Reviews

Our Kind: A Novel in Stories by Kate Walbert

mbenzz's review

2.0

I'm not a big fan of short stories as it is, but I love the era of the '40s and '50s. Seeing as how that's the era these women are from, I figured I really enjoy this. Well, I was wrong. The book focuses more on the women when their older...much older.

But that wasn't why I didn't like this book. What I didn't like was the writing style. Not AT ALL. It was extremely choppy, and I found it to be difficult to follow in many places. And the women themselves...I just didn't care for them. They were a very weird bunch, and I thought they were a bit eccentric for no apparent reason.

Overall, not a book I recommend. But as I said, I'm also not a big short story reader. I picked this up thinking I was in for some easy, light reading...but that wasn't the case.

bunrab's review

3.0

This is another item from the "Voice" section of /More Book Lust./ By voice, MBL means unusual points of view. In this case, the unusual point of view is first person plural. The story jumps back and forth in time, a chapter by chapter. At the end of the book it suddenly slips into standard third person omniscient, to tell the earliest and the latest episodes. To me, the first person plural seemed like a novelty, used mainly to disguise the fact that the story is thin and outdated. There have been better novels about the meaninglessness of women's lives back when it was thought that having a husband and children was the only meaning a woman's life should have. Just in case you are unable to draw any parallels to /Mrs. Dalloway/ yourself, Walbert prompts you by having a book club discuss it, in a chapter in the middle. All in all, an interesting PoV wasted on an outdated plot that has been better fleshed out elsewhere.

becka6131's review

4.0

It's disappointing that so many people have marked this two stars or less - I know first person plural is not the easiest perspective to write or read in, but it is perfect for the story Walbert is telling. At times it wanders and waffles and there is basically no plot, I will say that, but that isn't a failing, because Walbert isn't hugely concerned with plot to begin with. Instead she paints a picture of a group of women burned out, potential squandered, abandoned by their children, trapped in a cycle of commercial holidays and craft socials - and still quite determined to have a good time in the few years they have left. It's simultaneously uplifting and tragic, and I'd really recommend it on the basis of the last chapter alone, which left me in tears.

ecarter611's review

3.0

I loved half of this book, the other half was a bit pretentious imo

srturner's review

3.0

The life stories of a group of older (as in senior) women told via short stories. The author uses the first person narrative for the group, i.e. "We try to be kind." throughout the book. I found this is to be kind of irritating and contrived.

taylakaye's review

4.0

I wasn't sure about this book of short stories at the beginning, but if you stick with it you'll be glad you did. I loved the insight into these women's lives. The smallest details shed light on their personalities and motivations. Very well written.

beaglebooknerd's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0