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dfmjr's review
3.0
A nice one day read while at home recuperating.
Most of the stories in this collection are clever and fun. Some are more fun and some are too clever. Charles is bright, no doubt about it, but times it has echos of pretension. His one story, Realism, is written discussing realism in a meta-meta fiction way. I get it - your smart. On the other hand there are some that his intelligence pays dividends. Both 32.05864991% (the percentage that is a maybe) and 401(k) are both intellectual but clever and fun reads. My favorite is the first short, and the title of the collection, Third Class Superhero. If you have seen Dr. Horrible's Sing-along blog (you haven't --- go now - see!), you will see where the inspiration came from - maybe too much. (still wish we could give half stars - would be a 3.5)
Picked it up on Amazon for like $4.
Most of the stories in this collection are clever and fun. Some are more fun and some are too clever. Charles is bright, no doubt about it, but times it has echos of pretension. His one story, Realism, is written discussing realism in a meta-meta fiction way. I get it - your smart. On the other hand there are some that his intelligence pays dividends. Both 32.05864991% (the percentage that is a maybe) and 401(k) are both intellectual but clever and fun reads. My favorite is the first short, and the title of the collection, Third Class Superhero. If you have seen Dr. Horrible's Sing-along blog (you haven't --- go now - see!), you will see where the inspiration came from - maybe too much. (still wish we could give half stars - would be a 3.5)
Picked it up on Amazon for like $4.
emwilliams's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
esai's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
3.75
jonmhansen's review
3.0
Of this collection there were some I liked a great deal, and others that to me felt like they collapsed under their own stylistic weight. Your mileage may vary as to which ones have that happen.
juliamascioli's review
4.0
Very experimental. Some of the stories didn't work for me but overall I enjoyed the book. Highlights include "Third Class Superhero," "The Man Who Became Himself," "My Last Days As Me," and "Florence."
thepentheimk's review
3.0
There's a problem here. On the one hand, I'm utterly infatuated with Yu's ability to toy with style, to create meaning in so many ways within one short story collection. On the other hand, Yu focuses so much on the style of his stories, how to make them creative, unique, that the actual story, the important part, gets lost in his experiments.
Ironically, the story for which this collection is titled is both the strongest and the most straight-forward. I do like Yu's experiments, I just wish he had them under control.
Ironically, the story for which this collection is titled is both the strongest and the most straight-forward. I do like Yu's experiments, I just wish he had them under control.
anlekaha's review
4.0
In an interview with the New York Times, Charles Yu said,“I feel like I was an existentialist from the age of 5.” That personality is evident in most of the stories in this collection.
The first story, giving the collection its name, is a fun exploration of a superhero society. It reminds me of [b:Hench|49867430|Hench|Natalie Zina Walschots|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594616305l/49867430._SY75_.jpg|73236179] in tone and content. It is not, however, representative of most of the content to follow.
Most of the other stories feel more like sketches or essays. They are well-written and thought-provoking but I couldn't read them one after the other after the other. I needed breaks to ground myself before floating away in existential angst again.
The last two stories were my favorite. They captured emotion and perspective and relationships very well.
Don't read this collection expecting fast-paced stories with lots of punchy action. It's better for cozy, thoughtful reading
The first story, giving the collection its name, is a fun exploration of a superhero society. It reminds me of [b:Hench|49867430|Hench|Natalie Zina Walschots|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594616305l/49867430._SY75_.jpg|73236179] in tone and content. It is not, however, representative of most of the content to follow.
Most of the other stories feel more like sketches or essays. They are well-written and thought-provoking but I couldn't read them one after the other after the other. I needed breaks to ground myself before floating away in existential angst again.
The last two stories were my favorite. They captured emotion and perspective and relationships very well.
Don't read this collection expecting fast-paced stories with lots of punchy action. It's better for cozy, thoughtful reading