Reviews

A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories by Lucia Berlin

deschatjes's review

5.0

Just stunning. A must read for fans of short stories.

erickibler4's review

5.0

Just super! She ranks with Hemingway and Carver as a short story writer. Painfully and uproariously honest and autobiographical. She lived an interesting life all over the Americas, from Idaho to Chile, went through addiction and recovery, battled scoliosis and cancer, loved numerous men, had four sons, survived childhood abuse, worked many occupations, and was a gregarious woman with friends in high and low places.

kalliegrace's review

challenging funny inspiring medium-paced

4.0

These are incredibly written short stories, about a lifetime of topics and emotions and circumstances. You can feel the character and strength emanating from each story. I think any one of them would be a good entrance into her work. There are several characters she returns to in later stories, and I was always happy to see them again. 

sol_13's review against another edition

5.0

Lucía Berlín tiene una forma de escribir cruda. Todo este libro son historias cortas, retazos de vida en un orden desordenado, que bien se van conectando y siguen siendo independientes. Hay un punto en el que las páginas avanzan y empiezas a darte cuenta que todas esas cosas son una persona, pero al las historias no tener un orden temporal la evolución personal queda disimulada por las realidades externas a las que se enfrenta.
A pesar de estar escrita en primera persona y sus vivencias personales no tiene un estilo de diario sino un estilo narrativo como pudiera tener una novela, al propio estilo norte-americano, en la que lo que te acaba calando y transmitiendo es las realidades de una mujer, el alcoholismo, E.E.U.U, la maternidad, relaciones familiares, soledad y lo grande que se convierte un mundo con todas las personas que aparecen en el camino.

carolinamm's review

• 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

_ximini_'s review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Gran manera de contar relatos cortos, muy descriptiva y emotiva. Siento que la conocí y me duele que ya no esté.

eunicek82's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad

5.0

What an amazing collection of short stories. To be honest, I had a false start with this. I tried reading this cover to cover a few years ago, got stuck and ultimately put it aside. I had to opportunity to buddy read this with a friend, taking it 1 story/week and that was definitely the way to do it. Over nearly 9 months, we made our way through this collection, laughing and crying together with these characters, many that seem plucked out of Berlin’s own life. These are raw and honest stories full of grit and life. I’m sad that it’s over. 

bethmcbride's review

medium-paced

3.75

sarahwalton429's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

enue's review

5.0

¿Donde uno tiene que estar o vivir, o sentir para escribir cómo Lucía? Es cierto que no todos los cuentos me engancharon pero esa manera muy suya de hacerse de palabras que tienen un ritmo impecable.

Me encantó la manera de narrar la muerte de una manera poética – creo yo. De hacerte sentir con hechos sencillos, lo que es el duelo, la perdida.