Reviews

Likes by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum

isabelrstev's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective

5.0

lifeinpoetry's review

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DNF partway through the fourth story, "The Bears."

gabforshort's review against another edition

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The pace was slow going for me. I DNFd to save myself the headache

julieh46's review

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

thejoyofbooking's review against another edition

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Lovely, melancholy and haunting stories about women in relation to themselves and others. I took a break after each story to savor its message, and several times I wished for the story to be novel length. The characters were interesting and fully fleshed, sometimes imperfect, and sometimes unreliable narrators of their own lives. There's so much to savor here.

breadandmushrooms's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

mikuish's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

miocenemama's review

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3.0

This was an interesting collection of contemporary short stories often open-ended for the reader to expand in their own mind. It explores a variety of viewpoints and experiences. Some of the stories seem very realistic, some more fantastic. Some left me confused; some left me amused. I'm honestly not sure that I understood or appreciated everything the author was trying to do in this book, but she does have a beautiful writing style

damara_reads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

clellman's review against another edition

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3.0

These didn't really do it for me. I thought the title story, Likes, was the strongest, and I appreciated the thematic connection to the first story (about Waldorf school fairs--the dust jacket mention that made me spring for this book). The thematic connection being unable to protect your children from pain (racism, friendlessness, etc.) in the world.