paperdavid's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
whogivesabook's review against another edition
4.0
I was quite impressed already, but the last few stories really took things to a new level for me. I love the short-story writer Amy Hempel and the last few stories really reminded me of her work. There's this directness to them. They hold this poise that is quite rewarding to absorb.
The rest of the collection is skillfully written, but you'll get a LOT more out of it... the nostalgia hit, the familiar experiences etc... If you're a woman.
Maybe that's primitive of me, but I've read a similar collection about a young guy's life and experiences and I got loads of memories flooding back.
And it isn't like I got NOTHING from it. Because I could empathise and it gave me a real insight.
It just couldn't get to five stars with me. But it is definitely an author I will read again.
The rest of the collection is skillfully written, but you'll get a LOT more out of it... the nostalgia hit, the familiar experiences etc... If you're a woman.
Maybe that's primitive of me, but I've read a similar collection about a young guy's life and experiences and I got loads of memories flooding back.
And it isn't like I got NOTHING from it. Because I could empathise and it gave me a real insight.
It just couldn't get to five stars with me. But it is definitely an author I will read again.
clem's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
The Ally Ally O 4/5
Thirteen 4.5/5
Poison 5/5
Escape Routes 4/5
Killing Time 4/5
Through the Wardrobe 4/5
Here We Are 4.5/5
Chasing 4/5
Inextinguishable 3.5/5
Cyprus Avenue 4/5
Multitudes 4/5
Average 4.13 rounded
Thirteen 4.5/5
Poison 5/5
Escape Routes 4/5
Killing Time 4/5
Through the Wardrobe 4/5
Here We Are 4.5/5
Chasing 4/5
Inextinguishable 3.5/5
Cyprus Avenue 4/5
Multitudes 4/5
Average 4.13 rounded
keepreadingbooks's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
My first collection by Caldwell was her more recent Intimacies, and it convinced me that this was an author I needed to read more of. Where Intimacies was centred on woman- and motherhood, on feminism and the female experience, Multitudes shifts that focus slightly and centres mainly on younger women (and a young man who later transitions) coming of age; the angst, the budding sexuality, the things and events in your childhood and youth that form you as a person. If you ever experienced bullying as a child or teenager, or if you struggled with fitting in, this collection will take you right back to that hellish time and remind you just how much teenagers suck.
I definitely do not mean this as a criticism; it can be uncomfortable, but boy, does Caldwell have a skill. She does short stories so well, it’s almost ridiculous. I am even hesitant to read her full-length novels, because I am not convinced they’ll be half as good as her stories. She even masters the second-person form that she occasionally uses (I at least found them as impactful as the rest). Highly, highly recommend both of her collections.
claire60's review against another edition
5.0
Multitudes is a collection of 11 stories spanning adolescence to adulthood, it covers a myriad of different experiences and emotions. The writing is so evocative and exquisite that even though the subjects in the stories are often painful to read, the quality of the writing is such that you can both feel the despair but also enjoy the wonderful writing. Whilst some of the stories are short and you could read them quickly, I found I wanted to take time to absorb the full impact of the writing. Lucy Caldwell is from Belfast and at times these stories make that clear with the references to places and streets but often not as the subject matter of grief, emerging sexuality, become universal. Definitely one for re-reading.
bgg616's review against another edition
5.0
The 11 stories in this collection were written over several years. What is surprising is that they form such a coherent series. Caldwell is a young (born 1981), Belfast-born writer. All of these stories are set in Belfast, specifically in East Belfast. East Belfast is staunchly Protestant, in this city which continues to be segregated by religion. Younger residents shun sectarianism, but housing patterns, bitter histories, and old habits don't change quickly. East Belfast gave us C.S. Lewis and Van Morrison (my absolutely favorite album of all time is Astral Weeks).
