gwenythepooh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.0
Short story collection not a novel.
Each story sucked me in and made me feel things - almost too much. I had to take breaks between them to feel okay again and I couldn’t easily jump from one story to the next.
The made me feel uncomfortable but in a good way. I’d recommend it for those who love real feeling characters and want realistic conflict but don’t mind that it doesn’t end well for those involved.
Each story sucked me in and made me feel things - almost too much. I had to take breaks between them to feel okay again and I couldn’t easily jump from one story to the next.
The made me feel uncomfortable but in a good way. I’d recommend it for those who love real feeling characters and want realistic conflict but don’t mind that it doesn’t end well for those involved.
ofbooksandhooks's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
nepiche's review against another edition
I wasn’t in the right headspace for this book at this point. I needed something faster-paced and more cohesive than a collection of short stories. Love the prose of this though! Will come back to it later, but it was due at the library.
hallebee2's review against another edition
5.0
We are safe, with our families, until we are not.
Snakes is an incredible short story. And every other story in this is great as well.
Snakes is an incredible short story. And every other story in this is great as well.
lgindc's review against another edition
5.0
So good. She needs to hurry up and publish another book so I can read more of her stories! Maybe not quite as good as The Office of Historical Corrections.
ekg's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
pen2post's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Firstly how cool it the title? While I hoped they would be interconnected stories as it’s by a single author and the cover had me imagining they all lived in the same apartment block. It wasn’t that. Each story stood strong on its own.
On the surface some stories may feel incomplete to the reader, but that’s the nature of the short story (I think). You don’t always get closure, but instead you are given an opportunity to imagine the rest through your own world view’s lens (and that can be even more impactful and / or terrifying) and I love that. We have stories that deal with coming-of-age, being women of colour existing is this world, love and loss and family and friendships. How we love and let down the people we love, and how they let us down too.
A universal truth is how foolish we are when we’re young and how easily a mistake can change the trajectory of your life.
“Her boldness, which I’d always thought I’d been borrowing from her, had become mine in ways I didn’t realise until she was gone.”
I really enjoyed this collection and its many depths that I will have to unpack on a future reread. My top 3 were Virgins, Snakes, and the King of a Vast Empire.
If you enjoy short stories, then you should try this one out.
On the surface some stories may feel incomplete to the reader, but that’s the nature of the short story (I think). You don’t always get closure, but instead you are given an opportunity to imagine the rest through your own world view’s lens (and that can be even more impactful and / or terrifying) and I love that. We have stories that deal with coming-of-age, being women of colour existing is this world, love and loss and family and friendships. How we love and let down the people we love, and how they let us down too.
A universal truth is how foolish we are when we’re young and how easily a mistake can change the trajectory of your life.
“Her boldness, which I’d always thought I’d been borrowing from her, had become mine in ways I didn’t realise until she was gone.”
I really enjoyed this collection and its many depths that I will have to unpack on a future reread. My top 3 were Virgins, Snakes, and the King of a Vast Empire.
If you enjoy short stories, then you should try this one out.
renss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
aminowrimo's review against another edition
5.0
I loved the different voices of the characters and the down-to-earth style of the stories.
Read for a class.
Read for a class.