Friday
Larry Fondation, Unintended Consequences (Hyattsville, MD: Raw Dog Screaming Press, 2009). 140 pp. ISBN 978-1-933293-75-2
With an LA backdrop, Larry Fondation's flash collection Unintended Consequences features grim and intriguing tales that keep readers hooked by providing a gripping and startling, sometimes confusing, glimpse into the darker side of humans.
The sixty-five stories vary in structure, from more traditional narrative and episodic flashes, to more experimental letters, lists, and the occasional prose poem. Each story contains a twist or unexpected quality that takes the reader to unique places. "What is True?" is a simple story that focuses on someone obsessing over the OJ Simpson trial; however, the story ends with a completely unforeseen, but welcome, twist. Other flashes bring unique twists to common ideas, like the first story in the collection - "Getting Married" - about a man and woman falling in love during a holdup, but I won't spoil the good parts.
Fondation's blunt and honest language perfectly complements the grim, cynical, sardonic, and nonchalant tones of the various stories. In "Desire for Blood," the narrator opens with: "I wanted to kill somebody real bad, but I didn't want to do any time" (Fondation 37). It is a great example of how Fondation utilizes a grimly nonchalant tone and plain language to shock the audience and capture their attention. The language here allows the readers to easily slip into the character's mind and the cynical, sardonic tone forces the audience to question the underlying impulses of society.
The opening quote of the second section sums up the collection perfectly: "The most glorious exploits do not always furnish us with the clearest discoveries of virtue or vice in men; sometimes a matter of less moment, an expression or a jest, informs us better of their character and inclinations" (47). Fondation's collection accomplishes this notion perfectly.
Author's Note
Michael Costanzo is currently working toward an MFA in Creative Writing at Rosemont College. He holds a bachelors degree in History with a minor in Psychology from Cabrini College where he published his Historiography research paper "Emerging Art Trends: Video Games as Art" in the 2012 Journal of Undergraduate Research. Michael is also the co-creator and writer for the entertainment/humor website "The Crispy Noodle" and the co-host of The Crispy Noodle Podcast. In his off time, he enjoys playing video games, yelling at the Philadelphia Eagles, being Italian, and writing (of course).
