Scan barcode
erickibler4's review against another edition
4.0
This is an excellent collection of short stories. I found them very accessible, and gobbled this book down in short order.
Meloy's milieu, like Raymond Carver's, is the American Northwest, although there are some detours into other locales. The stories run the gamut from funny to poignant to downright creepy in tone, but are always compelling.
A lot of the stories have an undercurrent or a hint (sometimes more than a hint) of the danger that women and girls face from unpredictable male figures. I don't mean to say that the book is some feminist tract where the women are good and the men are bad. Most of the men in the book seem motivated by animal urges with civilized rationales superimposed over them, and Meloy shows sympathy and understanding of these urges and rationales. More often than not, she writes from the viewpoint of a male character. And the women are shown to participate willingly in these games of desire, giving themselves over to dangerous situations, and sometimes taking on the role of the predator. All in all, the stories are suspenseful and psychologically believable.
I think I'll be picking up some other books by Meloy before long.
Meloy's milieu, like Raymond Carver's, is the American Northwest, although there are some detours into other locales. The stories run the gamut from funny to poignant to downright creepy in tone, but are always compelling.
A lot of the stories have an undercurrent or a hint (sometimes more than a hint) of the danger that women and girls face from unpredictable male figures. I don't mean to say that the book is some feminist tract where the women are good and the men are bad. Most of the men in the book seem motivated by animal urges with civilized rationales superimposed over them, and Meloy shows sympathy and understanding of these urges and rationales. More often than not, she writes from the viewpoint of a male character. And the women are shown to participate willingly in these games of desire, giving themselves over to dangerous situations, and sometimes taking on the role of the predator. All in all, the stories are suspenseful and psychologically believable.
I think I'll be picking up some other books by Meloy before long.
paroof's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written short stories mostly about unrequited love in many forms.
connorstory's review against another edition
Half in Love = The Bends
Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It = Ok Computer
Would there be any dramatic storytelling in this world if it weren’t for people cheating on each other? God, can anyone keep it in their pants in Meloy’s universe?
Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It = Ok Computer
Would there be any dramatic storytelling in this world if it weren’t for people cheating on each other? God, can anyone keep it in their pants in Meloy’s universe?
kristianawithak's review against another edition
4.0
I love Meloy's writing so much. Her short stories are so packed with rich characters and heartbreaking plots. I would want to live in these stories if they weren't so sad.
kgreene5050's review against another edition
Short stories - set in Montana and the west.
trin's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent short story collection. I’m not a fan of open-ended, snippety short stories that don’t really go anywhere and lack resolution, so I was really impressed and pleased with how complete each of Meloy’s tales seems. Over and over again, she creates rich characters and puts them in complex situations, and the stories are all different, so the collection never starts to seem samey. Not to mention: is that a great title or what?
pinecone22's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
medicinaldrug's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.5
i really adored this collection. meloy has a masterful grasp on pacing and tension, all delivered through a more straightforward prose that befits the american settings. after a while of reading multiple stories, the climax and dissipation of tension can feel formulaic, but they always end perfectly -- unexpected and at times abrupt, but perfect.
myriadreads's review against another edition
4.0
I struggled between a 4 and 5 star rating on this collection. Every story was interesting and well crafted, but I also felt like almost every story left me hanging. It must be said that my feeling of appreciating the skill of the short story artist, yet wanting more than I was given, fits in with the title and the theme of the collection beautifully.