A review by arielx
The Best American Short Stories 2005 by Katrina Kenison, Michael Chabon
4.0
Noteworthy/memorable:
The Smile on Happy Chang's Face is just a great story about how you can never really know the motivations for other people's actions (and maybe not even your own). It's about other things too, but this idea is explored well, and I like the title for how it fits into this theme. The story also has a great ending.
Stone Animals by Kelly Link held me spellbound from beginning to end. I had never read anything like it before, and when I was done I couldn't stop thinking about it. It literally haunted me. There's a lot I want to say about this book...which I expand on in the review for [book: Magic for Beginners].
I don't want to spoil it too much. For now, suffice to say that the blending of fantasy and reality was awesome - I can see why Michael Chabon picked the story because he kinda does the same thing in [book: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier %26 Clay]. I can only anticipate reading her other work.
Anda's Game was a weird find considering I had just been reading about Cory Doctorow a few days before in an unrelated way. In the notes he admits that the story is a take on [book:Ender's Game], and indeed a lot of the mannerisms are the same. But it's a good exploration of the themes and politics, and being a gamer I have to give it a thumbs-up.
Simple Exercises for the Beginning Student is, I don't know, a fairly simple story but the description makes the characters engaging and the ending is perfect.
Hart and Boot is a compelling read that is actually based somewhat in fact. The nonfactual parts are what make the interpretation of this particular history interesting. Like the daemons in His Dark Materials, the use of a tulpa as foil and mirror to the real characters in the story is very effective.
Honorable mentions:
Until Gwen, Eight Pieces for the Left Hand, Silence, Death Defier, Natasha
Take-home message:
[author: Michael Chabon] is not only a great writer but an excellent editor. One of the best in the series.
The Smile on Happy Chang's Face is just a great story about how you can never really know the motivations for other people's actions (and maybe not even your own). It's about other things too, but this idea is explored well, and I like the title for how it fits into this theme. The story also has a great ending.
Stone Animals by Kelly Link held me spellbound from beginning to end. I had never read anything like it before, and when I was done I couldn't stop thinking about it. It literally haunted me. There's a lot I want to say about this book...which I expand on in the review for [book: Magic for Beginners].
I don't want to spoil it too much. For now, suffice to say that the blending of fantasy and reality was awesome - I can see why Michael Chabon picked the story because he kinda does the same thing in [book: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier %26 Clay]. I can only anticipate reading her other work.
Anda's Game was a weird find considering I had just been reading about Cory Doctorow a few days before in an unrelated way. In the notes he admits that the story is a take on [book:Ender's Game], and indeed a lot of the mannerisms are the same. But it's a good exploration of the themes and politics, and being a gamer I have to give it a thumbs-up.
Simple Exercises for the Beginning Student is, I don't know, a fairly simple story but the description makes the characters engaging and the ending is perfect.
Hart and Boot is a compelling read that is actually based somewhat in fact. The nonfactual parts are what make the interpretation of this particular history interesting. Like the daemons in His Dark Materials, the use of a tulpa as foil and mirror to the real characters in the story is very effective.
Honorable mentions:
Until Gwen, Eight Pieces for the Left Hand, Silence, Death Defier, Natasha
Take-home message:
[author: Michael Chabon] is not only a great writer but an excellent editor. One of the best in the series.