cdlindwall's review against another edition
5.0
Kelly Link is everything -- weird, and moody, and sharp. Her stories do what the best storytelling should: transport.
I didn't read any that were AS good as Stone Animals from her first collection, but Link is one of my favorite short story writers right now. Read read read.
I didn't read any that were AS good as Stone Animals from her first collection, but Link is one of my favorite short story writers right now. Read read read.
kandicez's review against another edition
4.0
The Summer People - ***** This story was fantastic and I am so glad it was the first one in the book. It was written in such a way that you fell into the fantasy unknowingly. Everything is so well written and believably phrased and then you stumble on the unreal and have to read back a few lines. What the hell was that?
I can See Right Through You - *** This was well written, just like the first tale, but in this one the fantastical was there from page one and not so easy to believe. A good tale, just not great.
Secret Identity -***** Online relationships are tricky and almost like an accident waiting to happen. In addition to the lies told online there was an added bit to this one. Crazy! And again with slipping in the unreal in such a way that the reader feels as if they misunderstood.
Valley of the Girls - ** I just didn't like this. Everything was a bit too much.
Origin Story - ** Again, I just didn't care for this and not because I've never been an Oz fan!
The Lesson - **** I am unsure what I really read. It seemed like a straightforward narrative until the end, but I genuinely liked all of the characters and I wanted them to get what they wished for so fervently. Sometimes life just goes off the rails and this was the perfect example.
The New Boyfriend - **** Weird, weird and more weird. I think I enjoyed the story even more because of how strange and odd it was, but again, Link just slips that oddness in and as the reader you simply have to go with it.
Two Houses - ***** Terrific! Spaceships, friends, haunted houses, the future, a holodeck? What's not to love?!
Light - **** This is an example of short fiction that I enjoyed, but didn't necessarily get. The only other writer that has made me feel this way is [a:Joe Hill|88506|Joe Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1499713528p2/88506.jpg]. Can't explain it, but could read it all day!
I can See Right Through You - *** This was well written, just like the first tale, but in this one the fantastical was there from page one and not so easy to believe. A good tale, just not great.
Secret Identity -***** Online relationships are tricky and almost like an accident waiting to happen. In addition to the lies told online there was an added bit to this one. Crazy! And again with slipping in the unreal in such a way that the reader feels as if they misunderstood.
Valley of the Girls - ** I just didn't like this. Everything was a bit too much.
Origin Story - ** Again, I just didn't care for this and not because I've never been an Oz fan!
The Lesson - **** I am unsure what I really read. It seemed like a straightforward narrative until the end, but I genuinely liked all of the characters and I wanted them to get what they wished for so fervently. Sometimes life just goes off the rails and this was the perfect example.
The New Boyfriend - **** Weird, weird and more weird. I think I enjoyed the story even more because of how strange and odd it was, but again, Link just slips that oddness in and as the reader you simply have to go with it.
Two Houses - ***** Terrific! Spaceships, friends, haunted houses, the future, a holodeck? What's not to love?!
Light - **** This is an example of short fiction that I enjoyed, but didn't necessarily get. The only other writer that has made me feel this way is [a:Joe Hill|88506|Joe Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1499713528p2/88506.jpg]. Can't explain it, but could read it all day!
alyssapierce's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
deservingporcupine's review against another edition
It’s hard to rate a short story collection, but I only liked one of the stories. The first one (“Summer People”) was charming and a little creepy. The others were just too dark or too much work.
traa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Misogyny
literatehedgehog's review against another edition
3.0
As I tried to summarize Link's writing style to my mister, "Imagine a dark supernatural undertone to everyday reality. Then, have mostly ordinary people make a mistake or unwise decision or risk, and watch them suffer." I enjoy Link's imaginative twist on our everyday reality - it's our world, but with ghosts, or pocket universes, or mysteriously appearing "sleepers". My favorite part of fantastic realism - or realistic fantasy? - is figuring out just where that line of reality and imagination is drawn, where what is already possible bleeds into invention and unreality. I did eventually feel a little overloaded on "dark realistic fantasy" feelings, but it's easy to switch to the radio between stories.
The audio book has a different narrator for each story, with some fascinating voice talent.
The audio book has a different narrator for each story, with some fascinating voice talent.
maggie138's review against another edition
5.0
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and loved it.
I'm not a huge short story fan, but this book won me over. It is creative, fun and thought provoking. I was truly impressed by Link's ability to write short stories that were filled with complexities, strong characters and elaborate settings. I will definitely be reading more of Link's work.
I'm not a huge short story fan, but this book won me over. It is creative, fun and thought provoking. I was truly impressed by Link's ability to write short stories that were filled with complexities, strong characters and elaborate settings. I will definitely be reading more of Link's work.
leslielikesthings's review against another edition
4.0
There were a couple of stories that I really loved, some that were pretty good, and some that didn't capture my attention. The ones that I loved made me definitely want to check out more by this author. Most of her stories take place in worlds that are kind of like this one, but with various fantastical elements. I loved that the fantastical elements often weren't really part of the story, they were just one more layer of the background, and the characters were just living their lives in these worlds.
itsmytuberculosis's review against another edition
2.0
Reading this book was like putting on dirty clothes after a nice shower. It made me uncomfortable and left me wondering what I was doing with my life. It seemed the more I read the more confused I became.