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caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- Every single story in this collection feels like it could be its own novel, and yet somehow I am not left wanting more from any of them - they are all perfectly self-contained.
- Some feel ripped from modern headlines (Boys Go to Jupiter) and some are steeped in family history (Alcatraz) but every one feels populated with real people and real history.
- And when everyone tells you the novella that closes this book is phenomenal, everyone is right - holy cats, wow!
- Some feel ripped from modern headlines (Boys Go to Jupiter) and some are steeped in family history (Alcatraz) but every one feels populated with real people and real history.
- And when everyone tells you the novella that closes this book is phenomenal, everyone is right - holy cats, wow!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
jcrawford31's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book has impact. It's not an easy read. Don't be fooled by "short stories" because you'll need some time to process each one.
I love that the author doesn't draw conclusions for you but rather leaves endings up to interpretation- not telling you how to feel, but rather allowing space for feeling, thinking and changing.
Im not typically a short story reader. One thing I didn't like was the time jumps. One minute you're reading in the present and then you're jumped into the past for context. I found that hard to read in short story format.
Regardless of my editorial critique, this collection was fantastic. I will be recommending it to many!
I love that the author doesn't draw conclusions for you but rather leaves endings up to interpretation- not telling you how to feel, but rather allowing space for feeling, thinking and changing.
Im not typically a short story reader. One thing I didn't like was the time jumps. One minute you're reading in the present and then you're jumped into the past for context. I found that hard to read in short story format.
Regardless of my editorial critique, this collection was fantastic. I will be recommending it to many!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Hate crime
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
thechiaraface's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This is a collection of short stories and one novella. These stories explore grief, loss, race, American History, and so much more. I think the flap copy explains the thread that ties this story collection together best "Evans considers how and why some people choose to confront history and others to outrun it".
This book is so INCREDIBLY timely and the title novella feels meant for this exact moment. This book is important and so amazingly written. Every story had such insightful nuggets, and the title novella was sheer perfection (if it was just that novella this would be a 5+++⭐ read). Every story was thought provoking, some resonated more than others, and some I found distinctly uncomfortable (and that was the point). My favorite story by far was the novella "The Office of Historical Corrections", but I appreciated all the stories. The writing was smart and sharp. I got way more than I expected out of this book. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this book and in particular the title novella.
This book is so INCREDIBLY timely and the title novella feels meant for this exact moment. This book is important and so amazingly written. Every story had such insightful nuggets, and the title novella was sheer perfection (if it was just that novella this would be a 5+++⭐ read). Every story was thought provoking, some resonated more than others, and some I found distinctly uncomfortable (and that was the point). My favorite story by far was the novella "The Office of Historical Corrections", but I appreciated all the stories. The writing was smart and sharp. I got way more than I expected out of this book. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this book and in particular the title novella.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, and Grief
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