Drinking Coffee Elsewhere

           I read the short story “Brownies” in Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by Z.Z. Packer. Packer uses good descriptions in her storytelling. For example, when describing the complexion of some of the girls, Packer portrays them as having “a blend of ice cream: strawberry, vanilla.” I thought it was interesting that she used food as a description. Packer also makes good uses of similes. When describing the look on the girls’ faces, she depicts them as looking around “like tourists determined to be dazzled.”

            I thought that Packers descriptions were quite humorous and unconventional. For example when referring to the girls she says, “They smell like Chihuahuas. Wet Chihuahuas.”

            Packers writing style is predominantly narrative. She does not use much dialogue in her writing. I think that this is an effective writing style. By using short quotes, she is able to better describe then scene. The few times she uses longer quotes, she does so to effectively convey the emotions of the characters. For example when she quotes Janice saying, “They gone be sleeping… then we gone sneak into they cabin, then we’ll put daddy longlegs in they sleeping bags. Then they’ll wake up. Then we gone beat ‘em up till they’re as flat as frying pans!” This quote is humorous, but it also conveys the emotion better than paraphrasing would have.

            Packer is a talented writer. 

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