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mmorris114's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
jvord777's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
tenderiswarmth's review against another edition
3.0
when black jesus and other superheroes flies, it soars. when it doesn’t, there’s quite a bit of drag. strangely, the beginning and the end of this collection were the most impactful and gave the impression of a bookend-like format: strong support for a weaker middle. weird, whimsical, with wildly distinct character voices and gauzy prose, this is certainly an arresting text in both content and subject matter. “black jesus” was the digitally published short story i found this collection through and remains my favorite (and, i maintain, the strongest piece in the book). if you’re interested in strange short fiction, i recommend reading that to get a taste, then continuing if you enjoy the style.
peeled_grape's review against another edition
2.0
I can tell this writing is super high quality, but it was hard for me to get through. I had to focus very hard to not space out while reading parts of this (though, admittedly, I have a short attention span, and this is likely more of a me problem than anything else). The stories I did get through were great. They all blend into each other a little, and I found it hard to separate them when I was done. I can tell Blackburn knows what she's doing, but it wasn't for me.
reggiereads's review against another edition
4.0
A brilliant short story collection that defies ordinary reviews. One thing is for sure, Venita Blackburn is a major talent that should've already put the entire literary landscape on notice.
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amma_keep_reading's review against another edition
4.0
So glad I savored this unique collection. Had to reread some and skim others. This deserves another read in the future.
revslick's review
3.0
These short stories were written in 2017, with a much-needed prophetic voice in the undergirding racism that continues to plague America. For the record, the stories are vast and could happen anywhere in the world. Each story contains a hero. Some heroes are more jaded than others, and yet the more they’ve been mired in the muck of life the easier it is to identify with their struggle. Blackburn has some hidden, one-liner gems and if you read too fast you’ll easily miss it.
Here are a few of the one-liners in the book:
“Big uncle's obsession with the apocalypse wasn't about how the world stops, but how it starts again.”
“Pastor Short had a degree in dark spirits. Pastor Short was the dark spirit whisperer.”
“The two passed by the pair of bouncers like ladybugs over elephants.”
“Most whores had honor, but the average crack-whore will rob you blind and blow your Rottweiler for a five dollar fix.”
There are more. I promise.
**This was a review copy provided by NetGalley given for an honest review**
Here are a few of the one-liners in the book:
“Big uncle's obsession with the apocalypse wasn't about how the world stops, but how it starts again.”
“Pastor Short had a degree in dark spirits. Pastor Short was the dark spirit whisperer.”
“The two passed by the pair of bouncers like ladybugs over elephants.”
“Most whores had honor, but the average crack-whore will rob you blind and blow your Rottweiler for a five dollar fix.”
There are more. I promise.
**This was a review copy provided by NetGalley given for an honest review**
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