coneja_divina's review against another edition
1.0
I tried really hard to enjoy this book, but it didn't sit well with me. I'm not sure if it was the author's intention to turn the concept of love on its head to expose its dark side; I get the impression that was the thought behind this collection. It left me feeling disgusted and sickened by the characters and their actions. I understand that stories about love shouldn't all be saccharine and lighthearted, but I walked away from this book with the impression that the author's take on love is one that is decidedly skeptical and dark.
The plots of each story moved in a way that felt stilted and sudden, with no real flow between events. I found all of the characters deeply unlikable, to the point where I wasn't invested in them at best and completely disgusted with their actions at worst. Overall, this wasn't my cup of tea.
The plots of each story moved in a way that felt stilted and sudden, with no real flow between events. I found all of the characters deeply unlikable, to the point where I wasn't invested in them at best and completely disgusted with their actions at worst. Overall, this wasn't my cup of tea.
juliettesebock's review against another edition
5.0
*I received a copy of this book for review purposes; all opinions expressed in this review are my own honest thoughts.*
When Jacob Appel reached out to me about review The Liars' Asylum, I wasn't at all familiar with his work. The premise of this collection was enticing and his publication credits spoke for themselves, so I was very excited for this introduction. It didn't take long to know I wasn't going to be disappointed.
*Full review at Pencils & Pages*
https://juliettesebock.com/the-liars-asylum-by-jacob-appel-review/
When Jacob Appel reached out to me about review The Liars' Asylum, I wasn't at all familiar with his work. The premise of this collection was enticing and his publication credits spoke for themselves, so I was very excited for this introduction. It didn't take long to know I wasn't going to be disappointed.
*Full review at Pencils & Pages*
https://juliettesebock.com/the-liars-asylum-by-jacob-appel-review/
oddandbookish's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
This is the fifth collection of short stories that I have read from this author and I have loved all of them. It’s no surprise that I loved this one too.
The first two or three stories were good but didn’t wow me, but the rest of them did. The stories just kept getting better and better.
My personal favorites were “Prisoners of the Multiverse,” “Picklocks in Oblivion,” “The Summer of Interrogatory Subversion,” and “When Love Was an Angel’s Kidney.”
In case you’re not familiar with Jacob M. Appel’s work, he writes the most unique short stories and novels you’ll ever read. He has numerous graduate degrees including a JD, an MD, an MFA in creative writing, an MPhil, and an MS in bioethics so that’s probably why. A lot of his stories pull from those backgrounds. He’s an incredibly talented writer and it shows throughout all his work, especially his short stories.
Overall, if you haven’t read any of Jacob’s work, you definitely should consider reading this collection (or any of his other collections). You won’t be disappointed.
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.
This is the fifth collection of short stories that I have read from this author and I have loved all of them. It’s no surprise that I loved this one too.
The first two or three stories were good but didn’t wow me, but the rest of them did. The stories just kept getting better and better.
My personal favorites were “Prisoners of the Multiverse,” “Picklocks in Oblivion,” “The Summer of Interrogatory Subversion,” and “When Love Was an Angel’s Kidney.”
In case you’re not familiar with Jacob M. Appel’s work, he writes the most unique short stories and novels you’ll ever read. He has numerous graduate degrees including a JD, an MD, an MFA in creative writing, an MPhil, and an MS in bioethics so that’s probably why. A lot of his stories pull from those backgrounds. He’s an incredibly talented writer and it shows throughout all his work, especially his short stories.
Overall, if you haven’t read any of Jacob’s work, you definitely should consider reading this collection (or any of his other collections). You won’t be disappointed.
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