A review by jbmorgan86
Pastoralia by George Saunders
4.0
Pastoralia is the second book in my (chronological) George Saunders journey. I read this short collection (six stories) in less than a 24 hour period. I feel like I’m starting to get Saunders’ tone and sardonic humor.
In all of his stories that I’ve read so far, he writes from a first person perspective in a world that kind of resembles 21st century United States, but is much more dystopian. By doing so, he lampoons the absurdities of modern America.
This collection features a story about a man who must work as an “authentic” caveman for spectators, a bizarre little story about a clueless self-help guru, and a story about a woman who comes back from the dead to save her Chip n Dale nephew and high school dropout nieces from themselves. I find these stories clever and darkly funny, but I’m not quite sure I’d call them enjoyable.
In all of his stories that I’ve read so far, he writes from a first person perspective in a world that kind of resembles 21st century United States, but is much more dystopian. By doing so, he lampoons the absurdities of modern America.
This collection features a story about a man who must work as an “authentic” caveman for spectators, a bizarre little story about a clueless self-help guru, and a story about a woman who comes back from the dead to save her Chip n Dale nephew and high school dropout nieces from themselves. I find these stories clever and darkly funny, but I’m not quite sure I’d call them enjoyable.