Helen Breaks Bones and Other Stories

Linda M. Bayley is a freelance writer based in Sudbury, Ontario.

Helen Breaks Bones and Other Stories should have been a good book. Most
of the stories have very strong central ideas, like the moral questions
behind virtual-reality experiences in “Absolute Reality,” or the
differences between Western and Arab values in 1978 Iraq in “A
Victim.” In addition, Robert Dennison’s vast experiences gained in
12 years working for the United Nations provide fuel for a number of the
stories, bringing the reader on long journeys through exotic locales.

Unfortunately, unrealistic dialogue and constant unwarranted shifts in
verb tense and point of view distract the reader to the point that the
author’s intent is lost in his delivery. Furthermore, the locales are
generally not used to full effect. For example, although “Poinciana in
Montserrat” provides very detailed descriptions of the land and its
people, and is set during the 1995 volcanic eruption that left half of
the island uninhabitable, the reader is left to wonder why the story had
to be set in that particular time and place, rather than during any
other volcanic eruption; Montserrat seems to be merely a backdrop, not
an important part of the story.

There is, however, a bright shining light at the end of the book’s
tunnel. In “Brazzo Republic Revisited,” Dennison finally gets out of
his own way and tells a story that rings with absolute truth, even
though it revolves around an idea that most Westerners would dismiss as
pure superstition. This story has none of the flaws that mar the others.
With every word and without any distractions, Dennison leads the reader
to a delightful and logical conclusion.

When you open this book, be prepared to do a little extra work to
unearth the hidden gems, or just skip the first 11 stories and go
straight to the last.