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eleong's review against another edition
3.0
Small, rather tight collection of stories which have an edgy feel and dark tone. Characters are hard to know but imagery and voice are extremely moving.
gohawks's review against another edition
3.0
The Visitor is the best in this small collection, but all are decent. All stories about people in some phase of isolation - either unwillingly or self imposed. Anyway, nothing special but good enough to make me pick up her heavily lauded novel God of War. I'll let you know how that goes.
ktrusty416's review against another edition
4.0
One of those collections whose stories you return to hours/days after you first read them because some small detail has taken on larger significance in your brain. Some fine writing here.
maedo's review against another edition
2.0
For the most part, I thought that the stories in this collection lacked in both focus and resolution, with Silver's simple language and focus on ordinary domestic characters in unextraordinary circumstances contributing to this meandering feeling.
But! The last two stories, "In the New World" and the title story, "Alone With You," were fantastic. Both are similar in motif, in part about a parent observing his or her teenage or young adult son's awakening to the opposite sex. Where Silver takes each of the stories from there is vastly different, though both stories have a tightness of focus (without being obvious) that made them satisfying.
"Alone With You" especially was unforgettable. In this story, a mother is on vacation in Morocco with her husband, her reserved 20 year old son and his ebullient girlfriend. Silver is at her best writing about this girl, who has the "magnetic property of the self-involved" and "carries [the son:] away in her squall, his heart tossed this way and that." The mother also observes the way that her similarly reserved husband reacts to this girl, everyone drawn to her liveliness. If you find yourself becoming discouraged by the rest of the collection as I did for similar reasons, I'd advise sticking it through to the end.
But! The last two stories, "In the New World" and the title story, "Alone With You," were fantastic. Both are similar in motif, in part about a parent observing his or her teenage or young adult son's awakening to the opposite sex. Where Silver takes each of the stories from there is vastly different, though both stories have a tightness of focus (without being obvious) that made them satisfying.
"Alone With You" especially was unforgettable. In this story, a mother is on vacation in Morocco with her husband, her reserved 20 year old son and his ebullient girlfriend. Silver is at her best writing about this girl, who has the "magnetic property of the self-involved" and "carries [the son:] away in her squall, his heart tossed this way and that." The mother also observes the way that her similarly reserved husband reacts to this girl, everyone drawn to her liveliness. If you find yourself becoming discouraged by the rest of the collection as I did for similar reasons, I'd advise sticking it through to the end.
quilly14's review against another edition
3.0
Very well-written stories, but a bit depressing for my taste this week.
I'm beginning to understand why people make their summer reading lighter fare. This heat is draining enough.
dpd's review against another edition
4.0
Perfect
I've had this book for a while on my TBR list, that I decided now was the time to read it
I am so used to reading books now, written in the first person, that it took some time to get used to the fact that this was written in the third person. That did not detract from the enjoyment of the storyline though. I don't think it would've worked quite as well has it been written any other way. This way we were treated to seeing things from each characters point of view. Not just Nick and Zoe, but other ones also. I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed reading books when they were written in the third person.
Nick and Zoe make a very hot couple and they help each other through some very difficult situations.
I loved the suspense angle. Nick is naturally suspicious of the new girl next door and her motives and timing. Zoe is naive and trusts easily. The only issue I had was with how often Nick went back and forth. His lack of trust, whilst understandable, got on my nerves after a while.
I've had this book for a while on my TBR list, that I decided now was the time to read it
I am so used to reading books now, written in the first person, that it took some time to get used to the fact that this was written in the third person. That did not detract from the enjoyment of the storyline though. I don't think it would've worked quite as well has it been written any other way. This way we were treated to seeing things from each characters point of view. Not just Nick and Zoe, but other ones also. I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed reading books when they were written in the third person.
Nick and Zoe make a very hot couple and they help each other through some very difficult situations.
I loved the suspense angle. Nick is naturally suspicious of the new girl next door and her motives and timing. Zoe is naive and trusts easily. The only issue I had was with how often Nick went back and forth. His lack of trust, whilst understandable, got on my nerves after a while.
jules72653's review
4.0
This is a beautiful collection of short stories. Several times I would read back over a line or passage to fully appreciate the beauty. Silver's writing is graceful and I was disappointed that several of the stories ended. I wanted to read more and know how things resolved for her characters. A gem.
eleong's review against another edition
3.0
Small, rather tight collection of stories which have an edgy feel and dark tone. Characters are hard to know but imagery and voice are extremely moving.
dilan11's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Usually in a short story collection there are one or two stories that I love, a few that I like and a few that are meh. But each one of these stories are astonishing. The POVs are incredibly different which shows the broad range that Ms. Silver has. I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. They are all full and rich and yet just the right length, never bloated.
From 2nd reading - Usually over time, my opinion of a piece changes, based on how many years have passed, what else I have read, what is happening in the world, etc. but Alone with You is as strong and beautiful as ever. It is a quiet book but what inner drama -- grief and love intertwined, so tightly intertwined, that they can singe the reader.
From 2nd reading - Usually over time, my opinion of a piece changes, based on how many years have passed, what else I have read, what is happening in the world, etc. but Alone with You is as strong and beautiful as ever. It is a quiet book but what inner drama -- grief and love intertwined, so tightly intertwined, that they can singe the reader.