A review by jrl6809
I Am the Brother of XX, by Fleur Jaeggy

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I'm not sure if I necessarily "got" every story in this collection, or even how much the audience is SUPPOSED to get. It seems to me that these stories are much more about conveying a feeling than anything else. These kind of super-short form, surreal pieces of fiction that are all about vibes tend to not be my thing, perhaps because I have a hard time investing in the atmosphere of a story that has no real meat behind it. This collection, however, was different. There was something here that was almost hypnotic. Much has been written about Fluer Jaeggy's unique writing style, but I will just echo the sentiment that she is able to use nothing but language to dredge up some very authentic feelings of dread from her  reader. These stories got under my skin in a way I haven't experienced since I first read "The Lottery".  I will definitely check out more by her as I feel her longer form novels likely have the potential to be phenomenal.