issyt's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A decent short story collection about ordinary people. My favourite is A Fair Trade
librarianna81's review
4.0
Byers writes beautifully. I'm not really a short-story reader, but he really put a lot of humanness into his characters - they were very easy to relate to, and to imagine. I would be interested in reading his novel at some point.
cuocuo's review
4.0
A beautiful collection, wide in its range and emotional scope. My favorite story was "Shipmates Down Under." I admired how Byers wove the (fictional) Australian novel into the family's story as subtext. Also, Byers writes children well.
erinbottger's review against another edition
4.0
This collection of short stories is a good read set in the Pacific Northwest.
The author is under 30 when these were written yet most of his characters are middle-aged and a few of them are seniors. He likes quirky personalities and focuses on lonesomeness of the childless, divorced and estranged. There are few "traditional family units", more are nieces/nephews and aunts/uncles or cousins.
The first 4 stories are lengthily (some spanning years) while the final 3 are abruptly short - and a little confusing as to their point. Byers has a natural writing style and these stories have a flowing prose.
The author is under 30 when these were written yet most of his characters are middle-aged and a few of them are seniors. He likes quirky personalities and focuses on lonesomeness of the childless, divorced and estranged. There are few "traditional family units", more are nieces/nephews and aunts/uncles or cousins.
The first 4 stories are lengthily (some spanning years) while the final 3 are abruptly short - and a little confusing as to their point. Byers has a natural writing style and these stories have a flowing prose.
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