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jfaberrit's review against another edition
3.0
Having loved Wolf Hall, and still looking forward to Bring Up the Bodies, I have to say I was somewhat disappointed by this collection, and was really only impressed by the first and last stories. The first is a well-written cross-cultural piece about a woman dealing with the limitations of living in Saudi Arabia and a persistent neighbor; the last is an alternative history that really was a fascinating exploration of characters and their motives, even if the title (which it shares with the collection) was designed to invite controversy. The strength of the book is Mantel's wit, and her unfailing ability to write Englishly about all things English (at least to an American ear). Sometimes it is BBC Englishness, sometimes the kind you used to find on PBS, but always quintessentially the kind of thing that makes you want to "Keep Calm and Carry On" while watching cricket and drinking tea.
That said, O am wholly unconvinced that Mantel is much of a genre writer. Most of these stories shade towards horror/gothic in one way or another, and I can't say they do a particularly good job of it. Horror without suspense doesn't really land properly, and the lack of tension makes most of these stories fall flat. Thankfully, her historical novels are brilliant, so I don't think she has much to worry about.
That said, O am wholly unconvinced that Mantel is much of a genre writer. Most of these stories shade towards horror/gothic in one way or another, and I can't say they do a particularly good job of it. Horror without suspense doesn't really land properly, and the lack of tension makes most of these stories fall flat. Thankfully, her historical novels are brilliant, so I don't think she has much to worry about.
ccdmiller's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
rebeccasreadingrambles's review against another edition
3.0
I did not enjoy this book. The reason I gave it 3 stars was because it was really well written, and I actually really enjoyed the last (and title) story. I think I was just not in the mood for these dark and strange stories. Probably not a fault of the book, but a personal preference. I did not understand the point of them (read:there was no point) and I was very glad it was a short book. I dragged myself through it and I'm glad to be finished.
yjpenny's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
trin's review against another edition
1.0
What pretentious garbage. I've yet to tackle [b:Wolf Hall|6101138|Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell, #1)|Hilary Mantel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336576165s/6101138.jpg|6278354], but this short story collection makes me think that I should permanently let myself off the hook, because if they're anything to go by, Mantel is desperately overrated.
toxicpick's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
seymone's review against another edition
3.0
2.75 stars
After reading some brilliant short stories, as of late. This collection of short stories missed the mark. From this collection, I liked maybe - two to three stories, at the most.
After reading some brilliant short stories, as of late. This collection of short stories missed the mark. From this collection, I liked maybe - two to three stories, at the most.