Reviews

A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin

edgwareviabank's review against another edition

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Brilliantly written as the stories I read were, I found the pace too slow and the pieces too long. Lots of wading into everyday drudgery, which seems to be precisely the point, but perhaps I could only take in small doses at the time: one day, I closed the book and simply never returned to it, even though I kept meaning to. I'm still holding out hope that, one day, I'll pick it up again and give it the second chance it probably deserves.

barbarab's review against another edition

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

5.0

En fantastisk bok! Noveller är annars inte min grej, men dessa noveller hänger ihop så att man till slut har fått en roman. Titelnovellen är outstanding - och precis vad den säger - en handbok för städerskor!

sleepmotif's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

superkatja's review against another edition

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

4.0

vilmis's review against another edition

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4.0

Oisin halunnu pitää tästä enemmän

ellioth_mess's review against another edition

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5.0

Hermosa recopilación. Felicitación aparte para los compiladores, que con su selección lograron que la seguidilla de cuentos increíbles que componen el libro hablen de Lucía Berlín como si fuese una crónica.

amjammi's review against another edition

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4.0

My god, Ms. Berlin makes it seem so easy.

julie2525's review against another edition

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3.0

Berlin was an excellent writer. Her style was quick, sentences running on and into each other and stories choppy like a child playing Red Light Green Light. My favorite story was about friendship and maintaining relationships. It was one of the lighter ones but still rather bittersweet. The stories leaned sad. There was some humor but more rough sadness. It reflected her life. Sadness couldn’t help but seep through.

martenalan's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring sad

4.5

radiant_red's review against another edition

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4.0

Intriguing and different, I couldn’t put it down. I liked this collection of short stories, though some of it was difficult to read. I recommend with caution due to subject matters of abuse and alcoholism. This author had so much inside. I’m glad to have read it.