whatulysses's review against another edition
4.0
The characters are so good. Well-told stories. Enjoyable read but terrible escapism. Will fuck you up if you are the least bit depressed already.
germancho's review
5.0
In this most canadian of books (a gift from @bluelephant), Munro wields her somber, solemn prose as if she were slowly swinging a heavy lead pipe: sometimes she misses, but when she connects you'll be knocked out for good. I very much appreciate that Munro opens a door to woman's mind in a way that I've never seen before, even if men are made of straw and friends are empty sprites. Something else that I liked about this book is that sex is this unfortunate happenstance which life pokes you with every now and again. In this case this might be a contrivance of the story... I certainly hope so!
Favorite stories: "Half a Grapefruit", "The Beggar Maid", "Mischief", "Simon's Luck", and "Spelling", if only for its schadenfreunde value.
Favorite stories: "Half a Grapefruit", "The Beggar Maid", "Mischief", "Simon's Luck", and "Spelling", if only for its schadenfreunde value.
foggy_rosamund's review against another edition
3.0
Rose grows up in a very poor suburb on the outskirts of a small town in Canada. The interlinked short stories follow her as she leaves behind her oppressive home, goes to university, suffers a disastrous marriage, and struggles to have satisfying relationships with men. Munro's prose is clear, easy-to-read, and subtle. I found the stories about Rose's early life particularly satisfying: the struggles with her step-mother and the horrors of surviving a brutal school are memorable and engaging. Each story works on its own merits, but this does not quite hold together as a novel. It's hard not to consider this a novel when the stories build up a picture of one person's life, but the picture often feels fragmentary and unsatisfying. I also felt that Munro could have edited the stories before she published them in one book to avoid repetition between them. This is the first full collection of Munro I have read, and I was impressed by her skilled narrative voice: I am certainly interested in reading more, even if this did not completely win me over.
alizamiriam's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
megan_prairierose's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first book by Munro that I have read. Shame on me. I am an avid reader of Canadian fiction, so why it took me so long to read one of her's, is beyond me. A great work of fiction. I look forward to more.
sydneyedens's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
go girl boss!
not my favorite Munro, but still very good. love Rose but wish there would been more Flo like it seemed there would be in the description
short stories but in the form of a book basically
not my favorite Munro, but still very good. love Rose but wish there would been more Flo like it seemed there would be in the description
short stories but in the form of a book basically
roypetter's review against another edition
2.0
I've been looking forward to this for the longest time: my first Munro. Sadly, though, I'm seriously underwhelmed. Not one story felt interesting at the time of reading, and not one story proved memorable in the weeks after. I'm sure there must be more to Munro than this, so I will definitely try more titles.
grgrhnt's review against another edition
4.0
The way Munro rallies around past and present with such sleek and simple stream is the best aspect of this book. We hear the life of Rose, whose character is strengthened by the simple moments of past which in retrospect seem critical to her attitude towards life. She is human, she is one of the most human characters I've come across. While there are gaps in the life, the reader still feels a connectivity. The stories flow, despite their disjointed beginnings. That's not to say that Rose is bland as people are in real life. She is brave, but also consciously timid. She is human with a tint of rebellion that makes for great characters.
pandabearsfly's review against another edition
5.0
"That is not to say he is pretending, that he is acting, and does not mean it. he is acting, and he means it" (19).
Exquisite prose laden with keen observations that I couldn't help rereading. Marvelous characters, at times ferocious, other times pathetic.
I enjoyed this one more than Lives of Girls and Women, largely because Rose is more compelling as a character (Del seems more of an observer) and because of its better title, which points out a theme throughout the collection. As we see in "Royal Beatings," everyone is assigned a role to play in society. When you deviate, when you aspire to something more, (or when, like Rose, who wants to an actress and transform herself,) you may get shot down spectacularly. You may make a fool of yourself. That's how people think of Rose, who marries into wealth, gets divorced, has many disappointing affairs, and continually struggles to find her footing. But could she really have survived otherwise?
I liked how the first and last stories, "Royal Beatings" and "Who Do You Think You Are?", demonstrate the starkest temporal jumps, from Rose's childhood to after Flo's mental health has deteriorated drastically. They're great bookends, given how meditative the book can be.
I'd argue that this book deserves the title of novel more than Lives, which I'm convinced publishers bestowed with that label because it's more marketable.
Anyway, this a real treasure trove of wisdom and feeling. So much to reread and draw from.
Exquisite prose laden with keen observations that I couldn't help rereading. Marvelous characters, at times ferocious, other times pathetic.
I enjoyed this one more than Lives of Girls and Women, largely because Rose is more compelling as a character (Del seems more of an observer) and because of its better title, which points out a theme throughout the collection. As we see in "Royal Beatings," everyone is assigned a role to play in society. When you deviate, when you aspire to something more, (or when, like Rose, who wants to an actress and transform herself,) you may get shot down spectacularly. You may make a fool of yourself. That's how people think of Rose, who marries into wealth, gets divorced, has many disappointing affairs, and continually struggles to find her footing. But could she really have survived otherwise?
I liked how the first and last stories, "Royal Beatings" and "Who Do You Think You Are?", demonstrate the starkest temporal jumps, from Rose's childhood to after Flo's mental health has deteriorated drastically. They're great bookends, given how meditative the book can be.
I'd argue that this book deserves the title of novel more than Lives, which I'm convinced publishers bestowed with that label because it's more marketable.
Anyway, this a real treasure trove of wisdom and feeling. So much to reread and draw from.