carrienation76's review against another edition
5.0
This is an eerily beautiful collection of short stories. I cannot pick a favorite - each one lingers with me long after I've finished. I stepped away a couple times and found myself compelled to go back and complete the series as soon as possible. Remarkable writing. I cannot wait to see what Anjali Sachdeva does next.
Manus is an absolute gem. All the Names for God is perfect. Glass-Lung is surprisingly magical.
Eeks - it's a matter of time until I regret not calling out others.
Manus is an absolute gem. All the Names for God is perfect. Glass-Lung is surprisingly magical.
Eeks - it's a matter of time until I regret not calling out others.
celise_winter's review against another edition
5.0
Some of these fully scared me, and still disturb me a month later. Short stories aren't typically my cup of tea, but this collection was truly memorable. There was only one story of the whole lot that didn't do anything for me.
robert_deas's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
megito's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
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
daynpitseleh's review against another edition
4.0
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A really good, affecting collection of short stories. I think my favorite stories in the collection were All the Name for God, Manus, and Pleiades. However, there wasn't a story that I didn't like, which is really rare for me with short story collections. The writing is really wonderful, and some of the stories will leave you thinking about them long after you're finished with them. This is really a great collection - highly recommended!
A really good, affecting collection of short stories. I think my favorite stories in the collection were All the Name for God, Manus, and Pleiades. However, there wasn't a story that I didn't like, which is really rare for me with short story collections. The writing is really wonderful, and some of the stories will leave you thinking about them long after you're finished with them. This is really a great collection - highly recommended!
carriepond's review against another edition
5.0
This was fantastic. Each story is its own deep world with fully realized characters and a compelling narrative. Many of the stories have a magical realism/fable/scifi feel to them, many are unsettling, but all are a joy to read. I really enjoyed this collection.
anothersarahny's review against another edition
5.0
Such imaginative, well written, meaty stories. Most of them felt complete and satisfying, a place where many other short stories fall short. There’s a fabled quality to these which I loved and a cast full of desperate characters that I felt for. There were a couple places where it missed the mark for me - an ending that left me deflated, wanting more and another story with a familiar plot that I’m weary of but they didn’t make a dent in my 5 star rating.
ellieafterall's review against another edition
2.0
In most books, there are good and bad things. You have the pros and cons - as in, the character development worked for you! but the story felt off at certain points. This collection begs to add another category, one called “confused.” This category is neutral, because sometimes you’re OK with being confused - as is the case with “The World By Night” where a woman slowly loses her mind for unspoken reasons - and other times where you’re confused by how confused you are. Because it seems so blatantly obvious - “there were 7 girls born using one egg and one sperm” and then not “they all share a heart and started dying! not for genetic reasons but for the flu and pneumonia!” Okay, but, what does that mean? Is the story implying that we all share a similar heart organ so we need to be more empathetic? To get a flu shot? Not divide a fertilized egg into 7 parts (who would’ve done that, anyway?)?. I have many questions.
That being said, “A World By Night” was entrancing, and the titular story was enthralling. Her writing style lends itself to mystical elements but I think she needs to work on executing them better, in a way that’s not as convoluted or vague or confusing. There is a point to being vague, but not when it seems like the writer itself doesn’t know the whole scope of the concept she is writing about. This was, in one word, disappointing.
That being said, “A World By Night” was entrancing, and the titular story was enthralling. Her writing style lends itself to mystical elements but I think she needs to work on executing them better, in a way that’s not as convoluted or vague or confusing. There is a point to being vague, but not when it seems like the writer itself doesn’t know the whole scope of the concept she is writing about. This was, in one word, disappointing.
monster_maven's review against another edition
5.0
The best collection of Short Stories I've read all year. Each story had me wondering what was coming next, how it would end, and left me wanting more. Logging lake hit very close to home as I share the main characters name and city and just recently visited Glacier NP. My first 5 star rating of the year.
madidori's review against another edition
4.0
I finished this last night and am unsure of whether to post it now. Too much is going on. But I think there are some connections.
This was a collection of short stories about the things we turn into gods and/or how “gods” turn on us. I don’t often love short stories - they take too much brain power to understand sometimes. But some of these stories hit home.
What have we turned into gods? How do those things we idolized fail us?
Thinking of the shooting today, the second school shooting I have been connected to in the past 2.5 years - what have we been idolizing? What have we taken for granted? What is being turned on us and how can we change this? How can we make a difference?
Our principle is that we care about our children. We care and we want them safe. But our stances on things such as gun control shift and then don’t align with our desire for our children’s safety. What is being idolized here? What is being called “god” that maybe we should rethink?
We are in need of redefining our gods and the things named as “God”. This book uses mutations genres, eras, people, and settings to think about this. It could be helpful for thinking through moments like this.
Thoughts and prayers are lovely but action would be a game changer. Let’s think together and make a legitimate difference.
This was a collection of short stories about the things we turn into gods and/or how “gods” turn on us. I don’t often love short stories - they take too much brain power to understand sometimes. But some of these stories hit home.
What have we turned into gods? How do those things we idolized fail us?
Thinking of the shooting today, the second school shooting I have been connected to in the past 2.5 years - what have we been idolizing? What have we taken for granted? What is being turned on us and how can we change this? How can we make a difference?
Our principle is that we care about our children. We care and we want them safe. But our stances on things such as gun control shift and then don’t align with our desire for our children’s safety. What is being idolized here? What is being called “god” that maybe we should rethink?
We are in need of redefining our gods and the things named as “God”. This book uses mutations genres, eras, people, and settings to think about this. It could be helpful for thinking through moments like this.
Thoughts and prayers are lovely but action would be a game changer. Let’s think together and make a legitimate difference.