Reviews

Emerald City by Jennifer Egan

ryanteston's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

connablanca's review against another edition

5.0

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Jennifer Egan is my favorite writer. I read the titular story in here "Emerald City" no less than four times while I was in New York.

rbreade's review against another edition

This collection makes a nice pair with Goon Squad; it shows the promise that the later book makes good on. Many of these stories involve well-to-do characters floundering in exotic locations, though the final one, "Sisters of the Moon," takes place in 1974 San Francisco, among a group of teenagers flirting with drugs and street life, and is the story that most closely resembles the tone of those in Goon Squad.

briandice's review against another edition

4.0

It's a nice surprise when going to a bookstore to purchase a specific book (and they don't have it) and you end up grabbing a nearby book instead - and it turns out to be terrific. Although with Egan it is a pretty safe bet that you're going to get quality product, it was still great to experience a book of well crafted short stories.

"Why China?", the opening story of the collection, was my favorite. I don't want to spoil the plot, but suffice to say that it hit all of the right notes in creating memorable characters in a setting with which the reader can identify easily, regardless of whether or not they have been to the Chinese locales depicted.

milshollini's review against another edition

2.0

МНОГО харесвам "Жестокото присъствие на времето" и очаквах ужасно много от тази книга. Нещо не се случи. По-скоро - нищо не се случи. Цялата книга ме остави с впечатлението, че всеки от разказите е написан, защото Игън е имала в главата си някаква фраза или изречение, което трябва да бъде вкарано в текст. Героите и събитията са подчинени само и единствено на тази фраза, а иначе са безлични и измити. Дори да е нарочно търсен ефект, не се е получило както трябва.

edit: Между 10 и 207 страница от тази книга, прочетох три други. Вероятно нямаше да я дочета, ако не се бях оказала в автобус от Бургас до София без друга алтернатива.

retrofuturism's review against another edition

reflective medium-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

Didn't like the book or the audiobook. It had 3 narrators but one of them narrated the vast majority- I think the other two narrated one short story each- and I did not like her style of narration at all. It felt overly affected, although that may reflect more on my disinterest in the stories, how incongruous a voice that is trying to instill drama sounds for something so dull.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Body shaming and Car accident

ryanklindsay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad

• 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

4.5

Some of these stories are absolute perfection [but I won't say which ones, you'll have to find the 3 of them yourself].

hollykase's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

jennifer egan is forever the voice of girlies with divorced parents from san francisco who eventually move to new york

debi_g's review against another edition

4.0

Apparently, I read this ten years ago, and then again today, and none of it seemed familiar at all.——————
Jennifer Egan is able to translate emotions and experiences into phrases in such a magical way as to cause me to recognize myself in both protagonists and antagonists without dampening my sense of celebratory self. I often stop and re-read certain sentences, awed by her gently perceptive abilities.

I rarely read story collections because I find it so easy to stop after each one, but I drank this collection dry in one day and still felt thirsty for more.

mham's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Nothing special, but enjoyable. Similar themes/characters across the stories.