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nickyfox13's review against another edition
5.0
I am a huge fan of Aimee Bender and I adore her work. I will follow her writing to the ends of the earth.
richardleis's review against another edition
4.0
Aimee Bender writes compelling surreal, often magical realist, short stories with killer first sentences and logical but strange processions that make sense in each self-contained world. The stories are often sexual and frank, but suggesting sex as a result of very complex emotions driving the stories' protagonists. Often I struggle with the stories meanings: are these allegories, is there some trick to them? I find, however, that these stories are often open to several possible meanings. My favorite story is "The Healer" because of the story, the way it is constructed, and the first person character who we only receive hints about even as she has a direct hand in much of the plot.
rebcamuse's review against another edition
3.0
Having read and enjoyed Bender's [b:Willful Creatures|46205|Willful Creatures|Aimee Bender|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170315603s/46205.jpg|2386], I was surprised at how few of these stories resonated for me. Bender is a master of the quirky, but many of these stories seemed so esoteric that the witty commentary was lost along the way. I felt they were sexually saturated almost to the point of obsession (in many cases), but I'm also open to the idea that it was part of the point.
All that said, there were several stories I did enjoy, including the majority of the offerings in Part Three. The poignancy in "Skinless" (Part One), "The Healer" and "Loser" (both in Part Three) touched me deeply, particularly in the case of "Loser." Bender investigates what it means to be "lost" and indeed, "found." Her protagonist has the ironic gift to find what others have lost and the end of the story made my eyes glisten.
"Drunken Mimi" (Part Two) is a clever mixing of fantasy and realism wherein two outcasts find each other through a world that has long rejected impishness and magic.
I do think that Bender's work speaks differently to the reader depending on his/her frame of mind, place in life, etc. This is a positive, as there will be a story for everyone in this collection. I'll be interested to re-read these stories several years from now and see if they speak any differently to me. For indeed, Bender does have a gift for stories that speak.
All that said, there were several stories I did enjoy, including the majority of the offerings in Part Three. The poignancy in "Skinless" (Part One), "The Healer" and "Loser" (both in Part Three) touched me deeply, particularly in the case of "Loser." Bender investigates what it means to be "lost" and indeed, "found." Her protagonist has the ironic gift to find what others have lost and the end of the story made my eyes glisten.
"Drunken Mimi" (Part Two) is a clever mixing of fantasy and realism wherein two outcasts find each other through a world that has long rejected impishness and magic.
I do think that Bender's work speaks differently to the reader depending on his/her frame of mind, place in life, etc. This is a positive, as there will be a story for everyone in this collection. I'll be interested to re-read these stories several years from now and see if they speak any differently to me. For indeed, Bender does have a gift for stories that speak.
gertrude314's review against another edition
1.0
I found this book because I heard Loser read on This American Life and thought it was a cute story. The rest of the book is mostly about sex and is similar to if you woke up and fleshed out your dreams and nightmares on paper. I didn't really enjoy it.
dee9401's review
2.0
Reads like Jay McInerney and Mark Leyner’s stiff from the 80s. Early-MFA-fevered writing. Clever but also almost too clever? But, kept my attention.
thisisleila's review against another edition
4.0
When I read Aimee Bender, I feel like I'm swimming, and things are floating by.
eni_se's review
2.0
I should have been warned that this compilation of stories had more sexual content than an erotica book. Sarah J. Maas wishes she was on this level. Seriously, it was like that one friend who only talks about their sex life, unprompted and in extreme detail and you're like: dude, I don't care! It was just weird and it quickly became really tiresome.
But that aside, I have no idea what most of these stories were trying to say. I think I liked maybe 2 of them. I actually can't separate them in my mind, they're all blended in my memory. I'm not sure if the writing is pretentious or not, or it's just that type of literary writing I just don't vibe with. But what I can say is that the protagonists of the stories were usually the same; this self-centered, sex-obsessed, shallow, and dumb female character, which just contributed to me not standing most of this book. Sorry. This book came highly recommended, one of those books that "will change your life". I should know to be more careful about those types of recommendations.
But that aside, I have no idea what most of these stories were trying to say. I think I liked maybe 2 of them. I actually can't separate them in my mind, they're all blended in my memory. I'm not sure if the writing is pretentious or not, or it's just that type of literary writing I just don't vibe with. But what I can say is that the protagonists of the stories were usually the same; this self-centered, sex-obsessed, shallow, and dumb female character, which just contributed to me not standing most of this book. Sorry. This book came highly recommended, one of those books that "will change your life". I should know to be more careful about those types of recommendations.
stormblessed4's review against another edition
Meh book, wrong time. I may or may not get back to it.