chasinak's review against another edition
Not bad at all just started for work and it doesn’t quite match the vibe of
What I want to be reading right now. Will likely come back to it and finish next year
What I want to be reading right now. Will likely come back to it and finish next year
teresac's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mfrost's review against another edition
3.0
If you're on the hunt for a bleak collection of short stories, look no further -- "The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac" is for you. Readers who enjoy Ottessa Moshfegh's works are bound to enjoy this short story collection. Hauntingly human and weird, Kennedy's stories revolve around women and the experiences of being a woman are melancholy and raw. (Also, I quite enjoyed all the Irish traditions throughout)
Here are the stronger stories: "Belladonna", "Imbolc", and "What the Birds Heard"
Here are the stronger stories: "Belladonna", "Imbolc", and "What the Birds Heard"
sadiereadsagain's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this book knowing nothing of the author, simply wanting to try a new short story collection. I've read some really strong collections ([b:Interpreter of Maladies|5439|Interpreter of Maladies|Jhumpa Lahiri|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442586143l/5439._SY75_.jpg|3301398] by [a:Jhumpa Lahiri|3670|Jhumpa Lahiri|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1378932972p2/3670.jpg] and [b:To Be a Man|50997476|To Be a Man|Nicole Krauss|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585190490l/50997476._SY75_.jpg|64877467] by [a:Nicole Krauss|2633|Nicole Krauss|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1285130428p2/2633.jpg], as a benchmark), and this is very nearly up there with those.
This collection brings together stories of Irish women who are experiencing difficulties or turning points after often traumatic or upsetting events. That sounds like this will be a bleak read, and at times it can be. But it isn't all shrouded in that bleakness, mainly due to Kennedy's writing. She has such a strong voice, very authentic and eloquent, and puts her characters in fascinating situations. We have a woman abandoned by her husband, living isolated from her community in the failed building development she has fled. A wife who is being punished by her husband for a choice she made. A pregnant mother whose husband has found himself in bed with gangsters after turning to them for financial help. And in all of these stories there is a darkly comic voice and an authentic rooting in Irish rural life.
I thought this was such a rich collection of writing, and I'll definitely be following this author in future.
I was sent a NetGalley of this title from Bloomsbury Publishing in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
This collection brings together stories of Irish women who are experiencing difficulties or turning points after often traumatic or upsetting events. That sounds like this will be a bleak read, and at times it can be. But it isn't all shrouded in that bleakness, mainly due to Kennedy's writing. She has such a strong voice, very authentic and eloquent, and puts her characters in fascinating situations. We have a woman abandoned by her husband, living isolated from her community in the failed building development she has fled. A wife who is being punished by her husband for a choice she made. A pregnant mother whose husband has found himself in bed with gangsters after turning to them for financial help. And in all of these stories there is a darkly comic voice and an authentic rooting in Irish rural life.
I thought this was such a rich collection of writing, and I'll definitely be following this author in future.
I was sent a NetGalley of this title from Bloomsbury Publishing in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
naraya's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.0
vcmnsn's review against another edition
4.0
I read this as a story at a time, over various points of a couple of days. I love the reality brought by the author, nothing through rose coloured glasses. These stories make you feel like you’ve read a full novel, and continue to keep you thinking.
harrietmarydean's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jeanlarkin's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
00isa00's review
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0