jmatthiass's review against another edition
3.0
A bit of a disappointing book from one of my all-time favorites. Like a lesser Seiobo There Below. Where that book concerned itself with beauty and used precise (yet sprawling) language to drive home the transcendental, this one feels sloppier and more mired in the world today (a number of texts read like essays on society at present), meaning that its conclusions and insights are necessarily a bit less striking. Not “big” enough, even though it tries.
grudgemental's review against another edition
1.0
100 pages of rambling before anything resembling a short story starts. Writing is too full of itself to be enjoyable. Visual Ambien
richardpierce's review
4.0
I think Kraznahorkai's writing is fanastic and visionary. However, it's also very intense and difficult. Because this isn't a single story, unlike Satantango, it can be quite a task to read. However, the stories are jewels, especially That Gagarin. Each story has something to say about history and time (and their manipulation) and our place in them. 4.5 stars.
jaccarmac's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
In a few of the shorter pieces, language and concept near the edge of gimmick, but those are tiny imperfections in something complete. The themes and tone are constant, but each narrator brings something a little different to the table. Their very choice of particularity proves that the whole-parts monism repeated again and again is not something blankly nihilistic. In that, the austerity is less important the the transcendent beauty beneath the sentences, as long as you can believe it's there. At times, the effect is downright soothing. Tempting as it is to compare the volume to other short stories, there's more than simply that form at play.
hootreads's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
translatedgems's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
The world surely goes on as it should in László Krasznahorkai’s collection. It goes on and it leaves the reader on the shores of uncertainty. The restlessness of 'Wandering-Standing' marvels in its newness, however by the time 'The Swan of Istanbul' rolls in, what was new simply becomes tiresome. Adrift in Krasznahorkai's signature long sentences I grew weary. There was nothing to hold on to and despite how revolutionary this collection may be to many, in the end, I was left with the conviction that this book is at the antipode of everything I like as a reader.
han_nah_p's review against another edition
4.0
Half of the short stories have no full stops, so it is a very different read that sounds as though it is a flow of consciousness.