A review by kellyhager
The Assignation: Stories, by Joyce Carol Oates
4.0
This is a collection of short stories (crazy short, really; there are 44 in this collection, and the book isn't even 200 pages). I'm generally not a huge fan of short stores; I prefer novels and the thicker the novel, the better.
But this book was different. Instead of reading like a set of short stories, it seemed more like reading a collection of chapters.
I enjoyed reading them, but wished that some of them had been a little more fleshed out. I would read novels of any of these stories, actually. They were all fantastic concepts.
One interesting thing---almost no one in the stories had names. Some had initials and a few had actual names, but for the most part it was "he" or "she." I thought that was pretty unique.
I've heard that Joyce Carol Oates is an absolute master at short stories, and this book definitely bears that out. I don't know that I'd be willing to read more short stories in general, but I definitely want to read more of hers.
Recommended.
But this book was different. Instead of reading like a set of short stories, it seemed more like reading a collection of chapters.
I enjoyed reading them, but wished that some of them had been a little more fleshed out. I would read novels of any of these stories, actually. They were all fantastic concepts.
One interesting thing---almost no one in the stories had names. Some had initials and a few had actual names, but for the most part it was "he" or "she." I thought that was pretty unique.
I've heard that Joyce Carol Oates is an absolute master at short stories, and this book definitely bears that out. I don't know that I'd be willing to read more short stories in general, but I definitely want to read more of hers.
Recommended.