tonythep's review against another edition
4.0
I really love the way Amy Bloom writes: spare, straightforward, to the point. She focuses on the right details, but doesn't allow you to linger too long on them. At first I felt that the stories in this, her first collection, were fairly dark. And while there is some tragedy here, she's not afraid to look beyond the tragedy and show us that life carries on. The darkness is accompanied by light. The heartache balanced by hope. But the intensity of both darkness and light is real. What people experience in their lives everyday. Perhaps what I initially took for darkness was merely gray. Cloudy with a chance of sunshine. The subject matter of these stories is loosely themed around domestic relationships: husbands and wives, parents and children. But there are two linked series of two and three stories respectively that are linked to each other as well. These particularly make me look forward to Bloom's latest collection.
graciennex's review
sad
3.0
it was a great decision to start with love is not a pie for the entire book because the following stories made me sympathize with each characters a bit more. although as the book progresses, i found it difficult to be hopeful about each of their situation. the mood was great at the beginning and then plummeted down more and more with each story and then back up again with that last entry.
this book was also successful in highlighting the fact that i dont want to marry nor have kids. putting up with infidelity and unhappiness for the sake of a kid that would for sure feel its lasting effects is just not worth it.
minus two stars because i suppose short stories aren't really for me and another one because it's so damn depressing 😭. perhaps i read too much fanfiction with hopeful beginnings and happy endings with only a few mishaps in the middle--that i should be realistic--but reading is a form of escapism. i've had enough dark shit in real life bro 😮💨
this book was also successful in highlighting the fact that i dont want to marry nor have kids. putting up with infidelity and unhappiness for the sake of a kid that would for sure feel its lasting effects is just not worth it.
minus two stars because i suppose short stories aren't really for me and another one because it's so damn depressing 😭. perhaps i read too much fanfiction with hopeful beginnings and happy endings with only a few mishaps in the middle--that i should be realistic--but reading is a form of escapism. i've had enough dark shit in real life bro 😮💨
jhna's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
5.0
supkevs's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jess_segraves's review
4.0
The thing that stuck with me about Bloom's collection of stories is the variety of perspectives, complicated—yet realistically human—plots (so much was conveyed in such short stories!), and the depth of emotion. I really liked this collection, and would certainly recommend it.
onelitchick's review
5.0
Fantastic collection of stories from a writer I only new from Glamour magazine. Who'd a thunk it.
_lj_'s review
5.0
This is one of my favorite books ever. The story "Silver Water" is especially beautiful. I keep an extra copy on hand so I can lend it out and still have mine in case I never get it back.
bobbo49's review
3.0
From "eh" to "wow": a short story collection with some thought-provoking, punch-in-the-gut tales, and some that I wished I hadn't read. Bloom writes well in every story, but the book is too uneven for me to recommend to others.
sbeahm1's review
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
4.0