blankcrayon's review against another edition
2.0
I like Emma Straub’s novels, but not this story collection. There wasn’t enough time to care about the characters and many of the stories felt underdeveloped.
earlyandalone's review against another edition
3.0
This book has generated a lot of buzz in literary circles, and I bought it on a whim, wanting to read some contemporary short fiction. Also, I read an essay on the Paris Review blog by Emma Straub about My So-Called Life and adolescent female friendships and I loved it.
The book was ultimately disappointing. There were a few stories in the collection that I did enjoy, but the writing wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, and ultimately, I felt like many of the stories focused on an unhappy female protagonist, made miserable by their marriage, their very place in middle-class domesticity. I think there's a place for this kind of story, but I'm tired of reading it in nearly every collection by a contemporary woman of a certain literary stripe. The only woman in the collection that had been happy with her husband lost him to cancer, and was subsequently stuck and miserable in a relationship with another man she didn't love. Even the stories that didn't deal directly with marital misery focused on a different kind of unhappiness--a woman on vacation with her sister feels the urge to leave her behind in the desert, a single college writing instructor becomes obsessed with one of her young students, two college women have a fleeting romantic moment on a vacation and try to bury it.
I don't look for sunshine and puppies in my fiction, but I do appreciate unexpected beauty, a sense of hope, at least one likable man or functional relationship.
The book was ultimately disappointing. There were a few stories in the collection that I did enjoy, but the writing wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, and ultimately, I felt like many of the stories focused on an unhappy female protagonist, made miserable by their marriage, their very place in middle-class domesticity. I think there's a place for this kind of story, but I'm tired of reading it in nearly every collection by a contemporary woman of a certain literary stripe. The only woman in the collection that had been happy with her husband lost him to cancer, and was subsequently stuck and miserable in a relationship with another man she didn't love. Even the stories that didn't deal directly with marital misery focused on a different kind of unhappiness--a woman on vacation with her sister feels the urge to leave her behind in the desert, a single college writing instructor becomes obsessed with one of her young students, two college women have a fleeting romantic moment on a vacation and try to bury it.
I don't look for sunshine and puppies in my fiction, but I do appreciate unexpected beauty, a sense of hope, at least one likable man or functional relationship.
lizzylane's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
sarahprandall's review
3.0
This is a collection of short stories that deal with people falling in or out of love. There were certain stories that I absolutely loved and could have listened to a book length version of, and others that I didn't quite connect with and I was happy when they were over. All in all, an enjoyable way to spend a week communing to & from work, but not my favorite.
hazelrosen's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
3.0
bubblesofbayla's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
2.0
heyitssones's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
whatchusellin's review against another edition
This was a really enjoyable read but the combination of life circumstances prevented me from finishing before I had to return from the library. I will definitely pick it back up again in the future!
torireadsnz's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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