kerickertful's review against another edition
4.0
I am in awe of the way she's able to wrap up her stories. She tells so much in such a short passage of time. It feels like they shouldn't be ending, and yet when they do, it's exactly how it has to be and so natural.
robert_vardill's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
alexanderp's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While this collection had an equal amount of stories that worked for me and didn't - I still really enjoyed it, because Meloy is clearly a student of interior life. Loved all of those mental movements and while there is a certain amount of "topical" issues, the overall effect of the collection is striking at something deeper. The need for things just out of reach and our thirst that arises from desire.
k8iedid's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I remember how I came across this - I think something I was reading referenced one of her novels, but I started here b/c it was available immediately from my library.
This was an enjoyable collection of short stories featuring mostly normal people in their everyday lives which are messy and complex. There's a theme of loneliness and longing throughout. She did a great job unraveling the story at the same time she tightened the tension, so I wasn't sure which way the characters would go as we neared the end. Quick read that I finished in about 2 days. I thought it was interesting that she wrote mostly male protagonists.
This was an enjoyable collection of short stories featuring mostly normal people in their everyday lives which are messy and complex. There's a theme of loneliness and longing throughout. She did a great job unraveling the story at the same time she tightened the tension, so I wasn't sure which way the characters would go as we neared the end. Quick read that I finished in about 2 days. I thought it was interesting that she wrote mostly male protagonists.
jonbrammer's review against another edition
3.0
Maile Meloy's prose is tight and functional, and can hit like a fist. The first story in this collection, about a lonesome ranch hand who meets and tries to kindle a relationship with a woman from a town 9 hours away, struck me with its emotional realism. Infidelity is a motif in many of these stories, and it grew harder to sympathize with the cheating, selfish husbands that populate Meloy's pages.
phaedosia's review against another edition
4.0
I love Maile Meloy She takes your hand and helps you dive right into these people's lives. And the title, Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It is so apt.
Several of these stories, quite fittingly, dealt with adultery. When you think about it, adultery is the epitome of wanting it "both ways." And while I found myself squirming and thinking "don't do it, don't do it," I couldn't help but marvel at how well the stories were constructed.
Each of these dramas takes place against a bleak backdrop, whether it be a Midwestern town in winter where black ice can claim your life in an instant or a black diamond ski run where one wrong move leads to disaster. But, when you're teetering on the knife's edge of indecision, what better landscape? Not only that, but Meloy is a master at foreshadowing and manages to plant uneasiness in even the most mundane situations--a family meal, a camping trip.
Read more here: http://bookhearth.blogspot.com/2011/04/both-ways-is-only-way-i-want-it-by.html
Several of these stories, quite fittingly, dealt with adultery. When you think about it, adultery is the epitome of wanting it "both ways." And while I found myself squirming and thinking "don't do it, don't do it," I couldn't help but marvel at how well the stories were constructed.
Each of these dramas takes place against a bleak backdrop, whether it be a Midwestern town in winter where black ice can claim your life in an instant or a black diamond ski run where one wrong move leads to disaster. But, when you're teetering on the knife's edge of indecision, what better landscape? Not only that, but Meloy is a master at foreshadowing and manages to plant uneasiness in even the most mundane situations--a family meal, a camping trip.
Read more here: http://bookhearth.blogspot.com/2011/04/both-ways-is-only-way-i-want-it-by.html
lisaeirene's review against another edition
3.0
I don't usually read books that are collections of short stories but I gave this one a try. What was frustrating for me was that when the story started to get good and interesting, the chapter ended and it was a new story. I felt like it was ended too soon.
eunicek82's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I really loved this collection. It was cohesive to the theme without being linked. There was so much tension in each story even if not much happens in terms of plot. I think this would be a great “starter” story collection.
kaitlinduffy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5