Reviews

Anagrams by Lorrie Moore

dane_h's review against another edition

3.0

This is an innovative and exciting way to tell a story, or more specifically a series of short stories: by creating anagrams out of the same two people's lives, Lorrie Moore tinkers with all the possible ways a relationship, career, and life trajectory can play out, through tones of disappointment, longing, happiness, or boredom - all presented in the same vessels that are Benna and Gerard. Plus, it's all delivered in Moore's prose, which is possibly the best prose out there. The only problem is that, after zipping through several great iterations of these characters' lives, Moore suddenly hunkers down with the characters for a 120 page novella, and it happens to be the most boring iteration in the whole set: Gerard is a failed lounge singer, and Benna is a miserable, bored, and boring community college teacher. This whole final section was a real slog. Oh well. I'll be reading other Moore regardless, because I can't resist more of that gorgeous, funny, true writing.

matthewmeriwether's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

5.0

an all time favorite. re-read. 

rpmirabella's review against another edition

5.0

Still trying to work out how to talk about this novel.

eely's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

thepentheimk's review against another edition

4.0

Lorrie Moore is so wonderful. Her take on the novel is rooted in short stories, looking at, well, anagrams of what the protagonists could be. Moore enlivens what could be a typical narrative--middle age woman, now single, juggling a child and a relationship with a student--with clever language, interesting changes in point of view, sharp humour, and an imaginary(!) child instead of a real one. Moore refuses a typical narrative and a typical novelistic structure, and instead makes something better.

milliebrierley's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

uncreationmyth's review against another edition

4.5

what a clever little book! but also what a sad little book! lorrie moore sure knows her way around figurative language

wish i could have read it when it came out because woof some things here did not age well

marcosreads's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted 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

4.0

larasam's review against another edition

2.0

This was such an interesting concept, and the first four were interesting, but the last one kind of dragged on.

adina55's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0