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There Are Flowers in Ohio
Alice Comstock has always been a dutiful wife and an attentive mother, a perfectionist presiding over a flawless home. She’s reliably been her family’s center, the caretaker and problem-solver, until an illness requires her children to assume responsibility for their mother. For Adam, Alice’s youngest, a return home to California sparks a memory of his younger self. Alternating between the present and flashbacks to Adam’s college years, There Are Flowers in Ohio explores how the paths not taken shape all of our lives.
2 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 24, 2022
About the author
Rumaan Alam
13 books1,895 followersI'm the author of the novels Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother, Leave the World Behind, and Entitlement.
My short fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly, Crazyhorse, Meridian, and elsewhere. I've also written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Republic. I studied writing at Oberlin College. Now I live in New York with my husband and two kids.
My short fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly, Crazyhorse, Meridian, and elsewhere. I've also written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Republic. I studied writing at Oberlin College. Now I live in New York with my husband and two kids.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 15, 2022
I struggled with the inconclusiveness of Leave the World Behind the book Rumaan Alam is best known for. It took me awhile to figure out where There Are Flowers in Ohio was going — It’s a short story about Adam, an adult son returning home to visit his ailing mom, who has flashbacks to his earlier days as a young adult. While much shorter and not related to LTWB, it does carry a similar style of writing.
May 19, 2022
Very good short story. I did prefer the storyline set in the past, but the present had a lot of value too. There was a reveal about the fate of my favourite character that was particularly emotional.
March 6, 2022
I can't argue that Alam isn't a good writer because he absolutely is, but his descriptions feel a bit too wordy for my personal taste and this one felt like it ended too suddenly. I know its just a short story, but it feels like it could've used just a bit more. still hits a bit in the heart, though.
July 6, 2022
I do not think I like this author.
I find that they are too wordy for my taste, and I just think it is really unnecessary and almost daunting to have to read their wordy descriptions.
I also found the story to be slightly pointless. What was it about? There must have been some bigger picture that I was missing, and I just didn't have a good time.
I find that they are too wordy for my taste, and I just think it is really unnecessary and almost daunting to have to read their wordy descriptions.
I also found the story to be slightly pointless. What was it about? There must have been some bigger picture that I was missing, and I just didn't have a good time.
December 7, 2022
2.5 of 5 Stars
A concise short story that flip-flops between the past and the present. I enjoyed the interplay between the two storylines separated by time, and I think this story was both well-written and well-narrated. I think there could've been a bit more to it; it brought up important themes of class, queer relationships, family expectations, and more, but, unfortunately, it didn't feel super rewarding or memorable in the grand scheme of everything I have and will read.
I know this is meant as a short story, but I wish it had a bit more to it -- I think I could have really loved it if it were a bit longer or continued further in its exploration of this family, past and present.
A concise short story that flip-flops between the past and the present. I enjoyed the interplay between the two storylines separated by time, and I think this story was both well-written and well-narrated. I think there could've been a bit more to it; it brought up important themes of class, queer relationships, family expectations, and more, but, unfortunately, it didn't feel super rewarding or memorable in the grand scheme of everything I have and will read.
I know this is meant as a short story, but I wish it had a bit more to it -- I think I could have really loved it if it were a bit longer or continued further in its exploration of this family, past and present.
February 28, 2022
Alice is the epitome of women: the glue of the family. She’s always taken care of everything. Until one day, an illness requires her kids to finally take responsibility and make the necessary arrangements for her healthcare and safety. In doing so, the youngest child is triggered of a childhood memory and is pulled into the past. With the story jumping back and forth between the past and present, and being told from each characters POV, we learn how what we consider the “simple things in life” shape us into who we are and how our family sometimes see us.
I wouldn’t say this was an terrible book, but I wouldn’t recommended it. It was slow and nothing really happened.
However, I did like how the story was told by all the characters from their own POV. It was different and not entirely a bad thing. With that being said, the book was a bit dull. But if you need to kill and hour and a half, this book would get the job done.
I wouldn’t say this was an terrible book, but I wouldn’t recommended it. It was slow and nothing really happened.
However, I did like how the story was told by all the characters from their own POV. It was different and not entirely a bad thing. With that being said, the book was a bit dull. But if you need to kill and hour and a half, this book would get the job done.
April 14, 2022
This was a deeply moving short audiobook. I saw a future that is a reality for so many people in the queer community and the ending was shattering. My heart breaks for the all of the Adam’s of the world who are not given the privilege to be themselves due to the judgement of their families and strangers alike.
October 25, 2022
Spare and poignant. Vignettes of a first love, a family and finding ones place, a coming of age and aging, transitions and lives book-ended. Lovely language. Some will wish for more closure, but it invites one to fill in blanks with personal comparisons and revelation.
March 5, 2022
Good for a short story. I would have loved it to have more content so the author could delve more and expound into the lives of her characters.
March 8, 2022
Storyline is nothing special and I didn't enjoy the narrator.
March 19, 2022
An intriguing read.
March 21, 2022
A perfectly respectable short story that was well-constructed but didn't wow me.
May 9, 2022
This short story is tragic and sad
May 12, 2022
Enjoyable but there was literally no plot.
Read
June 12, 2022I liked how unexpected this narrative was and how Alam made connections between seemingly unconnected threads.
July 20, 2022
Well-written, but as an Ohio gay, I found it a bit of a bummer.
July 23, 2022
Decently written. Audio performance was ok. Overall I just think I was kind of bored by the end. But it was quick. So thank goodness for that.
Read
August 12, 2022Not what I expected 🤷🏾♀️.
December 19, 2022
The story takes a minute to materialize, but comes together as something very compelling. Highly recommend it if you’re looking for a quick and engaging read.
April 12, 2023
Was a bit confusing keeping the two timelines straight at the beginning but overall was a great story. Heartbreaking but good
June 9, 2023
A tale of mothers ultimate power in their family.
August 20, 2023
Quick, cute audible plus listen. Quite intriguing left me wanting to know more
September 6, 2023
This story is like semi-sweet chocolate chips: a little bitter, a little sweet, and a lot nostalgic.
January 27, 2024
Beautifully written, and unexpectedly emotional, with good performances.
June 13, 2024
terrible writing the book is all over the place the worst hour of my life, I didnt even finish
December 30, 2023
3⭐️ i didn’t love alam’s novel i read previously, but i wanted to give this one a fair shot! i’m writing this review a little late and am honestly not remembering much about this story… i found it to be just okay.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews