Reviews

Normally Special by xTx

annaavian's review

4.0

This little book packs quite a punch with it’s raw, gut-wrenching and honest stories. The weirdness of them was the most appealing part. A few of the stories felt like they were abruptly cut short, I would’ve liked if they were just a bit longer with more fleshed out characters.

kiramke's review

challenging dark emotional reflective

4.0

Unusual, and insanely honest.  In a great but unsettling way.

qa31's review

3.0

Good collection of short stories

3.5 - a collection of short stories, some are absolutely searing and left a lasting impression, whilst others I did not love as much

mancolepig's review

3.0

Intriguing flash fiction that could almost be categorized as prose-poetry. A lot of difficult subjects are covered in this slim volume but they tend to get repetitive. As I went through it I would be surprised by a story with a weird plot or interesting character and that kept me going. XtX is a talented writer with a specific niche in the realm of isolation and sexual trauma, which is not bad, just difficult sometimes. Again, the weirdness of her stories were the most appealing part.

werdfert's review

5.0

i had this thought as i was reading these stories, and i don't know if it is true or not or some third thing. i'm curious what other people might think in relation to these stories.

hypothesis: it is possible to write from weakness but not from strength.
eg: a rape victim can cut off any man's dick but a man cannot confess to kissing his sleeping neice.
counterexample: The Woodsman

this was something i was thinking about while reading these stories and never coming to any kind of firm conclusion, which is what i love about good writing and xTx's stories, and these two things are the same thing.