mwaskom's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
I got this from my catalan teacher so I will cherish it but other than that, quite forgettable.
somas's review against another edition
4.0
Un bruto, Quim Monzó.
Aun así muy muy bueno
BAstante mejor la versión original en valenciano/catalán
Aun así muy muy bueno
BAstante mejor la versión original en valenciano/catalán
carmenpedre's review against another edition
3.0
I liked a few of these stories. But most of them were just not that interesting in my opinion.
alexlanz's review against another edition
These stories are very straightforward with one conspicuous, really gross detail.
mznomer's review
5.0
Very interesting collection of short stories. Many of them are extremely poignant and just a little strange, which is exactly how I like my short stories.
hollowspine's review
5.0
Many of these stories, I thought, were pure genius. Monzo really brings out the truth of ridiculous situations, absurd realities, silly assumptions and the thousand moronic things that people do all the time.
One of my favorites in the collection was Praise, about a famous author who makes an off-handed comment about a good book he'd read, creating celebrity around a new writer. It made me laugh and was completely accurate about the world of publicity and public opinion.
The first section of the book was composed of longer works, ranging from around 7-10 pages long. The second part was flash fiction, some stories only a paragraph or two long. Throughout I was astounded by Monzo's ability to write a complete story, moving, funny, and a perfect bite of life from just one and a half-pages.
Many of the stories take place in the obsessive minds of their narrators, going over the options, what they want to do, what they should do, what others may think, and on, that is completely natural to me and reminded me of some of my own moronic inner monologues.
I was also especially taken by the story Saturday, which had so many levels to it and was a suspenseful story despite the lack of excitement in it. I kept wondering about the motives and trying to figure out what happened, death or abandonment, only at the end did I partially satisfy my curiosity. The story builds until the end, which was a very interesting ending.
The collection is very well-written (and translated) and every word seems specifically chosen for it's effect. The end result is a wonderful read that will stick with readers well after the last word is read.
One of my favorites in the collection was Praise, about a famous author who makes an off-handed comment about a good book he'd read, creating celebrity around a new writer. It made me laugh and was completely accurate about the world of publicity and public opinion.
The first section of the book was composed of longer works, ranging from around 7-10 pages long. The second part was flash fiction, some stories only a paragraph or two long. Throughout I was astounded by Monzo's ability to write a complete story, moving, funny, and a perfect bite of life from just one and a half-pages.
Many of the stories take place in the obsessive minds of their narrators, going over the options, what they want to do, what they should do, what others may think, and on, that is completely natural to me and reminded me of some of my own moronic inner monologues.
I was also especially taken by the story Saturday, which had so many levels to it and was a suspenseful story despite the lack of excitement in it. I kept wondering about the motives and trying to figure out what happened, death or abandonment, only at the end did I partially satisfy my curiosity. The story builds until the end, which was a very interesting ending.
The collection is very well-written (and translated) and every word seems specifically chosen for it's effect. The end result is a wonderful read that will stick with readers well after the last word is read.
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