wohnen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
absolutely unrelenting. waterwitched this and purchased it due to a back cover comparison to raymond carver, who i am in love with at the moment.
this was brutal and i had to put it down a few times to catch my breath. the eponymous story was a punch in the stomach.
this was brutal and i had to put it down a few times to catch my breath. the eponymous story was a punch in the stomach.
arielx's review against another edition
4.0
Noteworthy/memorable:
Under the Pitons is still possibly the best short story I've ever read. Stone has said that he learned not to throw the conflict in the plot in too early or too late, but in this work he weaves it in masterfully until, like the characters, paranoia sets in and you don't know where the true threat is until it's too late. The emotion is palpable, as is the pessimistic and wry despair of the main character, whose ultimate resignation to his fate smacks of the black humor which comes of events too stark and terrible to be fathomed rationally. Whew.
Helping pretty much exemplifies the entire collection, as the characters' mistakes keep compounding, and they struggle against themselves inescapably. At first you feel a sense of confusion at their self-destructive behavior, then you realize that maybe the characters are just as confused as you are. This one has an evocative ending which I liked.
Honorable mentions:
Bear and His Daughter, 'Porque No Tiene, Porque
Le Falta'
Take-home message:
Wow. Drugs mess you up. And actually most of the stories in this book are worth reading just for the pitying and aghast look your face will take on without you noticing.
Under the Pitons is still possibly the best short story I've ever read. Stone has said that he learned not to throw the conflict in the plot in too early or too late, but in this work he weaves it in masterfully until, like the characters, paranoia sets in and you don't know where the true threat is until it's too late. The emotion is palpable, as is the pessimistic and wry despair of the main character, whose ultimate resignation to his fate smacks of the black humor which comes of events too stark and terrible to be fathomed rationally. Whew.
Helping pretty much exemplifies the entire collection, as the characters' mistakes keep compounding, and they struggle against themselves inescapably. At first you feel a sense of confusion at their self-destructive behavior, then you realize that maybe the characters are just as confused as you are. This one has an evocative ending which I liked.
Honorable mentions:
Bear and His Daughter, 'Porque No Tiene, Porque
Le Falta'
Take-home message:
Wow. Drugs mess you up. And actually most of the stories in this book are worth reading just for the pitying and aghast look your face will take on without you noticing.
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