readingrobyn's review
2.0
I'm calling this one and marking it a DNF.
Charlotte Gill is an author I really wanted to like. In the Canadian literary scene her books are often very well praised so naturally I knew I had to read one of her books when given the chance. Unfortunately, the stories in this collection just didn't leave me feeling satisfied.
Although Gill can clearly write a good short story in a technical sense, the storytelling itself wasn't what I consider a good time. The characters and subject matter were often vapid and annoying to the point where reading the stories became an unpleasant experience (even with the knowledge that it would all soon come to an end with the start of another story in a few pages) Throughout the collection, of the stories I read, it felt like the same characters were being plopped into different lives. The collection lacked diversity in the stories being told and thus it felt like the same experience over and over again.
Charlotte Gill is an author I really wanted to like. In the Canadian literary scene her books are often very well praised so naturally I knew I had to read one of her books when given the chance. Unfortunately, the stories in this collection just didn't leave me feeling satisfied.
Although Gill can clearly write a good short story in a technical sense, the storytelling itself wasn't what I consider a good time. The characters and subject matter were often vapid and annoying to the point where reading the stories became an unpleasant experience (even with the knowledge that it would all soon come to an end with the start of another story in a few pages) Throughout the collection, of the stories I read, it felt like the same characters were being plopped into different lives. The collection lacked diversity in the stories being told and thus it felt like the same experience over and over again.
anndouglas's review
4.0
A well-written collection of short stories featuring intriguing, complex characters.
I particularly enjoyed "You Drive," which rolls out slices of narrative in reverse order, so that the reader is constantly moving backward in time.
I particularly enjoyed "You Drive," which rolls out slices of narrative in reverse order, so that the reader is constantly moving backward in time.
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