Reviews with content warning for Death - Stories of Your Life and Others

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

22 reviews

jayisreading's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

3.75

This collection was definitely a mixed bag, with either me enjoying the short story or caring very little about it (if at all). Without a doubt, though, Chiang really knows how to craft a world and situation; even for the short stories I struggled with due to disinterest, I was still impressed with the way he wove everything together. Furthermore, each story posed such interesting questions and challenges to reflect on, whether it be the unreliability of mathematics as we know it, reckoning with the undeniable presence of God and His angels, or reconfiguring one’s reality through language. Perhaps not surprisingly, the gem of this collection is “Story of Your Life,” which may have been one of the best short stories I have read in a long while. (It has certainly incentivized me to finally get around to watching Arrival.) I now understand why it has received as much praise as it has.

To me, the short stories that are worth reading are: “Story of Your Life” (this one is a must, I’d say), “Tower of Babylon,” “Understand,” and possibly “Hell Is the Absence of God.”

Content Warnings

malaikawrites's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

This was absolutely wonderful! Every story held its own, nut all together? All together it was dynamic, thought provoking and world-view shifting. It was a holistically powerful collection and I'm so glad I decided to pick it up.

Content Warnings

nunchikoi's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

WHAT A FANTASTIC READ!
Ted Chiang weaves such interesting worlds and concepts in all of his short stories. I found that he excels in illustrating the magnetic relationship between theology and science, as well as between divine and human characters/entities, and I loved how his stories imbue a deterministic quality in language.

Each story depicts a wildly different alternate universe; I was especially taken by the exploration of a real Tower of Babylon and what the world would be like if the biblical God was real and angel visits manifested as natural disasters. Besides the interesting content, and the great food for thought, I felt each story as so so loving of humanity, even in depicting our faults and behaviours. This alone made this anthology such an awe-inspiring read, but Chiang's wide range of subjects and his skill in story-craft showed me the capacity of excellent writing. I've no words, just blown away to be honest.

Content Warnings

kylieqrada's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

😱 I'm not usually an anthology girly, but this absolutely slapped. Almost all of the stories were highly rated, but Story of Your Life will definitely stick with me. I need to read Exhalation, like, now.

Content Warnings

klbreyfogle's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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

Content Warnings

ehponies's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Ted Chiang re-defines my understanding of speculative fiction, science, and human experience through this phenomenonal collection. Ted Chiang is a champion of methodical, patient, loving, and kind writing -- he embraces you through technical writing that somehow opens up a new understanding of an intimate part of your own life despite the absurdity of the premise of each narrative. A beautiful time.

Content Warnings

bomenvernietiger's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging informative inspiring fast-paced

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

4.75

All the points for blowing me away completely. Minus a little for not always understanding women and autism.

This would be fully timeless, except that the author felt the need to include such a sexist trope as a father coming to terms with his daughter developing breasts. This holds the particular story back decades.

Content Warnings