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aliciaaaah's review against another edition
5.0
"Other"-ness in spades here. Another kind of alien femininity. But relate-able (if also an alien). I liked "Two Serious Ladies" a lot but my favorites were the play "In the Summer House" and the short story "Camp Cataract."
edboies's review
5.0
I was obsessed with ms. bowles for a while and got to go through some of their archives in Austin, specifically Jane's last journals from Morocco. I found a completely different version of Camp Cataract and notes about Cherifa and a picture of a sad and beautiful life. Also, the secodn section of Two Serious Ladies has been an inspiration to my life to this day. Such crippled talent.
jimmylorunning's review
4.0
"The moment when they might have felt tenderness had passed, and secretly they both rejoiced"
A novel, a play, and a handful of short stories. So funny, so sad. I really loved her novel, which I reviewed separately on here. Her stories were good too. I really liked "Going to Massachusetts" and "A Stick of Green Candy". I wasn't crazy about the play, though it was pretty good.
I just read some of the other reviews on here and this description made me laugh: 'There are a lot of cases when the characters say "yes" when you expect them to say "no way in hell!"'
A novel, a play, and a handful of short stories. So funny, so sad. I really loved her novel, which I reviewed separately on here. Her stories were good too. I really liked "Going to Massachusetts" and "A Stick of Green Candy". I wasn't crazy about the play, though it was pretty good.
I just read some of the other reviews on here and this description made me laugh: 'There are a lot of cases when the characters say "yes" when you expect them to say "no way in hell!"'
litsirk's review
5.0
Don't think I've been this excited about an author since finding Robert Walser.
unabridgedchick's review
3.0
Did I like this book? Maybe?
I couldn't stand reading her yet I couldn't stop. The writing is amazing: her characters are fascinating and repulsive; at times, I felt sympathetic toward them, even when they said or did horrifying things. At times I would say I hated this book, and then rave about it for ten minutes. I'm still not sure if I 'enjoyed' it, but I certainly was challenged.
I was reminded a bit of Doris Lessing and Djuna Barnes.
I couldn't stand reading her yet I couldn't stop. The writing is amazing: her characters are fascinating and repulsive; at times, I felt sympathetic toward them, even when they said or did horrifying things. At times I would say I hated this book, and then rave about it for ten minutes. I'm still not sure if I 'enjoyed' it, but I certainly was challenged.
I was reminded a bit of Doris Lessing and Djuna Barnes.
karencorday's review
5.0
I read this book with my heart in my throat the entire time. The action in the stories is, overall, quite slow but there's an underlying sense of menace and violence at all times. I kept expecting everything to go completely to shit, and presume it did after the story ended. See how I think something happened after these pieces of fiction ended? That's what I'm saying. The edition I read has an intro by Truman Capote, which made it all the better.
mc900ft's review
4.0
hmmm. i wanted to love this collection of her works. her writing is so involved with the relationships b/t people, especially women. the action lies b/t people, intriguing and unexpected responses to situations and her characters never do (act) what you think they will. that is where the greatness lies. but the reading can get a little tedious, which is what kept me from falling in love with her writings. and perhaps, reading paul bowles prior to jane bowles - as their styles/subject matter is/are completely different.
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