rvlgonzalez's review against another edition
As with most short story collections, some stories are better than others. There are definitely some cool/interesting narrative and stylistic choices. The stories tend to focus on that genre of pedestrianly bad people, like those that are not malevolent, don't do anything horrible, but are dads that resent their kids and don't support them in their artistic endeavors, or women who pretend to be other people on sex chat forums (made more complicated by enjoying to trick men who think she's a teen), or men who refer to their 30yo girlfriends as "juveniles". I just feel like there is a lot of that tone in lit and it's just not my fav.
gretaalice's review against another edition
3.0
Anticlimactic for me but I think thats just because i had high expectations and thought it would be more dark. But i like her writing and found the way she wrote from the point of view of terrible men very interesting!
afomia's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the dark depressing undertone of all the stories. Can't wait to read more Emma Cline
daen88's review against another edition
3.0
1/50
first read of 2023
very competent writer and an interesting pairings of stories, but do we have to read about so many men?
Emma Cline is definitely not for me. And that’s okay.
first read of 2023
very competent writer and an interesting pairings of stories, but do we have to read about so many men?
Emma Cline is definitely not for me. And that’s okay.
lanas_hoe's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ficklefever's review against another edition
3.0
for whatever reason, i've been skeptical of emma cline -- maybe because i've heard mixed reviews of THE GIRLS, or because the book cover seemed just a little too trendy, or because her author photo made her look like yet another white woman MFA prototype. but damn, this white woman MFA prototype writes well!
i think what makes her writing unique (i've read this collection, obviously, and her short "white noise" which won an o. henry prize this year) is her fascination with the little details of human nature, especially in the lens of high profile characters or situations. usually they're not the main character, bur rather the side character of interest -- her protags acting as the nick carraway to some jay gatsby, like when she chooses to focus on the nanny/mistress in the affair rather than the famous actor in "nanny". but she never lets it feel theatrical or implausible, maybe because she fleshes out her characters so vividly in the little moments, very raymond carver esque (gah, white woman MFA! but it works!). what a delight to get lost in the worlds she creates.
i think what makes her writing unique (i've read this collection, obviously, and her short "white noise" which won an o. henry prize this year) is her fascination with the little details of human nature, especially in the lens of high profile characters or situations. usually they're not the main character, bur rather the side character of interest -- her protags acting as the nick carraway to some jay gatsby, like when she chooses to focus on the nanny/mistress in the affair rather than the famous actor in "nanny". but she never lets it feel theatrical or implausible, maybe because she fleshes out her characters so vividly in the little moments, very raymond carver esque (gah, white woman MFA! but it works!). what a delight to get lost in the worlds she creates.
izabelabaker's review against another edition
3.0
I cant tell how I feel about this book yet, its so mundane but i think thats the point
myshkacat's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Was mostly impressed but some just didn’t do it for me. Coming to the unfortunate conclusion that Emma Cline just isn’t that great at writing endings, which sucks because I was really blown away by the ending of The Girls. She’s early in her writing career so I’m looking forward to seeing her later works.
Favorite stories: What Can You Do With A General, Arcadia
Favorite stories: What Can You Do With A General, Arcadia