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sneezypenguin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
amb3rlina's review against another edition
5.0
Staggering use of the English language. One of the most unique and rich voices I've ever read. Bizarre and a little disturbing.
scholarion's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
synoptic_view's review against another edition
These stories are so sad and so American. Stories of people who hold onto hope even in bleak situations. Stories where people are redeemed and gain an omniscient, benevolent view, but only when it is too late. Stories filled with casual cruelty and violence, often by the people who are supposed to be good.
The author's note at the end is particularly fascinating. Sauders talks about how he spent years trying to imitate the styles of Hemingway, Carver, and Joyce. It wasn't until he wrote a series of quick, humorous, "Seussian" stories that he feels like he found his voice. One can certainly see what he means. While reading, the stories reminded me most strongly of the [b:Rootabaga Stories|90840|Rootabaga Stories|Carl Sandburg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328877053l/90840._SX50_.jpg|2441508].
The author's note at the end is particularly fascinating. Sauders talks about how he spent years trying to imitate the styles of Hemingway, Carver, and Joyce. It wasn't until he wrote a series of quick, humorous, "Seussian" stories that he feels like he found his voice. One can certainly see what he means. While reading, the stories reminded me most strongly of the [b:Rootabaga Stories|90840|Rootabaga Stories|Carl Sandburg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328877053l/90840._SX50_.jpg|2441508].
rebeccarennerfl's review against another edition
5.0
I liked pastoralia a lot more. This book seemed kind of stale.
letsreadmorebooks's review against another edition
3.0
the stories in this collection are well written and saunders is an engaging storyteller, but i don't know that dystopian lit is my thing.
markeefe's review against another edition
3.0
Having come to George Saunders's first collection of stories after reading all his subsequent works, this book is slightly underwhelming. Saunders has developed immensely as a writer, but in ways that are pretty subtle. In CivilWarLand, he lays out the themes and styles that would carry him through Pastoralia, In Persuasion Nation, and Tenth of December, but his execution wasn't as deft as it would become. He relied overly much on the "wouldn't it be darkly comic if this story were set in a weird theme park?" motif. And, in many of the stories, the characters feel a little cartoonish and flat. Now, these criticisms are all by comparison to his later work, which, retrospectively, sets a pretty high bar for the young Saunders. How can he compete with the writer he would eventually become? Today, he's mastered all of these early hitches to his approach. All that being said, there's plenty of good stuff to be found in CivilWarLand in Bad Decline. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading anything by such a fertile and unique mind. But I would do so with this caveat: it only gets better from here.