Scan barcode
bibliobrandie's review against another edition
4.0
Read this for book club and I am so glad we chose this collection of short stories! I had never heard of Hilma Wolitzer and I am so glad to be introduced to her.
northerly_heart_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lbeckett's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed! Was not expecting essays over several decades, but they were nice.
kirsten_mccormick's review against another edition
4.0
Short stories. Very good. Couldn’t finish the last one because any book that mentions covid immediately loses me, but liked all the others, especially ‘Mother’ - some very good lines in there (and I am so easily pleased by anything about pregnancy/birth/women’s health).
seventhswan's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I thought this was a solid collection of short stories, although few of them left a lasting impression. My favourites were The Sex Maniac and Love, and the titular story was also strong, if a bit on the nose. Not all the references in the stories from the 1970s aged well - I didn't realise until reading other people's reviews that many of them were supposed to be humorous - but they were all well-crafted and enjoyable to spend time with. However, some of the stories with similar themes blurred into each other, as if they were too short for the different characters to really come to life. I liked this collection well enough, I'm just not sure much of it will stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Medical content
Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Drug use and Police brutality
cashawkins's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
theeuphoriczat's review against another edition
3.0
This one of the benefits of browsing the library. I have never heard of this book until I saw it in the library. This short story collection highlights the importance, width and brevity of the 'everyday' life similar to the concept of the 'everyman'. Superb writing and masterful story telling.
fabulousdave's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
inthebelljar's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of contemplative, melancholy stories that are witty and humorous as well. Although mostly focusing on housewives of the 60s, I still feel like these held up. Wolitzer has a great, timeless style that drew me into her stories, and her writing ability has not faded over the years in the slightest, as her 2020 story felt just as strong as - if not stronger than- her older ones. I was impressed by how well she portrayed the isolation and fear of the ongoing pandemic without it feeling overdone or melodramatic. My heart ached at those final lines.
This is probably more like a 3.5, but I usually rate on enjoyment and so many of these stories just left me feeling very sad - I'm going through a hard time in my life and maybe this wasn't the time to read these. Still, I might give some of these a reread later, but oh were some of these so sad.
This is probably more like a 3.5, but I usually rate on enjoyment and so many of these stories just left me feeling very sad - I'm going through a hard time in my life and maybe this wasn't the time to read these. Still, I might give some of these a reread later, but oh were some of these so sad.