A review by alivegurl
10 Short Stories You Must Read This Year by Kathy Lette, Peter Temple, Monica McInerney, William McInnes, Melina Marchetta, Thomas Keneally, Anita Heiss, Jack Marx, Toni Jordan, Robert Drewe
4.0
This is probably the quickest read I've had this year (so far). After reading book after book of disappointment, I was looking for something chill and easy to tackle. This book just happens to be lying around the house—so I took it. It was quite enjoyable and really interesting, because I've never read anything by any of these authors before, so I really had no expectations.
Since this is a relatively small book, I will also keep my review short. Here goes.
The book was rather nice. I like that it's relatively light—although definitely not for all ages, but also not too explicit—and that they are all good authors—no one shines too bright in comparison, I find. The plots are relatively well-written and, for short stories, well executed. I think one of them ended up being a novel in the end, but that is no longer part of this book. If there's anything I wish to change from this book, I wish there were more unique Australian things being included. I find only 3 out of 10 stories seem to have that—and one of them only rather briefly. But that doesn't really bother me all that much.
My favourite stories are Twelve Minutes, Elizabeth's News and Letter from a Drunk to a Long Gone Wife. They are the most brilliant!
Since this is a relatively small book, I will also keep my review short. Here goes.
The book was rather nice. I like that it's relatively light—although definitely not for all ages, but also not too explicit—and that they are all good authors—no one shines too bright in comparison, I find. The plots are relatively well-written and, for short stories, well executed. I think one of them ended up being a novel in the end, but that is no longer part of this book. If there's anything I wish to change from this book, I wish there were more unique Australian things being included. I find only 3 out of 10 stories seem to have that—and one of them only rather briefly. But that doesn't really bother me all that much.
My favourite stories are Twelve Minutes, Elizabeth's News and Letter from a Drunk to a Long Gone Wife. They are the most brilliant!