Black Flies
by Heather Fairchild, SUNY Cortland, May 29, 2008
In a world where such TV shows as “House” and “Grey’s Anatomy” reign supreme, these shows exemplify an American desire to see every patient survive. Frankly, these “happy endings” (to coin a cliché) are not what happens out in the field. The glory of Black Flies lays within this no-nonsense approach, leaving little to the imagination. With sparse writing, only the most important and gruesome details are present, with a detached tone that does not escape the horror of the reader.
As an EMT, Ollie experiences the worst that the 18th precinct of Harlem in the mid 90s has to offer; a place where teenage suicides and shootings are commonplace. Studying to be a doctor, this job started out only as an experience-based opportunity. However, he gets far more than he bargained for. Through these experiences, Ollie adapts the lifestyle and attitudes of his partner and fellow EMT personnel, not realizing that doing so exacts great sacrifices upon him. When a choice turns his life upside down, Ollie is finally forced to choose how to treat his reality, with indifference as his colleagues suggest, or with compassion as is his underlying nature.
A stark novel, full of graphic images, it’s the human factor that sticks with you; with their abilities to determine whether someone will live or die, based solely upon their actions, and dealing with that power. Giving answers to questions that no one should ever have to reply to. It gives a raw glimpse into a world that is rarely thought of. A novel that everyone should read once, Black Flies humbles the reader while still speaking to their own hearts, and their inner demons as well.
Black Flies by Shannon Burke, Soft Skull Press (2008)
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