phillip25's review
2.0
read this for VCE. the guy that cuts his dick is funny though, i think it was no memory comes? i forget, ironically.
ipb1's review against another edition
2.0
The usual curate's egg of a short story collection, but with the good parts removed.
amyjanereads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-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
3.75
katieadaniel's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
nikitaaa's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars as an average of all the fourteen short stories in this book.
some were more interesting than others, but they were overall very average.
my favourite short story was "no memory comes." i really liked and understood the themes explored and the message of the story, and i think it has the strongest writing.
other stories i had no idea what they were trying to say, and some were kind of weird with themes i personally did not like at all. but at least they all held my attention, which doesn't always happen with short story collections.
one thing that made this collection good was the wide variation of story lengths. some were 3–5 pages, others were 10–15. it made it much easier to get through the book, especially because this is for school.
overall, the consistent exploration of characters of various ages, genders, background, place in life, was pretty strong and made for a more captivating collection. i particularly enjoyed the overarching theme of sadness, loneliness, pain, and the general feeling of being lost. but it's still a very meh book..
some were more interesting than others, but they were overall very average.
my favourite short story was "no memory comes." i really liked and understood the themes explored and the message of the story, and i think it has the strongest writing.
other stories i had no idea what they were trying to say, and some were kind of weird with themes i personally did not like at all. but at least they all held my attention, which doesn't always happen with short story collections.
one thing that made this collection good was the wide variation of story lengths. some were 3–5 pages, others were 10–15. it made it much easier to get through the book, especially because this is for school.
overall, the consistent exploration of characters of various ages, genders, background, place in life, was pretty strong and made for a more captivating collection. i particularly enjoyed the overarching theme of sadness, loneliness, pain, and the general feeling of being lost. but it's still a very meh book..
belladistef's review against another edition
3.0
3/5, B
A school book; however a really decent read. Not what I would normally pick up, but written very well, albeit a bit depressing.
A school book; however a really decent read. Not what I would normally pick up, but written very well, albeit a bit depressing.
ipb1's review against another edition
2.0
The usual curate's egg of a short story collection, but with the good parts removed.
jfl's review
3.0
Tim Winton has published to date three collections of short stories. A “Minimum of Two”, published in 1987, is the second of that list. It follows chronologically his first three novels. There are a total of 14 stories, one of which (“Laps”) centers on Queenie Cookson, catching us up to her life after Winton’s second novel, “Shallows” where she is one of the primary characters. And seven of the 14 pick up Jarra Nilsan (the protagonist of his first published novel, “An Open Swimmer”) in his adult years.
The stories are well constructed and, as always for a Winton work, engaging. Uniquely, however, the environment, so central in his other writings, is muted in this volume. And as a collection, the stories do not hold together as a unit as effectively as those of his “The Turning” do. But all that said, Winton’s voice instructs and satisfies. As noted on the back cover of the 2003 Picador edition, the “collection explores the complexity of human relationships through the themes of futility and hope, revenge and redemption, birth and death….” That is not bad for a thin volume of short stories.
The stories are well constructed and, as always for a Winton work, engaging. Uniquely, however, the environment, so central in his other writings, is muted in this volume. And as a collection, the stories do not hold together as a unit as effectively as those of his “The Turning” do. But all that said, Winton’s voice instructs and satisfies. As noted on the back cover of the 2003 Picador edition, the “collection explores the complexity of human relationships through the themes of futility and hope, revenge and redemption, birth and death….” That is not bad for a thin volume of short stories.
rhodaj's review against another edition
4.0
This is another of the author’s collection of short stories and reads much in the same vein as The Turning, which I read and reviewed last month. Wistful, nostalgic moments in time about a cast of characters that are Aussie battler types for the most part. Jerra and Rachel are characters who appear in many of the stories and are snapshots in time of moments in their life.
Other stories involve different characters and Queenie from the author’s book Shallows makes an appearance in one of the stories. Ángelus, the coastal town that Tim Winton often sets his books in also appears in this collection.
As I’ve come to expect with Tim Winton’s writing, you can feel the heat, you can see the West Australian landscape and you can really feel the restlessness of the characters in your bones, as he is so adept at painting a picture with words.
I always feel that reading a Tim Winton book is so much more than just reading a story- it’s an experience - and so much more than just words. Another solid offering in my opinion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.
Other stories involve different characters and Queenie from the author’s book Shallows makes an appearance in one of the stories. Ángelus, the coastal town that Tim Winton often sets his books in also appears in this collection.
As I’ve come to expect with Tim Winton’s writing, you can feel the heat, you can see the West Australian landscape and you can really feel the restlessness of the characters in your bones, as he is so adept at painting a picture with words.
I always feel that reading a Tim Winton book is so much more than just reading a story- it’s an experience - and so much more than just words. Another solid offering in my opinion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.