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asupernova's review against another edition
3.0
“The New Robinson Crusoes” and “The Black Clay” are the best stories in here (for me)
alexbelle33's review against another edition
4.0
In all I really enjoyed this collection of creepy tales. Some were more skin crawling than others, and a few definitely fell short, but not enough for me to be entirely disappointed. What I really liked was that all of these tales came from countries around the world-like Russia and Africa most notable. I found this very refreshing because writing style and ways of presenting ideas was new and engaging. It was a change from the norm, and anyone who likes that would enjoy this book.
I did find myself preferring the shorter stories to the longer ones (some went on for about 20 pages!). The longer ones seemed to drag on with more detail, and while this can be good with some genres, I don't think it's entirely necessary for supposedly brief spooky tales. I've always found, especially with horror-less is more. Still it was only a few out of the bunch, and the ones that I did enjoy I still think about!
I did find myself preferring the shorter stories to the longer ones (some went on for about 20 pages!). The longer ones seemed to drag on with more detail, and while this can be good with some genres, I don't think it's entirely necessary for supposedly brief spooky tales. I've always found, especially with horror-less is more. Still it was only a few out of the bunch, and the ones that I did enjoy I still think about!
renee_pompeii's review against another edition
4.0
So weird, so fantastic. No one writes like Ludmilla Petrushevskaya, and Anna Summers' wonderful English translations of the work allow her unparalleled voice to shine through.
amalia1985's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
suncoyote's review against another edition
3.0
Several of the stories in this collection were just delicious treats! They were carmel-filled delights of oddity and simplicity. Fairy tales is an apt name for the stories, as they involve magic, absurdity and dream worlds.
On the other hand, some of the other stories seemed a bit lost in translation. To some extent all characters in fairy tales are just caricatures, one dimensional aspects of personality, but sometimes the characters made no sense to me, because they weren't consistent or sympathetic, whether it's understanding them as good or evil. Or the story took a strange turn that didn't necessarily harmonize with the beginning of the story.
Overall, a decent showing.
On the other hand, some of the other stories seemed a bit lost in translation. To some extent all characters in fairy tales are just caricatures, one dimensional aspects of personality, but sometimes the characters made no sense to me, because they weren't consistent or sympathetic, whether it's understanding them as good or evil. Or the story took a strange turn that didn't necessarily harmonize with the beginning of the story.
Overall, a decent showing.
maroramos's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/5
Resenha completa: https://cartasmarcadasblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/24/clube-do-livro-era-uma-vez-uma-mulher-que-tentou-matar-o-bebe-da-vizinha-de-liudmila-petruchevskaia/
Resenha completa: https://cartasmarcadasblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/24/clube-do-livro-era-uma-vez-uma-mulher-que-tentou-matar-o-bebe-da-vizinha-de-liudmila-petruchevskaia/
nana_h's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The concept of the “Orchards of Unusual Possibilities” is a very interesting one, and Petrushevskaya does it justice, this departure of the physical reality. There were some gems, like when she’s describing the Father in “The Fountain House” being very embarrassed that his sandwich meat wasn’t cooked right, rather than being alarmed by the fact that said meat was a human heart.
The book was a challenge to get through, though.
The stories are not scary, and they aren’t particularly well written, either. Most of them are heavy-handed, clumsy, and incredibly bone dry, very matter-of-fact. I’m not sure how much of that is the translation.
They also seem to drag on, and on, and on and only some of them pay off, like The New Robinson Crusoes.
I did appreciate, however, how accurately and simplistically she portrays women’s self-sacrificial nature and how much that goes unnoticed, unthanked. In The Miracle, when Nadya says:
The book was a challenge to get through, though.
The stories are not scary, and they aren’t particularly well written, either. Most of them are heavy-handed, clumsy, and incredibly bone dry, very matter-of-fact. I’m not sure how much of that is the translation.
They also seem to drag on, and on, and on and only some of them pay off, like The New Robinson Crusoes.
I did appreciate, however, how accurately and simplistically she portrays women’s self-sacrificial nature and how much that goes unnoticed, unthanked. In The Miracle, when Nadya says:
You call me a sinner, but when did I get a chance to sin? When? I don’t live for myself, I live only for him… only for him. All I think about is how to feed and clothe him.
Or in My Love, where the mother withers away while her husband entertains an affair with a coworker for most of her life and manages to reach him, with her pain, only after she is long dead.
Everything else, though… had to power through it.
Everything else, though… had to power through it.
godloveslola's review against another edition
challenging
dark
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sarahreadsaverylot's review against another edition
5.0
Stark, bleak, dark, but somehow brimming with vitality and humanity. These stories have weight, heat, breath, teeth. They will punch you in the stomach and squeeze your heart. This is folklore for the 20th/21st century.
yaelm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia