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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Recently, I've heard a lot about Julie Orringer's latest book; so I decided to get it on interlibrary loan. Unfortunately, it wasn't available. But I did come across her first novel, How to Breathe Underwater. I saw it was a collection of short stories and decided to give it a shot because, as I've said in other posts, I love short stories. When a short story comes together and is written right, it is a true work of art. Julie Orringer's collection of stories in this book are a masterpiece. I was hooked after reading the first story entitled "Pilgrims" and completely reeled in by "The Isabel Fish." My mind is still processing some of the stories.
This collection focuses on girls and women struggling to deal with love and loss and religion. She reminded me of Flannery O'Conner (and that's high praise coming from me). Like O'Conner, a number of Orringer's protagonists struggled coming to grips with their sexuality and religion and finding that balance between the two. Some of the stories were harsh and brutal and reminiscent of "Good Country People" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find." There was one major difference between O'Conner and Orringer: O'Conner told her stories from a distance whereas Orringer invited her readers to step into her characters minds and hearts and feel their struggles, love and loss and maybe, just maybe, when you're thrown to the bottom of the lake, grasping for air, you'll remember her words and breathe.
This collection focuses on girls and women struggling to deal with love and loss and religion. She reminded me of Flannery O'Conner (and that's high praise coming from me). Like O'Conner, a number of Orringer's protagonists struggled coming to grips with their sexuality and religion and finding that balance between the two. Some of the stories were harsh and brutal and reminiscent of "Good Country People" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find." There was one major difference between O'Conner and Orringer: O'Conner told her stories from a distance whereas Orringer invited her readers to step into her characters minds and hearts and feel their struggles, love and loss and maybe, just maybe, when you're thrown to the bottom of the lake, grasping for air, you'll remember her words and breathe.
Beautifully written. I liked all of the stories in the collection and I loved more than half of them. I also felt they worked wonderfully together to form the collection.
As noted by many other reviewers, the themes are dark. For me this meant the strength of (burgeoning) character, the glimpses of hope and the character's recognition of the cost of their passivity that were threaded throughout the stories were all the more poignant.
As noted by many other reviewers, the themes are dark. For me this meant the strength of (burgeoning) character, the glimpses of hope and the character's recognition of the cost of their passivity that were threaded throughout the stories were all the more poignant.
I read this collection very slowly. Each story was so evocative. There is something in the writing that reminded me of the dread and innocence of childhood.
The transition from childhood to adulthood is scary, awkward, silly, and intense. Any writer worth her salt knows to exploit this life period in at least one story, and Julie Orringer has done us even better with an entire collection of short stories filled with teenage angst and real life drama. How to Breathe Underwater is about growing up and learning hard life lessons. It's for women who remember what it was to be a girl and girls who will soon become women.
None of the nine stories included in this collection are "happy," per se. While some might be considered more uplifting than others, they all reveal a grim reality, describe the aftermath of a tragedy, or force the character through a rough life moment. Touching on cancer, family dynamics, young lust and love and loss, fitting in with peers, religion, addiction, and racism, HTBU was no dainty stroll in the park. Most of the stories are heavy, with only brief forays into lightness. Any humor is dark and dry, which I appreciate.
My favorite story, "Note to 6th Grade Self," reads like a letter written from a future self to a young girl in the midst of finding out who her friends are and aren't. I liked the unique form and rooted for that little sixth grader the whole way through, even though I knew she couldn't come out on top. I also enjoyed "The Isabel Fish," the story I felt was most complete and whole, something that could be developed into a full length novel. In that one, Maddy literally learns how to breathe underwater by taking scuba lessons. She's also coping with the death of her brother's girlfriend, who drowned when her car crashed in the local pond.
This book got many positive reviews--it's a solid read, full of interesting characters, strange yet relatable plots, and clean writing--but several readers aren't on board with the sober subject matters or the bleak ends many of the stories have. I personally like when a story ends unsatisfactorily: that's the way life is sometimes. Sure, I don't want everything I read to depress me, but I'm not going to fault a writer for walking that path.
None of the nine stories included in this collection are "happy," per se. While some might be considered more uplifting than others, they all reveal a grim reality, describe the aftermath of a tragedy, or force the character through a rough life moment. Touching on cancer, family dynamics, young lust and love and loss, fitting in with peers, religion, addiction, and racism, HTBU was no dainty stroll in the park. Most of the stories are heavy, with only brief forays into lightness. Any humor is dark and dry, which I appreciate.
My favorite story, "Note to 6th Grade Self," reads like a letter written from a future self to a young girl in the midst of finding out who her friends are and aren't. I liked the unique form and rooted for that little sixth grader the whole way through, even though I knew she couldn't come out on top. I also enjoyed "The Isabel Fish," the story I felt was most complete and whole, something that could be developed into a full length novel. In that one, Maddy literally learns how to breathe underwater by taking scuba lessons. She's also coping with the death of her brother's girlfriend, who drowned when her car crashed in the local pond.
This book got many positive reviews--it's a solid read, full of interesting characters, strange yet relatable plots, and clean writing--but several readers aren't on board with the sober subject matters or the bleak ends many of the stories have. I personally like when a story ends unsatisfactorily: that's the way life is sometimes. Sure, I don't want everything I read to depress me, but I'm not going to fault a writer for walking that path.
What a great collection - I enjoyed every one of the nine stories and some lingered with me long after finishing them.
These stories are merciless. There are no warm, cozy endings, no redemption arcs. This collection takes all the selfish bitterness of human nature and is relentless in its depiction of it. There are themes that bridge the tales: the cruelty of children, the lack of understanding between different generations, the long-lasting impact of a single choice or action, the nature of desire and dependence. Each are depicted frankly, with the absolute knowledge that the scenarios are not only plausible, but variations on events that many of us will have heard about or even experienced in real life. And yet, I didn’t find it depressing. There may not be justice for Orringer’s characters, or even any resolutions at all, but many of them, when faced with trials, with lack of understanding or outright bullying, find ways to persevere, to seek some degree of trust in themselves or simply carry on.
Highly recommended.
These stories are merciless. There are no warm, cozy endings, no redemption arcs. This collection takes all the selfish bitterness of human nature and is relentless in its depiction of it. There are themes that bridge the tales: the cruelty of children, the lack of understanding between different generations, the long-lasting impact of a single choice or action, the nature of desire and dependence. Each are depicted frankly, with the absolute knowledge that the scenarios are not only plausible, but variations on events that many of us will have heard about or even experienced in real life. And yet, I didn’t find it depressing. There may not be justice for Orringer’s characters, or even any resolutions at all, but many of them, when faced with trials, with lack of understanding or outright bullying, find ways to persevere, to seek some degree of trust in themselves or simply carry on.
Highly recommended.
For me these were 3 star stories with 5 star writing. The excellent writing really motivated me to finish this book even when I found some stories a bit boring.
Wow. This is an incredible collection and I loved each story. Read this!!
[2006 review.] I put this on my to-read list after reading excellent reviews of it and I wasn't disappointed. I'm not a big fan of the short story genre -- I'd rather get fully immersed in a novel -- but all of these stories are wonderful. The main characters are really believable girls or women, and while there are definite recurring themes, the stories vary enough to stay interesting. Also triple bonus points for a story written in the second person ("Note to Sixth-Grade Self").
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes