Reviews
Songs of My Selfie: An Anthology of Millennial Stories by Constance Renfrow, Meagan Brothers
doxiemama's review
4.0
Some of the stories are better than others. But overall, it's a solid anthology. I think it would be a strong choice for those teaching at the college level. I think a lot of these stories could be paired with texts from the canon (I thought of Joan Didion and Thoreau for a couple of them) to invoke discussion on the differences and similarities on how we tell our stories.
hollowspine's review
4.0
A very well edited anthology of stories from Millennials, ranging in scope from unemployed or underemployed grads struggling with debts and creditors and the feeling that they deserved more than a job at the local CVS to adults living with their parents making noise every morning at six am to being able to look so laid back in order to hide a secret fear...
The stories inside include some bordering on the fantastical, some treading the line of horror and many rooted in the everyday life fiascoes associated with being twenty something here and now. Unsatisfying work situations, living with older relatives or undesired roommates, becoming nostalgic for times that were only five years ago (ah, those were the days), all of these are well known memes among Millennials. The collection is from diverse authors and despite all relating to a central theme the stories represent a wide group of readers.
I have to say that almost every single one of these stories resonated with me in some way. It was the first time I've read something where I saw myself represented so fully, in each story. Which makes sense since I did have a quarter life crisis (I think I'm still stuck in mine though) and have only recently crawled out of debt and like a proud two-year old I hung my last statement on my parent's refrigerator, since in order to keep paying off my debts I moved back in with them after I failed at adulting enough at my first job in my field. All of the feelings I've had through all of those experiences are represented in this collection and much more well written.
I'd highly recommend this to any Millennial or anyone who knows a Millennial. This collection cuts right to the heart of an entire generation.
The stories inside include some bordering on the fantastical, some treading the line of horror and many rooted in the everyday life fiascoes associated with being twenty something here and now. Unsatisfying work situations, living with older relatives or undesired roommates, becoming nostalgic for times that were only five years ago (ah, those were the days), all of these are well known memes among Millennials. The collection is from diverse authors and despite all relating to a central theme the stories represent a wide group of readers.
I have to say that almost every single one of these stories resonated with me in some way. It was the first time I've read something where I saw myself represented so fully, in each story. Which makes sense since I did have a quarter life crisis (I think I'm still stuck in mine though) and have only recently crawled out of debt and like a proud two-year old I hung my last statement on my parent's refrigerator, since in order to keep paying off my debts I moved back in with them after I failed at adulting enough at my first job in my field. All of the feelings I've had through all of those experiences are represented in this collection and much more well written.
I'd highly recommend this to any Millennial or anyone who knows a Millennial. This collection cuts right to the heart of an entire generation.
otterno11's review
3.0
Despite having turned the big “3-0” almost half a decade ago, it feels as if I’ve only just succeeded in clawing my way out of that “quarter life” crisis in which one is unsure what one is doing, lost and alone in that confusing world of shifting responsibilities and expectations, self imposed and other. In fact, I still feel occasionally like I’m not really an adult at all! I’m not sure if the concerns and conceits of the Millennial generation are that different from the growing pains of previous generations, but the ubiquity of social media and the current climate of economic uncertainty has definitely shone a unique light upon their experiences.
For this reason, I could definitely identify with the themes explored by the group of 20 something first time authors assembled in this anthology of short fiction, Songs of My Selfie. A feeling of arrested development, of being stuck between one’s past and one’s future, and not really being sure how to break out, is an element that connects many of the stories in the collection. The contributors of Songs of My Selfie each take on this sense of ennui in their own way, whether discussing being stuck at home in your childhood bedroom even as you begin your adult life, or struggling to scrape by in a world you scarcely understand that seems unable to understand you. The diverse authors engage in a wide variety of approaches to their stories, both in terms of genre, subject matter, and mood, capturing a wide variety of experiences. Feelings of comedy, drama, horror, sadness drift throughout the collections’ depictions of relationships, sexuality, and careers (or lack of them). A few utilize supernatural or fantastic themes to highlight the absurd nature of their predicaments, while others use a more naturalistic approach, each to varying degrees of success. On occasion, one could see the unpolished natures of writers still in the process of developing their styles, leading to some awkward or ill conceived pieces but each at least had a kernel of an interesting premise.
On the other hand, in spite of the collection’s diversity, of the contributors, more than half are based in New York, and NYC also features heavily in many of the stories, making one wonder that if one wants to make their way as a creative in this world, one has to move to New York. I guess it’s not too surprising for a collection featuring the work of young aspiring writers, but still, for millennials not steeped in the New York lit scene, it feels a little parochial.
For this reason, I could definitely identify with the themes explored by the group of 20 something first time authors assembled in this anthology of short fiction, Songs of My Selfie. A feeling of arrested development, of being stuck between one’s past and one’s future, and not really being sure how to break out, is an element that connects many of the stories in the collection. The contributors of Songs of My Selfie each take on this sense of ennui in their own way, whether discussing being stuck at home in your childhood bedroom even as you begin your adult life, or struggling to scrape by in a world you scarcely understand that seems unable to understand you. The diverse authors engage in a wide variety of approaches to their stories, both in terms of genre, subject matter, and mood, capturing a wide variety of experiences. Feelings of comedy, drama, horror, sadness drift throughout the collections’ depictions of relationships, sexuality, and careers (or lack of them). A few utilize supernatural or fantastic themes to highlight the absurd nature of their predicaments, while others use a more naturalistic approach, each to varying degrees of success. On occasion, one could see the unpolished natures of writers still in the process of developing their styles, leading to some awkward or ill conceived pieces but each at least had a kernel of an interesting premise.
On the other hand, in spite of the collection’s diversity, of the contributors, more than half are based in New York, and NYC also features heavily in many of the stories, making one wonder that if one wants to make their way as a creative in this world, one has to move to New York. I guess it’s not too surprising for a collection featuring the work of young aspiring writers, but still, for millennials not steeped in the New York lit scene, it feels a little parochial.
More...