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pheebabeeba_'s review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I love the way each story immerses you to a different place and time. Every story ends up having their own grim twist or start. I love that each setting is either in a rural area or the countryside. I really gives each story a sense of insolation and community, the fact that you can only see few people in your daily lives. It draws out a lot of intense feelings, like loneliness, longing, depression, fear, complacency.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, and Death of parent
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Rape and Murder
withlivjones's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
An eerie and unsettling collection of short stories. Some of the prose is so well-crafted and stunning. There were one or two skips in the collection, but most of the stories were really strong and have got me completely hooked on Claire Keegan’s writing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, and Murder
skeltzer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Uneven stories. Some were great and others skippable. The American stories were less interesting than then Irish stories. Not entirely sure the highly disturbing language was called for.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicide, Grief, and Pregnancy
booksjessreads's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This is yet another stunning piece by Claire Keegan. I am growing to love short-story collections and this one is up there with one of my favourites. I also really enjoyed going back to her first published work to see her beginnings, and they are strong.
There were several short stories that just completely grabbed me, they are compelling and beautifully written. Keegan absolutely has such an impeccable way with words and has the capability to bring these stories alive in your imagination. I really liked how the collection really focused on relationships with others, be those romantic, familial or friendships, and the complexities of them. The stories are very dark, capturing the absolute worst side of the human condition, but they were intriguing and suspenseful and kept you wanting more.
Furthermore, stories were not just set in Ireland, but in the UK and America as well. I felt the American stories were somewhat less compelling, especially the use of racial slurs in the final two stories. Whilst their intention may have been used to help set the scene of the times in that story, their use was unnecessary. I appreciate that this was written in the 90s and that she is an author who has continually written about social injustice, but it is something to be aware of when reading.
I still did really enjoy this read. It isn't my favourite of hers, but certainly an interesting collection that I would recommend.
There were several short stories that just completely grabbed me, they are compelling and beautifully written. Keegan absolutely has such an impeccable way with words and has the capability to bring these stories alive in your imagination. I really liked how the collection really focused on relationships with others, be those romantic, familial or friendships, and the complexities of them. The stories are very dark, capturing the absolute worst side of the human condition, but they were intriguing and suspenseful and kept you wanting more.
Furthermore, stories were not just set in Ireland, but in the UK and America as well. I felt the American stories were somewhat less compelling, especially the use of racial slurs in the final two stories. Whilst their intention may have been used to help set the scene of the times in that story, their use was unnecessary. I appreciate that this was written in the 90s and that she is an author who has continually written about social injustice, but it is something to be aware of when reading.
I still did really enjoy this read. It isn't my favourite of hers, but certainly an interesting collection that I would recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, and Murder
nrb2020's review against another edition
reflective
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Death of parent