The Secrets of a Fire KingBy Kim Edwards255pp New York, New YorkPenguin Group (USA) inc. $14.00ISBN: 978-0-14-311230-3The Secrets of a Fire King is a wonderful collection of short stories portraying the lives of people who you don’t find in New York City today. There are stories about difference, family problems, and relationships. You will find yourself feeling bad for the people who suffer and feeling happy for the people who are finally free of conflict. You will surely find yourself engaged in this book for a while.One story I find particularly interesting is “The Great Chain of Being”. It is a story told in the point of view of Eshlaini, a little girl growing up in torture by her own family members. Judged forever by one mistake, Eshlaini is never forgiven and pays a great deal for it, causing her life to be the loneliest one. What would you do if someone changed your name for the name of a crazy old woman? Eshlaini had no place in her family and no courage to stand up for herself. Afterall, what could one weak child do to her strong and powerful father? Hidden among total darkness, Eshlaini is invisible until she is finally free and of course it wasn’t meant for her to get anything out if it.Revolving around the themes of sexism, punishment, and difference, The Secrets of a Fire King deeply moves your heart. The treatment of this little daughter of the preacher shows how sexist the society was. In another story, “Spring, Mountain, Sea”, Jade Moon, a Japanese woman is married to an American, Rob, during the World War 2 period. The two are very different and Jade Moon finds it difficult adapting to American life. Rob changes his language at home and doesn’t always agree with his wife. There is a big difference between the two and Rob eventually ends up believing in himself to lie to his wife. Being such a untruthful husband, how could he not have felt any regret? Have you heard of the New York Times Bestseller, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter? It was written by Kim Edwards also and it is very passionate and descriptive. Like The Secrets of a Fire King, both books talk about adultery, relationships, and family problems. If you have read it already, then you should definitely start The Secrets of a Fire King. Both books will make you think about the ending and you will find Kim Edwards a very successful author.Kim Edwards is a very talented writer and her stories are just the best. You can relate or just have your feet in someone else’s shoes for a little while. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and pick up a copy of The Secrets of a Fire King now.
This is one of those special surprises I found in a remainder bin, of all places. This will go down as another "best of" story collection for me. I went and looked at other reviews and was shocked at the low ratings it got. I can only imagine that the readers who read her more popular fiction in The Memory Keeper's Daughter were lost within her more literary stories. I did not read MKD, so can't comment, but that's the only reason that can account for the angry one stars.Edwards is extremely adept at voice and setting and imaginative story plots. She is at her best when mixing science with human nature. Each story was special, but the ones that really stood out for me were "Aristotle's Lantern," "A Gleaming in the Darkness" (which will go down as an all-time favorite, the story of Madame Curie's cleaning woman), and "In the Garden," a tangential follow-up to "Gleaming." Also powerful were "The Way It Felt to Be Falling" and "Thirst." There is a line in AL where one of the characters says, "If there were no mystery, there would be no science." Edwards knows this and is fascinated by the border crossings of myth and reality, mystery and science. "Thirst" takes you by surprise when you realize the main character is a mermaid trapped on land. And you are left wondering, is there nothing that this writer can't imagine and deftly portray? Well, that's what this reader was left wondering, in any case. I will def. read this collection again and again.
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As with most every short story collection (save Hempel, Cheever, Munro, and Robison) waffled about how many stars to give this. Some of the stories are utterly superb (and so worthy of five stars), and a few others are merely good (three, maybe), so we'll average 'em. There's a thoroughness to the evocation of women and of the world that I admire enormously and that times tried my patience (I like swifter voices). Really notable, though, for the wide range of these stories, and for their insistence on mature subject matter: Unlike many debut collections, which muddle with coming-of-age tales, Edwards actually writes about adults, and about adult dilemmas. Good stuff.
—Michael
A fascinating collection of short stories published in 1997. These stories are very different from a lot of award-winning "post-postmodern" contemporary short fiction in that they are all straightforward to read, and all of these stories contain plot. Yes, you heard that correctly-- these short stories have actual PLOTS in them. And they aren't at all difficult to read. (!!!) I was amazed!! These stories are truly a delight! "A Gleaming in the Darkness" stars Marie Curie, a gorgeous tale. "Balance" tells the story of two acrobats, with an ending that is haunting and beautiful and perfect. "The Invitation" is an exquisitely clever story of a racist colonial woman in Malaysia. "Aristotle's Lantern" played with storytelling time in ways that I marveled at with wonder. The title story, "The Secrets of a Fire King," was a dark and wonderful tale. I also loved "Spring, Mountain, Sea," about a cross-racial marriage and the unbreakable bonds of love.I really enjoyed this collection. Kim Edwards is a very fine writer, and the plots of these stories, along with the great characters who star in them, made each tale engaging and compelling to read.
—Melissa Stacy
I think my enjoyment of The Memory Keeper's Daughter was a fluke. I found The Secrets of a Fire King, a collection of short stories by Kim Edwards a chore to read.The short story collection has fourteen short stories. They are set in very different places and in very different eras. They all focus around a supposedly strong female narrator who must prove herself during impossible situations. With the exception of "Spring, Mountain, Sea" and "A Gleaming in the Darkness" I didn't like the stories, the themes or the protagonists.It seems that Edwards has found one thing to write about no matter where or when she sets her stories: women are beaten down by the patriarchy. I'm not denying that women have been (and still are) being denied basic rights for one reason or another but it's not enough of a hook to tie a group of stories together. After the third or fourth story, Edward's pacing and characterization becomes predictable and that adds to the tedium of reading the book.
—Sarah Sammis
