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balletbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, so good! I've had this on my TBR since I heard about it on All the Books. A story collection that walks the line between reality and fantasy with a good dose of historical fiction. But it all seems so fresh and compulsively readable - I read it in two sittings separated only by the length of time it took to cook and eat dinner. Definite recommend.
machuu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
jvillanueva8's review against another edition
3.0
This collection wasn’t necessarily bad, it just felt empty. The writing was pretty but didn’t feel impactful in any way. The title story was wonderful, but none of the rest felt noteworthy.
sandbbookclub's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
A short story collection with surprising range and everyone of them a treat.
sonham's review against another edition
3.0
Ich bin kein Fan von Kurzgeschichten, aber diese hier sind sehr gut geschrieben und ich konnte in einige schnell eintauchen. Aber viele fand ich etwas schräg und unverständlich und habe mich nicht darin wohlgefühlt, daher nur 3 Sterne.
agmaynard's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
I enjoyed the collection of varied stories, in audio, with several narrators. Several had fairy tale influence, one a definite reworking.
rouge_red's review against another edition
I can kind of understand the comparisons to Kelly Link and Karen Russell- the imagination is there, but the prose itself and the execution feels lackluster. I was a page away from finishing one of the stories and felt entirely unmotivated to continue. I liked the first story, "The Janitor in Space," but things went downhill after that. As intriguing as the Sparks ideas can be, I find them too grounded in a way to be compelling.
oohsarracuda's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely marvelous. Amber Sparks is a formidable talent. These stories span an impressive range of inspirations and moods - spooky, sad, scary, dreamy, macabre, ethereal, beautiful. Her prose is absolutely gorgeous, too. The comparisons to Kelly Link (my favorite author) are apt. I can't wait to read more from this author!
katepowellshine's review against another edition
5.0
Amber Sparks is always so different. I love it, especially when she plays with form.