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spinstah's review against another edition
2.0
I just couldn't get into this collection, and I wasn't finished by the time my book club met to discuss it. That said, everyone else at the meeting seemed to enjoy it, and the discussion was good enough that I finished the little bit I had left. I still didn't really see the appeal. There are some good stories in this collection - and lots of stories within stories - but there was something about the narration that I felt kept me at arm's length from the action. There was a sort of detached philosophical bent to things, I guess, and that just doesn't appeal to me.
qkjgrubb's review against another edition
5.0
This is my first taste of Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen and I was in love from the first page. I was encourage by Victoria Mixon's the Art and Craft of Fiction to study her and I am so glad I did. In fact, I'm planning on buying everything by this author and I rarely am that passionate.
Blixen reminds me a lot of Flannery O'connor in the religious imagery, the intensity of the characterization and the perplexing endings. She makes me as charmed with 19th century Europe as OConnor does with Depression era and Post War South.
Mans like with OConnor, when I'm done, I feel like I've had a worshipful experience.
Pity the poor author who I read next.
Blixen reminds me a lot of Flannery O'connor in the religious imagery, the intensity of the characterization and the perplexing endings. She makes me as charmed with 19th century Europe as OConnor does with Depression era and Post War South.
Mans like with OConnor, when I'm done, I feel like I've had a worshipful experience.
Pity the poor author who I read next.
moonpix's review against another edition
5.0
I have a slight preference for Dinesen’s more fantastical Seven Gothic Tales, but this collection is almost as good. The more grounded approach here also allows for many profound descriptions of landscape and place, often very specific to Denmark and its history. But while grounded, these stories are still far from mundane: they overflow with dreams. The collection is bookended by two shorter stories that directly address the act of creation and the role of art, a theme implicit in the remaining stories, where characters are both empowered and endangered by their imaginations. Written during Nazi occupation, Demark’s history and the ability of its people to continue dreaming becomes a powerful statement against repression.
jenmcmaynes's review against another edition
1.0
I struggled to finish this collection of short stories. The quasi-religious/mythical tone and subject matter was not to my taste, nor was the deliberately antiquated writing style. I feel like I missed the point on about 80% of the stories, while in the other 20% the point was so obvious that I wondered why even bother. I remember reading some of Dinesen's short stories in college and liking them, but either they were her best offerings or my taste has changed. Oh well. :-)
mimir's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
halfcentreader's review against another edition
3.0
At times the author wrote enviably with insight into humanity. But sometimes the stories would just end abruptly... perhaps I just don’t get what she’s saying.