Reviews

I love Lauren Groff. I truly think she is one of the greatest writers of our generation. Her writing style and attention to detail is like no other. My only complaint with this book is that by the end, the stories get a little repetitive. There’s always a mom with two sons who doesn’t like the mundane of motherhood, worries about the climate, etc. It becomes a little transparent she’s writing autobiographically at points.

lwkitchens52's review against another edition

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reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

graydav's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

evarey's review against another edition

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3.0

Lauren Groff, I am growing quite fond of you.

emleemay's review against another edition

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4.0

The truth might be moral, but it isn't always right.

Snakes, gators, swamps and storms form the backdrop of these exquisitely human stories.

I have to say I enjoyed [b:Florida|36098092|Florida|Lauren Groff|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1510685620s/36098092.jpg|57682000] so much more than [b:Fates and Furies|24612118|Fates and Furies|Lauren Groff|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434750235s/24612118.jpg|43913972]. Groff's writing style is dense and wordy, metaphorical and poetic and - sometimes - exhausting. Reading her full-length novel was a chore, but for me at least, Groff seems born to write short stories. Small, hard-hitting snippets of lives that still make you feel emotionally-drained, but also thoughtful and satisfied.

The natural wonders and dangers of Florida play into almost all these stories. A snake devotee meets his end in the wilderness, at the hands of his life's passion. A stressed mother of two boys is injured in a literal cabin in the woods. Two abandoned children fight against starvation.

It's a book about people - often women and mothers, but not always - becoming unmoored and losing their way. The opening story is about a woman who takes to walking at night to calm her recently-acquired propensity for yelling. During these strolls, she observes her neighbors through their windows, unveiling pockets of their lives in punchy descriptions. It's amazing how much you can learn just by watching people.

For the most part, the stories seem to be narrating a series of events in intricate detail, observing nature and moments between people. But then, once in a while, Groff delivers a perfect line that captures a widespread thought or fear, tapping deep into the human psyche and offering insight.

It's extremely powerful.

CW: Child abuse/neglect; rape (non-graphic); general anxiety/depression.

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camisanchez's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

(3.75) Hubo cuentos que me gustaron mucho, pero también hubo dos / tres cuentos que no entendí por qué estaban en este libro (? En general se me hace muy interesante el ConCePto de Florida como este lugar en el que todo puede pasar, devastación, huracanes, cocodrilos, serpientes, y cómo los personajes de Lauren Groff también son Florida, personas con vidas complicadas y moral gris.
Quiero decir, Florida el concepto como lugar físico, pero también como personalidad e historia de vida (? Dicen que otros libros de Lauren Groff están mejores, así que sin duda leeré más de ella.

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