lizzillia's review against another edition
4.75
A super collection of short stories by an author I have grown to trust. Each of these short stories is full of character and detail. I'm not a lover of short stories usually because many times I never get a chance to engage with a character. Here I did. There was not one story that missed the mark. But, if you are looking for joy and light, then you will not find it here. these stories cover marriages where there is no happiness, child abuse, misogyny and the characters are real. I can recognise them, their simple lives that are full of longing and in some cases misery. The emotion in these stories is raw at times as the plot unfold with silences between the character, with gestures and conversation. Add into this mix, symbolism and folk lore. If I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be Walk the Blue Fields which about a priest who reflects on his memories and his choices while officiating at a wedding where he observes the bride struggling through the ceremony. After the wedding, he walks through blue fields looking for answers. But the others are just as wonderful. The Parting Gift is an emotional read about a young girl about to leave for America, about to leave a home that has not been safe. Wonderful stories, real characters and the landscape that unfolds before your eyes. Loved it.
anaabo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
shksprsis's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ipb1's review against another edition
4.0
I recently read and loved both [b:Small Things Like These|58639322|Small Things Like These|Claire Keegan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1636281095l/58639322._SY75_.jpg|86476810] and [b:Foster|61022861|Foster|Claire Keegan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1661863810l/61022861._SY75_.jpg|12942254], and I found these stories equally captivating. She is an absolute master of brevity and concision without sacrificing emotional depth and engagement.
swallace's review against another edition
3.25
i can appreciate that they’re written well, but these stories aren’t my favourite of hers
lentearens's review against another edition
4.0
one of my less loved claire keegan books but then again I dont like short stories the most but still enjoyable as she always slaps
ellenarcher22's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gorecki's review against another edition
4.0
While reading Claire Keegan’s Walk the Blue Fields, I couldn’t help but think that this is a book about loneliness. Correction: about being alone. Not all of the characters in it are actually lonely. Some have just found solace in their solitude.
In “A Long and Painful Death” the desired peace and quiet of a writer lodging in a house on an island is disturbed by an angry German, who breaks her writer’s block. “The Parting Gift” tells the story of a young woman who looks forward to disconnecting herself from her past and placing an ocean between herself and her family. “Walk the Blue Fields” and “Dark Horses” both tell the stories of a men finding peace after pushing away the women they’ve loved, and while “Surrender” deals with pretty much the same, it ends with a strongly expressed look into an alternative solution for the future. And for contrast, “The Forester’s Daughter” and “Night of The Quicken Trees” (the latter a stark tale full of folk elements, legends, and witchcraft beliefs) deal with experiencing loneliness while being among others, and the desire to break out of it.
Walk the Blue Fields is a quiet book. One you should read in a quiet room next to a window. It’s not going to shock you or bring any excessive and strong emotions. In its poetic and subtle language it will tell you tales of quiet solitude. Read these tales when you want to experience someone else’s loneliness without being alone.
In “A Long and Painful Death” the desired peace and quiet of a writer lodging in a house on an island is disturbed by an angry German, who breaks her writer’s block. “The Parting Gift” tells the story of a young woman who looks forward to disconnecting herself from her past and placing an ocean between herself and her family. “Walk the Blue Fields” and “Dark Horses” both tell the stories of a men finding peace after pushing away the women they’ve loved, and while “Surrender” deals with pretty much the same, it ends with a strongly expressed look into an alternative solution for the future. And for contrast, “The Forester’s Daughter” and “Night of The Quicken Trees” (the latter a stark tale full of folk elements, legends, and witchcraft beliefs) deal with experiencing loneliness while being among others, and the desire to break out of it.
Walk the Blue Fields is a quiet book. One you should read in a quiet room next to a window. It’s not going to shock you or bring any excessive and strong emotions. In its poetic and subtle language it will tell you tales of quiet solitude. Read these tales when you want to experience someone else’s loneliness without being alone.
papa_egg's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Just another perfect book by Claire Keegan. I loved so many of these stories, and the solid substance of the prose. Definitely my writer of the year.