Reviews

Runaway by Alice Munro

pasarmalam's review against another edition

4.0

[Book was read in English but this review is written in Bahasa Indonesia]

Cerpen-cerpen tulisan Alice Munro selalu terasa penuh, padat, dan membutuhkan konsentrasi yang tinggi (setidaknya, buat saya yang konsentrasi mudah pecah dan kemampuan Bahasa Inggris biasa-biasa saja). Narasinya suka mengecoh, dialog-dialognya menyimpan sesuatu yang mungkin baru bisa ditangkap waktu cerpennya dibaca habis, keseluruhan cerita seringkali punya makna tersembunyi yang saya pun nggak bakal kepikiran kalau nggak baca-baca analisisnya di internet. Nggak heran, dengan keterbatasan otak saya ini, membacanya butuh waktu panjang. Lucu, sebenernya, soalnya buku ini isinya cuma delapan biji cerita pendek. Setiap menyelesaikan satu, rasanya nggak bisa nggak berhenti dulu buat mikir.

Yang saya suka adalah, setiap cerpen berhasil menyajikan ide-ide yang segar, yang mana saya juga belajar banyak banget dari mereka. Meski awal-awal agak bikin pusing, narasinya sukses menyedot perhatian. Setiap elemen cerita ditempatkan dengan sangat rapi, cocok sama panjang cerita yang nggak setebal novel, everything is perfectly put in place and crafted beautifully. Kalau disuruh milih mana cerpen yang paling bagus, agak susah juga. Saya pilih antara Runaway, Tresspasses, atau Tricks (tapi semuanya bagus-bagus kok!).

elrey's review against another edition

3.0

Nice small sketches about running away. Missed loves, children, chances to escape. Train journeys and hopes not realised.

amanca02's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

elliebutkovich's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.0

krispet's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

debsyu's review against another edition

3.0

Very moody and descriptive. Depressing as hell. Halfway through the book, I called up my book club friend and told her I wanted to slit my own wrists from reading this. No more Alice Munro for me!

trekkie1999's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really wanted to love this book because it’s beautifully written and a phenomenal piece of feminist literature, but I really struggled to keep all the characters straight and to pay attention to each individual story. Might be because I listened to an audiobook

rickwren's review against another edition

1.0

I really couldn't pay attention to any of these stories. They were banal and self-indulgent and had no relation to the world in which I live.

brea_by_the_beach's review against another edition

3.0

Have really been enjoying her writing but between my general dislike of short stories (something I am trying to work on) and an inability to relate to any of the main characters, I was less impressed with this book. He writing is still lovely though. When I catch myself rereading a bit more than once to absorb it, I know I've found a writer I admire.

i_ella's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75