There are several stories that knocked me through a loop and will stay with me for a very long time. The first of these was Poison which Caldwell wrote for the 2014 collection [b:Belfast Noir|21535490|Belfast Noir|Adrian McKinty|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405982554s/21535490.jpg|25472835]. A group of 15-year-old girls stalk their Spanish teacher, whose dark looks feed their teenage fantasies. One of the girls carries this obsession too far leading to a disastrous outcome. In the story Through the Wardrobe a bow to [b:The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe|100915|The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)|C.S. Lewis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1353029077s/100915.jpg|4790821] by C.S. Lewis, a six-year-old boy yearns for a Belle dress (as in Beauty and the Beast). As he becomes a victim of bullying and beatings, his parents look for help. The saddest line in the story, which is told in the first person by the now grown boy, is "The GP (family doctor) who will insist that there is no service anywhere in Northern Ireland that can help you". For me, the most poignant story was Here We Are . It is about two teenage girls from East Belfast, one the daughter of a fundamentalist Baptist widower, who fall in love. It included a beautiful and unforgettable description of walking the streets of the city. The final paragraph of the story for me is the second most memorable story closing only after the closing of James Joyce's story The Dead http://drmstream.com/2010/03/snow-was-general-all-over-ireland-the-last-paragraph-of-joyces-the-dead/
"That night, I walked the streets of East Belfast again in my dreams. Waking the dream seemed to linger far more than a mere dream. These streets are ours . I was jittery all day, a restless, nauseous, over-caffeinated feeling. I could email her, I thought, through the website. I wouldn't bother with pleasantries or preliminaries, I'd just say, 'There we were. Do you remember'? "
One of the members of my book group, a woman from Belfast, said this was her book of the year. This is a book for readers who love short stories, are interested in contemporary writing from Ireland and Northern Ireland, and especially for those who know and love the city of Belfast.
There are several stories that knocked me through a loop and will stay with me for a very long time. The first of these was Poison which Caldwell wrote for the 2014 collection [b:Belfast Noir|21535490|Belfast Noir|Adrian McKinty|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405982554s/21535490.jpg|25472835]. A group of 15-year-old girls stalk their Spanish teacher, whose dark looks feed their teenage fantasies. One of the girls carries this obsession too far leading to a disastrous outcome. In the story Through the Wardrobe a bow to [b:The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe|100915|The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)|C.S. Lewis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1353029077s/100915.jpg|4790821] by C.S. Lewis, a six-year-old boy yearns for a Belle dress (as in Beauty and the Beast). As he becomes a victim of bullying and beatings, his parents look for help. The saddest line in the story, which is told in the first person by the now grown boy, is "The GP (family doctor) who will insist that there is no service anywhere in Northern Ireland that can help you". For me, the most poignant story was Here We Are . It is about two teenage girls from East Belfast, one the daughter of a fundamentalist Baptist widower, who fall in love. It included a beautiful and unforgettable description of walking the streets of the city. The final paragraph of the story for me is the second most memorable story closing only after the closing of James Joyce's story The Dead http://drmstream.com/2010/03/snow-was-general-all-over-ireland-the-last-paragraph-of-joyces-the-dead/
"That night, I walked the streets of East Belfast again in my dreams. Waking the dream seemed to linger far more than a mere dream. These streets are ours . I was jittery all day, a restless, nauseous, over-caffeinated feeling. I could email her, I thought, through the website. I wouldn't bother with pleasantries or preliminaries, I'd just say, 'There we were. Do you remember'? "
One of the members of my book group, a woman from Belfast, said this was her book of the year. This is a book for readers who love short stories, are interested in contemporary writing from Ireland and Northern Ireland, and especially for those who know and love the city of Belfast.
ashleymccallan055's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bookishphase's review against another edition
5.0
*ONLY READ THE SHORT STORY "THROUGH THE WARDROBE" FROM THIS COLLECTION FOR UNIVERSITY*
I would have preferred a bit more detail on the latter events, but this was a great short story nevertheless.
I would have preferred a bit more detail on the latter events, but this was a great short story nevertheless.