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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
George Saunders has a refreshing writing style that says more through less.
The titular short story, Tenth of December is hands down, one of my favorite short stories I've read; they're all good, especially when Saunders writes dialogue-heavy stories, but this one in particular has a poignancy and straight forward, slice of life style that rings true.
The titular short story, Tenth of December is hands down, one of my favorite short stories I've read; they're all good, especially when Saunders writes dialogue-heavy stories, but this one in particular has a poignancy and straight forward, slice of life style that rings true.
Ten short stories, mostly odd.
Brief words on my three favorites:
"Sticks," the shortest of the stories at not quite a full front-and-back page, quickly but thoroughly depicts a man's life and regrets by looking at the changes in his choice of yard art.
"Home" tells the story of a man just returned from war trying but failing to relate to the people and things around him. Despite the outward signs of appreciation -- an often repeated and flat "Thank you for your service" -- the guy comes home to hard times (mother losing her home, wife having taken kids and left him for another man, sister who won't let him near her kids). There are hints the man had some Abu Ghraib prison kind of experience while serving.
"Tenth of December" struck me with its symmetry. A friendless young boy with a rich internal world and a suicidal man nearly incapacitated by his brain tumor are in the same snowy woods. Each character has specific intentions, thwarted by the situation. It could easily have been a sad and ironic story, but is instead a happy one.
Other stories take place in worlds informed by our own and pick out some dysfunctional element from it but not in an annoying and moralizing kind of way. Such elements include: inhumane treatment of people -- children ("Puppy"), immigrants ("Semplica Girl Diaries"), criminals ("Escape from Spiderhead"); use of drugs to alter others' personalities ("Escape from Spiderhead," "My Chilvalric Fiasco").
Vivid, imaginative story telling.
Brief words on my three favorites:
"Sticks," the shortest of the stories at not quite a full front-and-back page, quickly but thoroughly depicts a man's life and regrets by looking at the changes in his choice of yard art.
"Home" tells the story of a man just returned from war trying but failing to relate to the people and things around him. Despite the outward signs of appreciation -- an often repeated and flat "Thank you for your service" -- the guy comes home to hard times (mother losing her home, wife having taken kids and left him for another man, sister who won't let him near her kids). There are hints the man had some Abu Ghraib prison kind of experience while serving.
"Tenth of December" struck me with its symmetry. A friendless young boy with a rich internal world and a suicidal man nearly incapacitated by his brain tumor are in the same snowy woods. Each character has specific intentions, thwarted by the situation. It could easily have been a sad and ironic story, but is instead a happy one.
Other stories take place in worlds informed by our own and pick out some dysfunctional element from it but not in an annoying and moralizing kind of way. Such elements include: inhumane treatment of people -- children ("Puppy"), immigrants ("Semplica Girl Diaries"), criminals ("Escape from Spiderhead"); use of drugs to alter others' personalities ("Escape from Spiderhead," "My Chilvalric Fiasco").
Vivid, imaginative story telling.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Listening to this as an audio book was even better than my paperback read of it. The stream of consciousness with shorthand really resonates in these short stories so that you feel compelled by each character even if you very much disagree with their choices and perceptions. A wonderful read and listen that I was glad to experience twice.
dark
slow-paced
??????? Only one good story. The rest of the writing is awful.
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated