sophiei's review against another edition
3.0
better prose throughout the project. She has certainly found her voice, now she just has to find the stories.
abby_writes's review against another edition
5.0
Crystalline stories about the liminal spaces within the family dynamic, particularly between mothers and sons. Schutt's stories always have this unsettling, dreamlike quality that immediately draws me in, she doesn't shy away from shining a light on the uncomfortable parts of the human experience, and her language is poetic throughout. Schutt is a master of the short story.
bookishcassie's review against another edition
2.0
I think the reader has to work too hard to really connect to these characters or connect events throughout the stories.
One of the few stories I liked in this collection was "Winterreise."
One of the few stories I liked in this collection was "Winterreise."
rhi_xo's review
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
pattydsf's review
3.0
This is by another author that I encountered because of Shelf Awareness' Book Brahmin. In this case Christine Schutt was the author interviewed. After reading the interview, I wanted to know more about Ms Schutt's writing so I looked in our library catalog. This was the only book we had.
I am not sorry that I read these short stories, but it is hard for me to imagine picking up any more books by Schutt. Her writing was wonderful. Sentences like "The mirror, the mirror untethers the room and sets it afloat above the park." caught my imagination. Her writing is a treasure. However, I really didn't like many of the characters. I don't think there was anyone in the stories that I would want to spend time with. They are not evil, but not good either.
I often form a relationship with the characters in books I read. I liked knowing the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird, Dodger and Out of the Dust. I don't always like the people in Alice Munro's stories, but I might want to meet them. I don't want to meet these folks.
I recommend these short stories to readers of style, people who want to see the dark side of characters in books or those who regularly read short stories. Schutt is a good writer, it is not her fault that I didn't like the people in her tales.
I am not sorry that I read these short stories, but it is hard for me to imagine picking up any more books by Schutt. Her writing was wonderful. Sentences like "The mirror, the mirror untethers the room and sets it afloat above the park." caught my imagination. Her writing is a treasure. However, I really didn't like many of the characters. I don't think there was anyone in the stories that I would want to spend time with. They are not evil, but not good either.
I often form a relationship with the characters in books I read. I liked knowing the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird, Dodger and Out of the Dust. I don't always like the people in Alice Munro's stories, but I might want to meet them. I don't want to meet these folks.
I recommend these short stories to readers of style, people who want to see the dark side of characters in books or those who regularly read short stories. Schutt is a good writer, it is not her fault that I didn't like the people in her tales.
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