Reviews

When Trying to Return Home by Jennifer Maritza McCauley

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sachahart_logan's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

shannanh's review against another edition

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3.0

Several short stories about different people in different stages and life circumstances. some of the stories were enjoyable, others were so so. I had the audio book version, and I really did enjoy the narrator. They did such an enjoyable job.

I received a copy of the book via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions.

ivories's review against another edition

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slow-paced

2.5

Wouldn't recommend.

marisatn's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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

4.0

Great short story collection.

niniane's review against another edition

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The Torsion was sad. I wanted to shout at the main character for going along with a terrible plan.

The second story took an ordinary event and elevated it.

I tried to listen to " I don't know where I'm bound". After 10 minutes, I couldn't connect to any of the characters. It reminded me a bit of Langston Hughes but that was real and also drew me in right away.

gellyreads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is a collection where I think I like the themes more than the execution. Parts of it are great, and parts of it are just okay. Below are some brief thoughts for each story:

Torsion - 5/5. Probably my favorite in this entire collection. I really enjoyed this one; it's an excellent character study and a good look at family and sacrifice.

When Trying to Return Home - 4.5/5. This is a little too short and more flash fiction, but still really poignant and solid. ~~Clearly seems to be about the author or someone the author knows really, really well.~~ I enjoyed the somewhat sad tone and the focus on identity (this is always a favorite thematic topic of mine).

The Missing One - 3/5. This was just not for me, although there were some great sentences here. I did like the focus on family and identity again, and wished this had a stronger presence throughout the collection (specifically family).

Good Guys - 1/5. Wow. I thought "The Missing One" would be the weakest in this collection, and as I was reading it I kept thinking, "This just really isn't for me." And then I read "Good Guys." Wow. One paragraph lasted three pages. Fuck that. I don't want to read Dickens or Woolf. We're past this. This literally felt like someone's creative writing homework to me. A~~s in it reminds me of a short story I had to write for my own creative writing class in college where I felt I wrote like this and I also hated that story, but my prof loved it (ugh).~~

Fevers - 2/5. I just didn't get much out of this one, character, plot, or theme-wise.

I Don't Know Where I'm Bound - 4/5. This was my "Whew!" as I read this collection. I love the vibes and the descriptions in this story. This was much more my speed.

Last Saints - 2/5. I struggled to follow this one.

La Espera - 4/5. This is a really good snapshot story. Although, Carlos is the Fucking Worst times 2. Once for being a piece of shit man, and once for having yet another ungodly long paragraph that's a train of thought (although this one was only 2 pages).

Liberation Day - 3/5. I liked the premise of this, but I just struggled to connect with the characters and it felt like it started to ramble towards the end.