mcmontgomery's review against another edition
Nothing bad, just couldn’t get into it — reading felt like a chore
moneisha's review against another edition
Slow start. Didn’t hook me as soon as I began reading, so it made it harder to continue.
nytekit's review against another edition
2.0
This book was just...really not enjoyable. I didn’t care about any of the characters and the stories almost all fell flat to me. There were a couple of parts in a couple stories that were good but I could not tell you one character’s name, let alone one that I liked, and most came off very one-dimensional. If not for reading this for a book club, I probably wouldn’t have bothered finishing it.
1.5 stars
(The one fun thing from this book, since I’ve lived in DC for over a decade, is the consistent references to DC history and locales. That might bring a smile to your face if you have a connection to the city.)
1.5 stars
(The one fun thing from this book, since I’ve lived in DC for over a decade, is the consistent references to DC history and locales. That might bring a smile to your face if you have a connection to the city.)
mrstiabee's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book of short stories even more, especially because they are all set in DC.
Unfortunately, I felt the characters were a bit flat and the majority of plot lines had no real climax or resolution. I can’t really say that any of the stories stuck with me. In fact, I feel like I’ve already forgotten many of them...
Unfortunately, I felt the characters were a bit flat and the majority of plot lines had no real climax or resolution. I can’t really say that any of the stories stuck with me. In fact, I feel like I’ve already forgotten many of them...
remigves's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rachbreads's review against another edition
3.0
My favorite collections of short stories have stories where you really get to know the characters, even if it's in a short period of time. Acker had several successful stories in this collection that I felt like I really connected with the characters - they were some of the longer stories, like Mambo Sauce and The Ropes. I felt like there were some inconsistencies in the strength of the overall collection - only a couple stories stood out to me, hence the 3-star rating. I did enjoy the DC setting and the focus on black American females - I thought they were interesting setting and character choices.
julibug86's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this on Audible.
Some of the short stories were a 3 and some were a 5, so I've averaged out to a 4. Would definitely read more from this author and would be interested to see a full length novel from her. Felt like some of these stories could lend themselves to being longer!
Some of the short stories were a 3 and some were a 5, so I've averaged out to a 4. Would definitely read more from this author and would be interested to see a full length novel from her. Felt like some of these stories could lend themselves to being longer!
jerrylwei's review against another edition
3.0
Like David Nicholson’s fantastic short story collection, Flying Home, this book deals with Black Washington. In the end, the two books operate off different concepts. Nicholson’s collection describes the life of Black Washington in a time of change. Acker’s book describes how black people in D.C. confront or are affected by race and gentrification. While many of her stories were enjoyable, Acker’s metaphors were often strained or heavy-handed. Some characters were one-dimensional.
My favorite stories were Now, This (about a woman in middle age taking a chance on love again), The Ropes (about how little teachers can know about their wards), and Mambo Sauce (a classic gentrification tale, but with well-written characters).
My favorite stories were Now, This (about a woman in middle age taking a chance on love again), The Ropes (about how little teachers can know about their wards), and Mambo Sauce (a classic gentrification tale, but with well-written characters).