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lbolesta's review against another edition
3.0
Lovely writing. I felt like I needed a little more meat in most of these stories, so I think I would/will really like his novels.
jostelljes's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
mateo_gp's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
snoopysnoopy's review against another edition
5.0
Some of my favorite words:
ethereal, exquisite, poignant, fleeting, transient, and aching
How I'd describe Doerr's short stories:
ethereal, exquisite, poignant, fleeting, transient, and aching
My top 3 stories:
1. The Shell Collector
2. Mkondo
3. So Many Chances
ethereal, exquisite, poignant, fleeting, transient, and aching
How I'd describe Doerr's short stories:
ethereal, exquisite, poignant, fleeting, transient, and aching
My top 3 stories:
1. The Shell Collector
2. Mkondo
3. So Many Chances
booksthatmatter89's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Shell Collector- a story of short stories. Having loved Anthony Doerr’s last two novels, I was excited to see him write this collection. All the stories focused around oceans or lake, fishing, or being around water. I enjoyed all these stories. In a short a,Lunt of pages, the stories flourished and was able to captivate you into the story. I think my favorite story was the story of the novel, but they all brought something to the table.
saraireads's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written stories showcasing nature and exploring its influence on different characters. The sky, the sea, and everything in between comes alive. Not all of the stories were standouts to me--the two short stories that won awards for example were not my favorites by far--but I really enjoyed The Caretaker and Mkondo.
Doerr has a definitative writing style, every sentence feels like it was carefully crafted, and he does a great job of really describing a setting. That said, the sentences were so "heavy" with descriptions and pretty words that it slowed down my reading since I was so busy absorbing it all. This collection demands to be read slowly, but if you're willing to give it some time you can enjoy a few amazing stories.
Doerr has a definitative writing style, every sentence feels like it was carefully crafted, and he does a great job of really describing a setting. That said, the sentences were so "heavy" with descriptions and pretty words that it slowed down my reading since I was so busy absorbing it all. This collection demands to be read slowly, but if you're willing to give it some time you can enjoy a few amazing stories.
lleventhal's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
livres_de_bloss's review against another edition
3.0
Judging by other reviews here, I may have missed the mark.
For the most part, these stories were “okay”. While I cannot deny that the author has talent, the stories were dark, detached and lifeless. There was seldom any differentiation between characters (the characters didn’t have any “voice”) and seemed almost repetitious across the first seven stories.
I found myself slogging through these and just wanting to be done for the sake of being done.
I read “All The Light We Cannot See” a few years ago and it rocketed onto my favourites shelf. I don’t feel any of the warmth and likability of those characters in these stories. The descriptions of nature and topography was wonderful but the rest fell a bit flat for me.
However, Mkondo was the complete opposite. It was a haunting story encompassed with atmospheric writing and detailing. The character of Naima was wonderful. My heart broke for her.
I was originally considering rating this as low as two stars as I’m not a huge fan of dark stories or stories that make you feel bad after reading them, but I’m pushing it to 3.5 simply because of the last story. I wish the others were as wonderful but because of the last story, I don’t feel like I wasted my time.
For the most part, these stories were “okay”. While I cannot deny that the author has talent, the stories were dark, detached and lifeless. There was seldom any differentiation between characters (the characters didn’t have any “voice”) and seemed almost repetitious across the first seven stories.
I found myself slogging through these and just wanting to be done for the sake of being done.
I read “All The Light We Cannot See” a few years ago and it rocketed onto my favourites shelf. I don’t feel any of the warmth and likability of those characters in these stories. The descriptions of nature and topography was wonderful but the rest fell a bit flat for me.
However, Mkondo was the complete opposite. It was a haunting story encompassed with atmospheric writing and detailing. The character of Naima was wonderful. My heart broke for her.
I was originally considering rating this as low as two stars as I’m not a huge fan of dark stories or stories that make you feel bad after reading them, but I’m pushing it to 3.5 simply because of the last story. I wish the others were as wonderful but because of the last story, I don’t feel like I wasted my time.