Book Review: Sidle Creek by Jolene McIlwain

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the moment I laid eyes on the captivating cover of Sidle Creek, I knew I was in for a treat. Jolene McIlwain, a brilliant new voice in fiction, takes readers on a tender and truthful exploration of a small town nestled in the hills of Appalachia. With an alchemic blend of taut prose, gorgeous imagery, and deep sensitivity, Sidle Creek is a mesmerizing collection of short stories that will leave you captivated long after you turn the final page.

Set in the bruised, mined, and timbered hills of western Pennsylvania, McIlwain skillfully delves into the myths and stereotypes of the mining, mill, and farming towns she grew up in. These stories unfold in familiar settings such as diners, dive bars, town halls, and bait shops, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the daily lives of the townsfolk. Through her writing, McIlwain explores poignant themes of class, work, health, and trauma, unveiling the unexpected human connections that flourish within these small, close-knit communities.

One of the standout aspects of Sidle Creek is the masterful way in which McIlwain effortlessly weaves the wild beauty of the natural world into her narratives. The natural world becomes not only a backdrop but also a source of livelihood for the town’s inhabitants. However, it is not immune to the vulnerabilities brought about by natural resource exploitation. This delicate balance between human existence and nature adds an extra layer of depth to the stories, making them all the more immersive and thought-provoking.

What truly sets Sidle Creek apart is its unique structure. McIlwain employs a mix of super short stories or flash fiction alongside longer ones, creating a dynamic reading experience that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Each story is written with precision and care, with beautiful descriptions of the settings that transport you to Sidle Creek itself. Whether it is a brief glimpse into a character’s life or a more in-depth exploration, every story in this collection is compelling and thoughtful in its own unique way.

As someone who is not typically drawn to short story collections, Sidle Creek was a pleasant surprise. This book pushed me out of my comfort zone and rewarded me with an unforgettable reading experience. The author’s ability to craft fully realized characters within such concise narratives is commendable. I found myself captivated by each story and know that I will be revisiting them often.

In conclusion, Jolene McIlwain’s Sidle Creek is an exceptional collection that deserves a prominent place on every bookshelf. With its tender exploration of small-town life, its skillful examination of societal themes, and its enchanting blend of vivid prose and striking imagery, this book stands shoulder to shoulder with literary greats such as Annie Proulx, Joy Williams, and Louise Erdrich. If you are craving a compelling and thought-provoking read, I wholeheartedly recommend Sidle Creek.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Published by Melville House on May 16, 2023

The stories collected in Sidle Creek are joined by their setting — the fictional Sidle Creek in Appalachia. It is a place where townies keep their business to themselves, where women are routinely abused and men try to avoid deep thought about troubled lives.

The most powerful story is about a stripper who is raped, a dog that is shot, an unmarked grave in the woods, and a man who lacked the courage to stop any of it. Videos eventually surface showing several people of both genders being abused by hunters at a campsite. The story unfolds from multiple perspectives, each contribution building the reader’s understanding of what happened to two girls and how a town where secrets are kept reacted to rumored truths.

In my favorite story, the disappearance of a waitress causes paranoia among the restaurant’s male staff and customers (primarily miners and iron workers) as they wonder whether they are suspected of foul play. Customers are fond of red boots the waitresses wear and are willing to tolerate the restaurant’s gay owner because he hires pretty waitresses. The owner is haunted by the fear that he failed to keep an employee safe. The solution to the disappearance reveals that bad acts can be more sad than nefarious.

In the most poignant story, a man begins to “count random things to pilot his days” after he loses his wife. Living alone on wooded land, he has fallen in love with a doe that occasionally visits his property, an animal he feels an obsessive need to shield from death.

Another strong story revolves around a semi-literate man who breeds pit bulls for fighting. The man has an obsessive desire to be regarded as respectable, a condition he associates with wealth. He decides that having his boys fight each other in bare knuckled brawls is a step up from dog fighting. The story gives new meaning to the concept of unfit parenting.

Several stories highlight the theme of meanness that is ingrained in the characters. A man recalls his childhood, when his angry father dragged a steer behind his pickup truck to punish the steer for wandering away. A priest threatens boys with the paddle when they make “pizzle” the world of the day. A young man on a motorcycle watches a woman with a knife try to steal a baby from a pregnant woman.

Other stories focus on the sadness of desperate lives. An Amish carpenter’s wife tells him that the coffin he built for their son is too small, as if “she thought her love for him might expand his small body.” Sixth grade girls try to puzzle out the mysteries of pregnancy by observing a woman who had four miscarriages in the last seven years, but they instead learn to cope with fear of the unknown. A young woman finishes having sex with a man she can picture making a life with, but then knows she has to hop in her car “and drive far as I can get if I ever want to be anything that ain’t a few steps away from crazy.”

Some stories defy categorization. City council members want to learn the stories of a reclusive woman by condemning her house. A man learns from his Vietnamese wife how to read unfortunate future events from markings on eggs.

Several stories are snapshots of a time and place. Vignettes don’t appeal to me. I like stories to be full meals, or at least a main course, not a meager slice.

I appreciate the cumulative sense of atmosphere that the Winesburg, Ohio approach to storytelling creates. I also appreciate Jolene McIlwain’s ability to portray characters in a sympathetic light despite their limitations and flaws. She doesn’t stereotype or judge. Her prose is precise and fluid but never showy. The collected stories are uneven — the four I’ve highlighted struck me as occupying a higher level than the rest — but taken as a whole, they showcase McIlwain’s undeniable talent.

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Sidle Creek by Jolene McIlwain is a collection of stories about a place that is remote. It is a place most readers will never visit. The author's impressive ability to build the setting and develop the characters does a good job of placing the reader there and giving the reader the experience of the inhabitants. It is an interesting assortment of stories that give the reader a view of grief, tragedy, frustration, struggle, kindness and even a bit of joy. This book is a well written examination of the human condition. It would make a great book club read.

Great detail and the ease se of “showing, not telling.” Readers who live in this part of the country know these places and these people. The level of description is perfect.

Thank you to Jolene McIlwain, Melville Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! The stories were compelling and I feel like I fell right into that world. I love short stories and enjoy a volume where they are connected in some way. This volume delivered. I enjoyed every story.

these stories are written in a flat declarative tone where small happenings and life-changing events roll steadily across the pages with very little tension or emotion, and I suppose this might be an accurate if literary reflection of the characters, primarily laconic people who live in small towns and work with their hands--but this flatness of tone it left me wanting more. Not more dramatic happenings, there are plenty of those, but more dynamic range in the stories themselves.

A series set in the Appalachia region of Pennsylvania. I think people that enjoy story anthologies would enjoy this a lot.

I felt that this book of stories definitely captured the remoteness of this small town, working class area while also revealing the undertones of trauma, tragedy, pain, resilience, and beauty that simmer and rage under the surface.
The descriptions and the characters were written in a way that you can imagine the locations and really capture the spirit of the characters as you read. This is a rare gift. This author has created something unique and compelling and has great stories to tell. I definitely want to read more from this author in the future. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.