molesworth's review against another edition
3.0
The writing was good, and maybe I’d like it better if I wasn’t a portland native. I found the elitism exhausting and the biphobia lame. Also why did the blurb on the back talk about the 1990s? None of these stories take place in the 90’s. The descriptions of summer were the best parts of this book. It was nice to have protagonists that were trans and queer, something we don’t get enough of. 3.5
library_lurker's review against another edition
4.0
god damn. it's so nice to read a book and actually relate to it. the blurb says it's about the 90's but mostly it seemed to be the mid-2000's, a weird time in a lot of cities where they were about to get extremely gentrified but nobody knew exactly what was going to come. I think the author and I are around the same age, I was in my 20's in that decade and goddamn did these stories hit home. they're very well-written too, with the occasional perfect line that shimmers like a freepile diamond and punches you in the gut all at once.
eldritchteacozy's review against another edition
4.0
Shine of the Ever is everything it's described as, a grungy mixtape of queer misfits trying to make it in a less than perfect world. It was a very interesting read, and I really enjoyed the way things were never quite wrapped up. It felt very true to life that way. It was also interesting to see the threads connecting the characters. I did feel bad for that clown, though. She reminded me of a Magnetic Fields song.
Would recommend for people who like gritty slice of life short stories.
FTC disclosure: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Would recommend for people who like gritty slice of life short stories.
FTC disclosure: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
kayrich13's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this. Some stories were too long and some were way too short. #ShineOfTheEver #NetGalley
hurst10's review
challenging
dark
emotional
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
3.75
proseandpolitics's review against another edition
5.0
Foster has given the world a beautiful collection of queer characters trying to find their place in this world, without a tragedy in sight. Instead there is hope and magic and mercy and connection and humor and sex and love, with Portland's changing landscape as the backdrop. (Full review: https://www.therupturemag.com/rupture/shine-of-the-ever)
readingwithk's review against another edition
5.0
Foster’s “Shine of the Ever” was a hard book to read. Not because of any faults, but because of its brilliance. Foster’s work is so raw that it can make the reader uncomfortable, but I struggle to think of any collection I’ve read that even comes close to capturing how real life feels.
These short stories explore ideas of sexuality, gender, addiction, recovery, and most importantly, love. These stories capture relationships that are messy and finds the beauty that they hold.
The atmosphere of this book was so rich and as someone who has recently moved to Portland, it captures the city so well. I loved all the details and references. It really helped the stories and Portland come to life for the reader.
My favorite part of this entire collection was the writing itself. I found myself highlighting so many lines that just hit me in the gut. These lines provided so much hope and clarity amongst the chaos of life that I just want to hug the words to me and hold them close.
I think that this collection excels and will continue to speak for generations to come. It’s a collection that you can read over and over again and take away different things depending on what you’re going through in life at the moment.
I hope that this short story collection continues to get the praise that it deserves, because it deserves it all. A must read.
These short stories explore ideas of sexuality, gender, addiction, recovery, and most importantly, love. These stories capture relationships that are messy and finds the beauty that they hold.
The atmosphere of this book was so rich and as someone who has recently moved to Portland, it captures the city so well. I loved all the details and references. It really helped the stories and Portland come to life for the reader.
My favorite part of this entire collection was the writing itself. I found myself highlighting so many lines that just hit me in the gut. These lines provided so much hope and clarity amongst the chaos of life that I just want to hug the words to me and hold them close.
I think that this collection excels and will continue to speak for generations to come. It’s a collection that you can read over and over again and take away different things depending on what you’re going through in life at the moment.
I hope that this short story collection continues to get the praise that it deserves, because it deserves it all. A must read.
hbics's review
2.0
I do think that Claire Rudy Foster's has an ability to express facets of the queer experience in short, poetic phrases that hit you hard. Their first story 'The Pixies' is a prime example of this, as is 'Field Medicine'. The writing is atmospheric, but those two things weren't enough to pull me into the stories, as I found the writing style very hard to follow. There were numerous times where I could not understand the progress of a scene, or even the thread of a conversation.
Anyone interested in this novel should know that 'queer voices out of 1990's Portland' seems to mean 'characters who would have grown up during the 90's'. I went into this collection assuming it would be a story collection set in 90's Portland, which it wasn't. I was also hoping for a bigger mix and range moods, as hinted at by the description, but most stories felt the same, leaning towards gritty with only small moments of tenderness thrown in.
The standout stories for me were: 'The Pixies', 'Field Medicine' and 'Venus Conjunct Saturn'
Anyone interested in this novel should know that 'queer voices out of 1990's Portland' seems to mean 'characters who would have grown up during the 90's'. I went into this collection assuming it would be a story collection set in 90's Portland, which it wasn't. I was also hoping for a bigger mix and range moods, as hinted at by the description, but most stories felt the same, leaning towards gritty with only small moments of tenderness thrown in.
The standout stories for me were: 'The Pixies', 'Field Medicine' and 'Venus Conjunct Saturn'
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