elizajstocks's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ipb1's review against another edition
4.0
I though this a wonderful collection, but no surprise really given how much I loved [b:All the Light We Cannot See|18143977|All the Light We Cannot See|Anthony Doerr|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451445646l/18143977._SY75_.jpg|25491300] and the even more brilliant [b:Cloud Cuckoo Land|56783258|Cloud Cuckoo Land|Anthony Doerr|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618589128l/56783258._SY75_.jpg|88757679].
dcumberland's review against another edition
4.0
This collection really shows Doerr sharpening his storytelling. The stories are paced extremely well and also give an appreciated insight into the reverence he holds for humans interested in the natural world: shell collectors, hunters, photographers, and others are all represented in the stories.
Unfortunately, the more interesting stories come first instead of being distributed throughout, but each story is still worth a read. This is still one of the best collections as a whole I've read!
Unfortunately, the more interesting stories come first instead of being distributed throughout, but each story is still worth a read. This is still one of the best collections as a whole I've read!
books_plants_hikes's review against another edition
2.0
The Shell Collector Review:
It’s rare I give books less than 4 stars, because generally if i don’t like them i simply won’t finish them. This book is full of short stories which makes it difficult to read (at least for me) because you have to keep reconnecting to new characters and searching for connecting and meanings. Almost all, if not all are left with an opening ending, I believe this leaves things up the reader and in doing so helps the reader to explore themselves deeper.
I tried to look for a theme which connected all these stories and I’m sure different theme could be argued by different readers who have had different experiences and are at different junturas in life. Which again, leaves another element up to reader exploration.
The theme I found throughout was various versions of acceptance and failure of acceptance.
Here’s my favorite quote from the book which comes from the story Mkondo, “She was learning that in her life everything - health, happiness, even live - was subject to the landscape; the weathers of the world were inseparable from the weathers of her soul.”
It’s rare I give books less than 4 stars, because generally if i don’t like them i simply won’t finish them. This book is full of short stories which makes it difficult to read (at least for me) because you have to keep reconnecting to new characters and searching for connecting and meanings. Almost all, if not all are left with an opening ending, I believe this leaves things up the reader and in doing so helps the reader to explore themselves deeper.
I tried to look for a theme which connected all these stories and I’m sure different theme could be argued by different readers who have had different experiences and are at different junturas in life. Which again, leaves another element up to reader exploration.
The theme I found throughout was various versions of acceptance and failure of acceptance.
Here’s my favorite quote from the book which comes from the story Mkondo, “She was learning that in her life everything - health, happiness, even live - was subject to the landscape; the weathers of the world were inseparable from the weathers of her soul.”
brynpemery's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
doriantagonist's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
What a special collection of stories. Each one pulls you entirely in for its duration. Loved it. Did not love the lack of any quotation marks whatsoever. I understand that it's a stylistic choice but I also hate it.
steelcitygator's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of short stories, the first two (the collections book namesake and an award winning one) are the clear highlights. Both are 5* short stories and the peak. The two following immediately after are not good in my opinion and probably the lowlights. The rest are somewhere in between, not bad but often not great, usually some form of "good." That feels about all you need to know about this work, it's a collection of stories and short enough that it's probably worth your time if you are in the mood.
My biggest gripe, and this goes to all short story writers, vary the endings for the love of god. I know it's a bit of a thing for short stories to usually end on vague endings that leave the reader to ponder, and most likely is often necessitated by their length, and it makes me hesitant to read collections like this. You can give a solid landing to these stories and they'll still be satisfying. It works fine in one offs reading these online or in a magazine but the problem really rises to the surface in a collection like this.
My biggest gripe, and this goes to all short story writers, vary the endings for the love of god. I know it's a bit of a thing for short stories to usually end on vague endings that leave the reader to ponder, and most likely is often necessitated by their length, and it makes me hesitant to read collections like this. You can give a solid landing to these stories and they'll still be satisfying. It works fine in one offs reading these online or in a magazine but the problem really rises to the surface in a collection like this.
juliana_aldous's review
5.0
Generally when I read a collection of short stories I find more misses than hits, but Doerr is all hits. These are gorgeous stories. I look forward to all his future works.