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mmayern's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Car accident, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Colonisation, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Police brutality, and Sexism
dramaqueentears's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The short stories would be a 3 and the novella would be a 5, so I’m going to round out my review to 4 stars.
All in all, Danielle Evans can tell an enthralling story. The plot is there. I didn’t think the characters were developed enough, or maybe the plot was told in a removed way? Either way, something felt lacking to me in the short stories. Definitely thought provoking though. The ones that have me thinking are “Boys Go to Jupiter,” a story about a white girl who is harassed online for wearing a Confederate flag bathing suit, and “Why Won’t Women Say What They Want?,” a story about an artist who was emotionally abusive to several women in various relationships who turns his apologies to each of them into an art exhibit. The other short stories to me were just forgettable.
HOWEVER. I’ve been raving all day about the novella, “The Office of Historical Corrections.” The plot reminds me of The Vanishing Half, but I like the author’s creation of the Institute of Public History, a fictional government agency that works to correct historical inaccuracies. I love the dynamic between Cassie and Genie. Cassie works for the agency to go along to get along, whereas Genie gets pushed out because telling the “truth” about America’s treatment of Black people with no analysis isn’t enough for her. I could have read a whole book about the two of them.
All in all, Danielle Evans can tell an enthralling story. The plot is there. I didn’t think the characters were developed enough, or maybe the plot was told in a removed way? Either way, something felt lacking to me in the short stories. Definitely thought provoking though. The ones that have me thinking are “Boys Go to Jupiter,” a story about a white girl who is harassed online for wearing a Confederate flag bathing suit, and “Why Won’t Women Say What They Want?,” a story about an artist who was emotionally abusive to several women in various relationships who turns his apologies to each of them into an art exhibit. The other short stories to me were just forgettable.
HOWEVER. I’ve been raving all day about the novella, “The Office of Historical Corrections.” The plot reminds me of The Vanishing Half, but I like the author’s creation of the Institute of Public History, a fictional government agency that works to correct historical inaccuracies. I love the dynamic between Cassie and Genie. Cassie works for the agency to go along to get along, whereas Genie gets pushed out because telling the “truth” about America’s treatment of Black people with no analysis isn’t enough for her. I could have read a whole book about the two of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Police brutality
solidsnake's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Death
Moderate: Car accident, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
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