Review of "Job Interviews," a single story in a collection by Greg X. Graves

Summary of the collection:
Do you want to recycle but aren't sure how? Are you concerned that a potential suitor may be a vampire? Have you attended a job interview only to be greeted by Hideous Telepathic Space-faring Lizardmen in Mansuits? 


The Guide to Moral Living in Examples educates on these and many more common moral conundrums, offering bite-sized advice for nearly every improbable situation. Fueled by years of unintentional research on the connections between robotic bears, talking tattoos, and the best type of soap to remove irremovable rings, Greg X. Graves gives simple, friendly yet essential guidance on the twisted path to moral life. With an introduction by Brenton Harper-Murray and stunning illustrations by Jeff Bent, this anthology is a must-have for young and old aspiring moralists alike.


Review:
This story surprised me.  I want to say "pleasantly surprised me" but I'm still kind of reeling.  So let's just stick with "surprised."  It's really off-the-wall in a Monty-Python-Killer-Rabbit kind of way.  It was so absurd I had to read it through two times just to make sure I read it right the first time.  Both times I found myself laughing at the sheer randomness.

The writing style is strong and concise.  This is really what allows Graves to pull off this type of humor.  Absurdity can easily become lost in wordiness.  It would seem that this author has found his calling in the short story genre.

That said, this story (the whole collection, actually) has a very select audience it would appeal to.  The reader really has to enjoy both the idea of a short story and totally random humor.  Not slapstick, not sarcasm... just short, absurd situations.  Fortunately, for the sake of this review, I like both of these things quite a bit.  But I could definitely see how this story would not sit well with others.

Highly recommend for those off-the-wall types.  Be warned: leave all your preconceived notions at the door.

4.5/5 stars
Reviewed by Alain Gomez

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