sbb42's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
siobhanward's review
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I was a bit torn on this one - some of the stories were excellent, while others weren't quite as strong. I liked the loose connection formed between the stories. I find that often by the end of a collection, I've forgotten the first couple stories, but Routley's connections made it easier to mentally revisit other stories. The titular story in particular, stood out to me. It really created a strong ending for the book.
mehakyyy's review
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ccwingreads's review
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Thank you to the publisher, Caitlin Press, for the gifted copy of this book!
This novella collection explores the lives and loves of queer women in the Pacific Northwest living in more rural surroundings. There are five stories total, each rooted in the experiences of the characters.
These characters are all flawed, painfully human, and not always likeable. You can feel their insecurities flow off the pages. Loneliness, miscommunication, connection, personal responsibility, change, and self-discovery in all their messy forms can be seen. There are elements of attempted suicide, partner abuse, cheating, and homophobia.
Although at times I cringed at some character decisions, I feel this shows just how relatable the stories are. And there's a fair amount of hope showing that even if we screw up terribly or are not at a good point in our lives, there is hope that we can keep trying and keep living.
If you like reading about messy queer people being messy and so very human, I would recommend this!
This novella collection explores the lives and loves of queer women in the Pacific Northwest living in more rural surroundings. There are five stories total, each rooted in the experiences of the characters.
These characters are all flawed, painfully human, and not always likeable. You can feel their insecurities flow off the pages. Loneliness, miscommunication, connection, personal responsibility, change, and self-discovery in all their messy forms can be seen. There are elements of attempted suicide, partner abuse, cheating, and homophobia.
Although at times I cringed at some character decisions, I feel this shows just how relatable the stories are. And there's a fair amount of hope showing that even if we screw up terribly or are not at a good point in our lives, there is hope that we can keep trying and keep living.
If you like reading about messy queer people being messy and so very human, I would recommend this!
alisonburnis's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
sofietsatas's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
"I don't understand how words can change a body. This flower is a weed. This tree is dead. This songbird is invasive. Beautiful music. [...]. How can I ever believe I am anything solid when my body is again poured into some new shape, beautiful or cute or cruel or dangerous."
What an amazing book! This Unlikely Soil by Andrea Routley is a collection of short stories about contemporary queer women, exploring how they navigate relationships, love, life, homophobia, a pervasive heterosexual society, and their own insecurities. What I most liked about this book was all the different perspectives. We see what it's like for women who have been openly queer for a long time but also what it's like for women only coming into their queerness either recently or later in life. Each experience is valid but Routley does an amazing job of demonstrating the implications of each scenario.
Each short story is so unique and I found myself describing each of them with one word of how it made me feel:
1. Appropriate Behaviour - Lonely.
2. Damage - Suffocated.
3. Guided Walk - Longing.
4. Midden - Different.
5. This Unlikely Soil - Uncomfortable.
I love how each story was able to make me feel such strong emotions. I really felt for the characters and related to their thought processes, especially when it came to insecurities. My favourite story was Guided Walk. I loved the symbolism of the bear and Carol's personality was so cute!
This book is a definite must-read! Thank you Caitlin Press and Dagger Editions for sending me a copy in exchange for a review! This Unlikely Soil will stick with me for a long time.
What an amazing book! This Unlikely Soil by Andrea Routley is a collection of short stories about contemporary queer women, exploring how they navigate relationships, love, life, homophobia, a pervasive heterosexual society, and their own insecurities. What I most liked about this book was all the different perspectives. We see what it's like for women who have been openly queer for a long time but also what it's like for women only coming into their queerness either recently or later in life. Each experience is valid but Routley does an amazing job of demonstrating the implications of each scenario.
Each short story is so unique and I found myself describing each of them with one word of how it made me feel:
1. Appropriate Behaviour - Lonely.
2. Damage - Suffocated.
3. Guided Walk - Longing.
4. Midden - Different.
5. This Unlikely Soil - Uncomfortable.
I love how each story was able to make me feel such strong emotions. I really felt for the characters and related to their thought processes, especially when it came to insecurities. My favourite story was Guided Walk. I loved the symbolism of the bear and Carol's personality was so cute!
This book is a definite must-read! Thank you Caitlin Press and Dagger Editions for sending me a copy in exchange for a review! This Unlikely Soil will stick with me for a long time.
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