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an_enthusiastic_reader's review against another edition
4.0
One thing I love about these stories is that you could not possibly guess where they're going from the first pages. There are twists and emotional swings and shifts in time, big and small--complete mastery of what the characters are thinking and might not be saying. I am in awe of the power of McCracken's imagination and ability to show despair, cruelty, and love.
terhangus's review against another edition
4.0
i really enjoyed how all of the characters & stories in this feel real - how absurd they are, just like humans, & how tender & ugly they are - just like humans.
(my friends scandalously gasping "IS THAT FIFTY SHADES????" when i was reading this book also made it memorable for another reason)
(my friends scandalously gasping "IS THAT FIFTY SHADES????" when i was reading this book also made it memorable for another reason)
ninanesseth's review against another edition
5.0
This is easily one of the best short story collections I've ever read.
Elizabeth McCracken's prose is just so on point that it makes you want to stop whoever happens to be nearby—stranger or not—and read them passages. Within the first few pages, I came across this gem: "The soul is liquid, and slow to evaporate. The body's a bucket and liable to slosh."
It's the kind of enviable writing that makes me almost angry that I never thought of such a simple, poignant metaphor myself.
The stories themselves are strong, although not nearly as memorable as the writing; they are almost all sad and suffusely human. The titular story, "Thunderstruck" is especially sad and, as the final story of the collection, left me unsteady and wanting a hug.
Elizabeth McCracken's prose is just so on point that it makes you want to stop whoever happens to be nearby—stranger or not—and read them passages. Within the first few pages, I came across this gem: "The soul is liquid, and slow to evaporate. The body's a bucket and liable to slosh."
It's the kind of enviable writing that makes me almost angry that I never thought of such a simple, poignant metaphor myself.
The stories themselves are strong, although not nearly as memorable as the writing; they are almost all sad and suffusely human. The titular story, "Thunderstruck" is especially sad and, as the final story of the collection, left me unsteady and wanting a hug.
savidgereads's review against another edition
3.0
So some of the stories are brilliant. In fact Something Amazing would go in an anthology of my favourite short stories. Juliet and Thunderstruck also good, the latter particularly good. Then some were ok and two were just not great at all. So a mixed bag.
kfan's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this. McCracken puts in Work, by which I mean this isn't just a collection of cool & interesting & affecting stories, but also that they're filled with the kinds of lines that make your eyes shoot out of your head.
My favorites were:
"Something Amazing" which has a killer opening paragraph about a ghost, and instantly shot into my Top 5 All Time Favorite Short Stories.
"Some Terpsichore", about a woman who sings like a saw
"The Lost & Found Department of Greater Boston", about a missing woman, which reminded me of the unsolved murder of the woman who died on Ellery St in Cambridge where I used to live
"Peter Elroy", about death and wolves and fiction,
"Thunderstruck" about a family and parenting and a trip to Paris and the heartbreak of children, and is so sweet and sad, but also made me genuinely LOL in a passage describing a man's pee.
My favorites were:
"Something Amazing" which has a killer opening paragraph about a ghost, and instantly shot into my Top 5 All Time Favorite Short Stories.
"Some Terpsichore", about a woman who sings like a saw
"The Lost & Found Department of Greater Boston", about a missing woman, which reminded me of the unsolved murder of the woman who died on Ellery St in Cambridge where I used to live
"Peter Elroy", about death and wolves and fiction,
"Thunderstruck" about a family and parenting and a trip to Paris and the heartbreak of children, and is so sweet and sad, but also made me genuinely LOL in a passage describing a man's pee.
paperknotbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve been thinking of this short story collection a few days now, and there are parts of it which linger, and other which fade into brain clouds. Flipping back through the pages, I keep thinking “oh yeah! I loved that!” But how had it gotten lost to me?
It’s a ghost. It hovers in the pages, and at first makes a literal appearance (“Something Amazing”). But is fades to the background so the ghost may not make an obvious entrance, (“Some Terpsichore” or “Thunderstruck”). It’s in the absence of those characters which makes this collection haunting.
Anyway, I decided to rates each story on its own merit. My final rating is based on the average:
“Something Amazing”: 5-star; the ghost story I needed.
“Property”: 4.5-stars; home is where the art is.
“Some Terpsichore”: 4-stars; immediately thought of the movie Delicatessen.
“Juliet”: 5- stars; the gothic tale I needed.
“The House of Two Three-Legged Dogs”: 3-stars; “Ah, the budgies...”
“Hungry”: 3-stars; Americana.
“The Lost & Found Department of Greater Boston”: 4-stars; can’t help but think of that swimmer who went missing.
“Peter Elroy: A Documentary by Ian Casey”: 4-stars; wolves are real, my dear.
“Thunderstruck”: 5-stars; the ghost story you don’t wish upon anyone.
It’s a ghost. It hovers in the pages, and at first makes a literal appearance (“Something Amazing”). But is fades to the background so the ghost may not make an obvious entrance, (“Some Terpsichore” or “Thunderstruck”). It’s in the absence of those characters which makes this collection haunting.
Anyway, I decided to rates each story on its own merit. My final rating is based on the average:
“Something Amazing”: 5-star; the ghost story I needed.
“Property”: 4.5-stars; home is where the art is.
“Some Terpsichore”: 4-stars; immediately thought of the movie Delicatessen.
“Juliet”: 5- stars; the gothic tale I needed.
“The House of Two Three-Legged Dogs”: 3-stars; “Ah, the budgies...”
“Hungry”: 3-stars; Americana.
“The Lost & Found Department of Greater Boston”: 4-stars; can’t help but think of that swimmer who went missing.
“Peter Elroy: A Documentary by Ian Casey”: 4-stars; wolves are real, my dear.
“Thunderstruck”: 5-stars; the ghost story you don’t wish upon anyone.
missnicelady's review against another edition
4.0
I think I've read everything McCracken has written, so I'm not sure how I missed this book of short stories from a few years ago. Better late than never, right? The stories are square in her wheelhouse of darkly funny, heart-punching meditations on the absurd human condition -- this time focusing heavily on grief, loss, and loneliness. But, you know, with jokes.
nikiverse's review against another edition
2.0
listened to this on audiobook and had a very hard time focusing on the stories. it could be me, it could be the quality of the writing. i wasnt a fan tho
inconceivably's review against another edition
3.0
If you’re the type of reader that values style above all else? You should probably kick the elderly out of the way if it means getting to the bookstore faster. Otherwise…maybe skip it.
Check out the rest of my review on the blog!
Check out the rest of my review on the blog!