A review by zoes_human
Can't and Won't by Lydia Davis
3.0
Halfway between poetry and prose, can't and won't is a collection of vignettes - a series of moments, dreams, letters, and perceptions ranging in length from a single sentence to a couple dozen pages. It's like rifling through the minds of strangers at random. I've never read anything else quite like it. I expect it might be even more enjoyable for those familiar with the work of Flaubert.
In particular, I loved "I'm Pretty Comfortable, But I Could Be a Little More Comfortable." I found it brilliant. Everything else ranged from mildly interesting to fascinating with just a couple of pieces that I found lackluster. I think the book does itself a disservice by adding "Stories" to the title. These pieces are not what one expects from a story.
In particular, I loved "I'm Pretty Comfortable, But I Could Be a Little More Comfortable." I found it brilliant. Everything else ranged from mildly interesting to fascinating with just a couple of pieces that I found lackluster. I think the book does itself a disservice by adding "Stories" to the title. These pieces are not what one expects from a story.