God reveals himself to the world and decides to run for President of the United States. The attitudes and comparisons to life as we are actually trying to live it are hilarious.
Edwards deals with sexual issues, with make-believe characters (zombies et al), and with ideas that in the opening words of the story may seem fairly familiar but then they take a dance in to the world of impossible. These are treasures, everyone, and reading them makes us wonder just what will BC Edwards do with out minds next. The only criticism of this book is the very small font size - the book needs to be pretty close to the nose to read....Highly Recommended.
Grady Harp
B.C. Edwards may just be one of the more bizarre and immensely gifted writers to come down the pike in a long time. Leave it to Black Lawrence Press to discover these disparate geniuses - wherever do they find them? THE AVERSIVE CLAUSE is a collection of short stories, each one so well crafted that it seems like a compressed novel. Edwards can take and idea (fairly bizarre idea at that) and in a very short time make it blossom into something that feels as though it should be contained in a cage of sorts lest its effect seep out into the permanent pixels of our psyches.
`Aversive' is defined as `causing avoidance of a thing, situation, or behavior by using an unpleasant or punishing stimulus, as in techniques of behavior modification' - so the title of the book gives a bit of a clue where we are headed. Edwards seeks out fantasies that in other writers' hands may just become sci-fi or off the wall zaniness, but he writes his stories with such precise language - beautifully creative but never for the sake of being so - that attempting to choose but a few to read is like swearing off chocolate. Every story is worth reading and in a way, they grow more interesting as the collection's pages turn.
Example: the first story is simply titled `Tumblers' but within a few words we find ourselves accompanying two men clad in orange singlet's on their way to a strange costume party hosted by a major coarse Russian bigwig just outside Moscow, and the yarn may only be four pages in length but by the end we have a full story and have a keen perception of our orange clad tumblers - or do we...? And from there we progress to stories such as `The City of God is Your Town, America...If You Make an Effort!' in which God reveals himself to the world and decides to run for President of the United States. The attitudes and comparisons to life as we are actually trying to live it are hilarious.
Edwards deals with sexual issues, with make-believe characters (zombies et al), and with ideas that in the opening words of the story may seem fairly familiar but then they take a dance in to the world of impossible. These are treasures, everyone, and reading them makes us wonder just what will BC Edwards do with out minds next. The only criticism of this book is the very small font size - the book needs to be pretty close to the nose to read....Highly Recommended.
Grady Harp
August 15, 2015
I thought the collection was pretty interesting and diverse in terms of themes, styles, and length. What all the stories have in common is their oddity--I found them entertainingly absurd.
A down-on-luck, never-going-anywhere-in-life guy meets a better version of himself in town (same name, same face) but does not dwell much on it; the conflict arises from a different reason. Another guy writes about a live dinosaur eating people away to his mother in a blasé tone. These characters are so odd and they don't seem to realize it, which I found amusing in a twisted way.
I came in without expecting much and I was pleasantly surprised.
A down-on-luck, never-going-anywhere-in-life guy meets a better version of himself in town (same name, same face) but does not dwell much on it; the conflict arises from a different reason. Another guy writes about a live dinosaur eating people away to his mother in a blasé tone. These characters are so odd and they don't seem to realize it, which I found amusing in a twisted way.
I came in without expecting much and I was pleasantly surprised.
May 28, 2013
These are some wonderfully imaginative stories. There is quite a range here between heartbreaking and hilarious. Whether the story was an up one, a down one, or somewhere in between, I enjoyed reading them all. Edwards managed to surprise me on every page.
March 21, 2013
Great book of short stories. More to come.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews