remigves's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.0
rachbreads's review against another edition
3.0
My favorite collections of short stories have stories where you really get to know the characters, even if it's in a short period of time. Acker had several successful stories in this collection that I felt like I really connected with the characters - they were some of the longer stories, like Mambo Sauce and The Ropes. I felt like there were some inconsistencies in the strength of the overall collection - only a couple stories stood out to me, hence the 3-star rating. I did enjoy the DC setting and the focus on black American females - I thought they were interesting setting and character choices.
julibug86's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this on Audible.
Some of the short stories were a 3 and some were a 5, so I've averaged out to a 4. Would definitely read more from this author and would be interested to see a full length novel from her. Felt like some of these stories could lend themselves to being longer!
Some of the short stories were a 3 and some were a 5, so I've averaged out to a 4. Would definitely read more from this author and would be interested to see a full length novel from her. Felt like some of these stories could lend themselves to being longer!
jerrylwei's review against another edition
3.0
Like David Nicholson’s fantastic short story collection, Flying Home, this book deals with Black Washington. In the end, the two books operate off different concepts. Nicholson’s collection describes the life of Black Washington in a time of change. Acker’s book describes how black people in D.C. confront or are affected by race and gentrification. While many of her stories were enjoyable, Acker’s metaphors were often strained or heavy-handed. Some characters were one-dimensional.
My favorite stories were Now, This (about a woman in middle age taking a chance on love again), The Ropes (about how little teachers can know about their wards), and Mambo Sauce (a classic gentrification tale, but with well-written characters).
My favorite stories were Now, This (about a woman in middle age taking a chance on love again), The Ropes (about how little teachers can know about their wards), and Mambo Sauce (a classic gentrification tale, but with well-written characters).
mytileneve's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
some stories I really liked while others fell completely flat for me…
some stories I really liked while others fell completely flat for me…
sassyram's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
harris39's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not generally one for short stories, but this collection really worked for me. I'm not sure if every story actually as successful as an independent/stand-alone read, but when read together, I felt like each story ended up with an interesting synergy when read in the context of the other tales. Rather than expecting each story to resonate independently, I felt like I was reading the literary equivalent of a patchwork quilt, where each story featured a different voice in this diverse chorus that was singing about the experience of black womanhood. Together, the picture that was painted was that much richer and evocative than if I had only heard the voice of one woman featured, or I had only been exposed to the perspective of one narrator. I read this almost like I would a novel, and even though none of the stories interconnect, they did all still feel part of the same quilt, and I liked that the author's exploration of blackness and the female experience was amplified through all the different voices. I liked that some of these felt more like vignettes, than totally complete stories with a beginning, middle, and end. I would/will definitely read more by this author and by this publishing house in the future!