Reviews

Syn Jezusa by Denis Johnson

jowixx's review

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3.0

Najlepiej jest, kiedy narrator pospiesznie szkicuje poetyckie krajobrazy i metaforyzuje pozornie banalne zdarzenia. Niestety konstrukcja jego świata jest niekompletna, za bardzo wyrwana z kontekstu. Trudno cokolwiek poczuć i trudno czymkolwiek się przejąć.

stevegreene's review against another edition

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5.0

Phenomenal narration from Will Patton, whose work here is a spiritual sibling to Michael Shannon reading Sam Shepard’s “Spy of the First Person.” Both will make you believe that a recording can sweat.

drekklin's review against another edition

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

5.0

Followed Train Dreams with this short story collection. Denis Johnson writes mesmerizingly — if the character is in the gutter of their life, I am right there with them. At first you might be reading one of these tight little stories and think, “where is this going? What is he on about? How did we go from that to this?” These reactions make sense. And yet the prose is touching, even after being brutal unrelenting. Let the tide of it wash over you.

piworld's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • 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

5.0

gnodmas's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

andyreadsfantasy's review against another edition

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4.0

I bought this book because I heard the writing was really good - and I agree. Great writing, but it’s probably not for everyone. It reminded me of Jack Kerouac or Hemingway. Short simple sentences that have good flow.

Giving it 4 stars because some stories were 5 star worthy, but some were not.

alterlynx's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

marisatn's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I started this short story collection in October 2021 and got about halfway through before I decided I hated. However, I never committed to DNFing it, so it’s been in my bedside stack for years. Just picked it up again today and was totally hooked. Sad, slightly strange, sometimes violent, but always engaging. 

prosiaczekk's review

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mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

jennydoesnotgetit's review against another edition

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5.0

It is amazing how one small collection can offer so much while sticking to a consistent set of characters and a consistent style. There’s comedy (e.g. “Emergency”), terror (“Two Men”), and sudden, beautiful transcendence (“Work”). There are many surprising moments that, while unexpected, feel inevitable after the fact. I’m not sure how he does it. Nor am I succeeding in explaining what “it” is. There’s magic here.