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A review by futurama
Bliss Montage by Ling Ma
mysterious
3.5
1) Los Angeles: any story starting with "My 100 ex-boyfriends" will always grip me. This was one of the more surreal stories, it seemed like a surreal story with realistic elements. I think it worked, not sure how LA fit in, though. The $$$ dialogue was really funny.
2) Oranges: Probably my least favorite. Reminds me of MHB's "Parakeet" when the protagonist ends up crashing at another woman's house. I didn't think the structure did anything different. I did like the uncanny elements, how this realist story felt slightly off in certain ways, spooky.
3) G: I really liked this one, even though I'm still not sure if I liked it. But I really did. The competition between two As-Am women pitted together by their mothers, and them internalizing it. I like how all of Ma's stories have no backstory for the protagonists, but I think this one actually needed one. The motivation was definitely there and the foreshadowing predicted it but I'm still not sure of Bonnie's reasons for her actions.
4) Yeti Lovemaking: A silly little story. Great story for the middle of a collection, felt like a palate cleanser after the emotional intensity of 'G'.
5) Returning: Loved the story within a story structure with the protagonist's book 'Two Weeks'.
6) Office Hours: Wasn't sure where this story about a young undergrad and older male professor will lead but I really did enjoy this one. I was wondering how this story would tip the scales and the portal was a good add on. There is definitely layered elements in this involving film theory, I need to think about it more.
7) Peking Duck: Another story within a story structure I loved. Two stories within each other, actually. It's the infinite regression of stories. Probably my favorite, especially in structure. I've never read anything like it before.
8) Tomorrow: Another intense one. Still need some time to think about it.
2) Oranges: Probably my least favorite. Reminds me of MHB's "Parakeet" when the protagonist ends up crashing at another woman's house. I didn't think the structure did anything different. I did like the uncanny elements, how this realist story felt slightly off in certain ways, spooky.
3) G: I really liked this one, even though I'm still not sure if I liked it. But I really did. The competition between two As-Am women pitted together by their mothers, and them internalizing it. I like how all of Ma's stories have no backstory for the protagonists, but I think this one actually needed one. The motivation was definitely there and the foreshadowing predicted it but I'm still not sure of Bonnie's reasons for her actions.
4) Yeti Lovemaking: A silly little story. Great story for the middle of a collection, felt like a palate cleanser after the emotional intensity of 'G'.
5) Returning: Loved the story within a story structure with the protagonist's book 'Two Weeks'.
6) Office Hours: Wasn't sure where this story about a young undergrad and older male professor will lead but I really did enjoy this one. I was wondering how this story would tip the scales and the portal was a good add on. There is definitely layered elements in this involving film theory, I need to think about it more.
7) Peking Duck: Another story within a story structure I loved. Two stories within each other, actually. It's the infinite regression of stories. Probably my favorite, especially in structure. I've never read anything like it before.
8) Tomorrow: Another intense one. Still need some time to think about it.