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harper11's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
janaybrazier's review against another edition
2.0
It has taken me ages to get through these short stories and I'm sad to say that I didn't love it. In fact, I almost didn't finish it. I did finish it because I know how much goes into writing and I'd hate to stop reading something that someone put so much effort into creating. I just wasn't feeling this book, sorry.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed the short stories format and taking little tidbits of life at a time (and yet, some of them had the same theme or info that carried through and added a little magic to the stories). I didn't, however, really particularly like any of the stories. None of them really grabbed me and made me keep reading. I just sort of kept going just waiting for the finish.
_goldfishboi_'s review
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alecitlikethat's review
3.0
This was certainly an unusual read, and very different to my usual intake. It took me until about halfway through the book before I found somewhat of an enjoyment and engagement in it however, as a quick read, it didn't take too long to reach that point. For a short book, it provides a lot of stories and provoking thoughts, and for that I give it its due credit.
As someone who is still a teenager though, and has had an upbringing and childhood entirely different to that of the author, many of these stories did not resonate with me as much as I'm sure they would for an older audience - or even as much as I'm sure they'll resonate with me in the future. Although I found certain aspects and stories interesting and intriguing, I did find it a bit of a chore to read and keep plodding away at.
I therefore decided upon a relatively neutral 3 star rating - I wouldn't want this to put anyone off though. If you like short, anecdotal stories, and perhaps are slightly older, I feel this would be much more fulfilling.
Noteworthy quotes:
"We listen to the truth, the memories, the bits made up. We gaze at each other. We eat warm buttered toast. We know know that the sun will fall, that the children and the birds will be silent. We know that we will return to separate lives and separate deaths. We listen to the stories that, for an impossible afternoon hold back the coming dark."
“It happened so long ago I can't even be sure it happened as I say it did. Stories change in the telling, memory makes up as much as it knows. We were very small. The things we saw were all mixed up with the things we dreamed and the things we were scared of.”
“Death is knowing you're about to die,' says Mam. It's seeing the dead and seeing the living all at once. It's wanting not to die and not to live. It's wanting to stay with the last breath when the dead and the living are all around you, and touching you, and whispering, It's all right, Mam. Everything's all right. But there's no way of staying with the last breath. You have to die.”
As someone who is still a teenager though, and has had an upbringing and childhood entirely different to that of the author, many of these stories did not resonate with me as much as I'm sure they would for an older audience - or even as much as I'm sure they'll resonate with me in the future. Although I found certain aspects and stories interesting and intriguing, I did find it a bit of a chore to read and keep plodding away at.
I therefore decided upon a relatively neutral 3 star rating - I wouldn't want this to put anyone off though. If you like short, anecdotal stories, and perhaps are slightly older, I feel this would be much more fulfilling.
Noteworthy quotes:
"We listen to the truth, the memories, the bits made up. We gaze at each other. We eat warm buttered toast. We know know that the sun will fall, that the children and the birds will be silent. We know that we will return to separate lives and separate deaths. We listen to the stories that, for an impossible afternoon hold back the coming dark."
“It happened so long ago I can't even be sure it happened as I say it did. Stories change in the telling, memory makes up as much as it knows. We were very small. The things we saw were all mixed up with the things we dreamed and the things we were scared of.”
“Death is knowing you're about to die,' says Mam. It's seeing the dead and seeing the living all at once. It's wanting not to die and not to live. It's wanting to stay with the last breath when the dead and the living are all around you, and touching you, and whispering, It's all right, Mam. Everything's all right. But there's no way of staying with the last breath. You have to die.”
sean67's review
3.0
Uneven collection of short stories from Almond with some of his signature moments. In some ways you could say a typical Almond collection.
starlings's review
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
2.25
David Almond's signature dreamlike style just doesn't land in this collection. There's no room for his philosophical musings to breathe, and it never quite feels complete.
The semi-autobiographical nature of the stories doesn't help. His clear fascination with the Other--ranging from exotic beliefs to the mentally disabled--comes off as something close to fetishization when written from his own childhood perspective. Perhaps it's unfair, but I find it adds a sour note to the whole book for me.
The semi-autobiographical nature of the stories doesn't help. His clear fascination with the Other--ranging from exotic beliefs to the mentally disabled--comes off as something close to fetishization when written from his own childhood perspective. Perhaps it's unfair, but I find it adds a sour note to the whole book for me.
dramaturgist's review
5.0
this book was amaazing and so poignant <3
- the writing style is really unique. i love the tiny details, and the repetition, and the vivid yet brief descriptions: all put together, they make for an amazing reading experience.
- the characters were so realistic. technically, the are real: the book is a collection of short stories based off of the author's life. but still; i loved reading about all the characters and colin was one of my favourites.
- they're so unpredictable and new! like, in the time machine, (my favourite story of them all) the ending was so sad and beautiful and amazing and totally not what you'd expect.
tl;dr: an amazing book that you should definitely read if you enjoyed David Almond's other books, or if you like contemporary fiction.
- the writing style is really unique. i love the tiny details, and the repetition, and the vivid yet brief descriptions: all put together, they make for an amazing reading experience.
- the characters were so realistic. technically, the are real: the book is a collection of short stories based off of the author's life. but still; i loved reading about all the characters and colin was one of my favourites.
- they're so unpredictable and new! like, in the time machine, (my favourite story of them all) the ending was so sad and beautiful and amazing and totally not what you'd expect.
tl;dr: an amazing book that you should definitely read if you enjoyed David Almond's other books, or if you like contemporary fiction.
bees_circus's review
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. I adored Skellig, but didn't enjoy My Name is Mina as much and this far less. I'm not usually a big autobiography fan so maybe that's why I didn't like it. Almond's signature style is there, but without much cohesion or story line exactly I found this difficult to read and was very eager to finish just so I could be done. It won't put me off reading more from David Almond though.
ladysanctuary's review
4.0
I read this initially in a shorter format as a World Book Day book, and I those stories. I wasn't as compelled by all of the tales in the full format but the best stories carry the weaker or more difficult ones.