Reviews

Madame Zero by Sarah Hall

becca_boulton's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

sophiareads_'s review against another edition

challenging dark

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Sexual content

Moderate: Body horror and Pandemic/Epidemic

bellwetherdays's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

chris_davies's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

2.5

hereisenough's review against another edition

3.0

i realize i could draw some symbolic conclusions in these stories, but what i really wanted was a definitive end to each one. having said that, these short stories are absolutely interesting and fresh. i liked them.

lucyisreading's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

blok_sera_szwajcarskiego's review against another edition

3.0

3,5⭐

Zaczęło się z przytupem, ogromnym zainteresowaniem i nadzieją, ale im dalej w las tym więcej dzikości oraz cielesności nabierał zbiór, a mniej magii i atmosfery.
Chociaż może to też kwestia tego, że zbiory opowiadań nie są moim konikiem.

thomasgoddard's review against another edition

1.0

Continuing my mad descent into the darker side of short stories, this one was recommended and it was a deep disappointment. Don't think I'm the target audience for this one.

The back says that it aims to 'inhabit a hinterland between the natural and urban, the mundane and surreal, human and animal.'

I didn't get that sense at all. Everything felt really controlled and a little vengeful. Like they were written to accomplish something, rather than express something.

I liked the stories Theatre 6 and Luxury Hour. They were short, sharp and interesting. The rest... I felt like they were urban, mundane and human. So not at all a hinterland experience.

The writer isn't bad. I think I would have liked this more if I could recognise the sort of upper middle class world it evokes.

Some great lines. Skillfully written. But they don't amount to much despite all they have to recommend them.

I'm particularly sad because I really enjoyed The Beautiful Indifference, another collection by her.

I've been recommended The Electric Michelangelo. Anyone read anything else? Something to tip my opinion back to positive?

chaos_na_regale's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

lamijka's review against another edition

3.0

Małe fragmenty życia, ważne dla konkretnej osoby momenty uchwycone pod mikroskop prozy. Dobre, ale nie pyszne.