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clato's review against another edition
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
amorpuro's review against another edition
class didn't cover entire book, but enjoyed the read!
devan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This collection of short stories read much more like a novel out of order to me. I enjoyed some stories more than others. There were times where the writing felt immature and more of a step by step description of what was happening and other times where it was more nuanced.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Alcohol, Drug use, and Drug abuse
sshabein's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really loved this collection of stories that revolve around one family and their surrounding community. It's grim at times, but also funny and always interesting. It was an excellent book to read after having recently finished an Alice Munro story collection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Child death
Moderate: Dementia, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
emilyreadsitall's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
smlaurie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Although this is a collection of short stories, most of which were previously published in magazines and journals, I recommend reading it from start to finish. The stories all focus on David, a Penobscot Indian in Maine, and small moments in time throughout his life, adolescence to middle-age. The stories give us insight into his relationships with his mother, sister, grandmother, and friends as we traverse back and forth through his life.
There is alcoholism, substance abuse, hopelessness, unemployment, dementia, broken families, violence and it’s written with a quiet simplicity and dignity.
I also want to note the cover: the view looking up among trees of the night sky is beautiful and evokes the setting and feelings for this book.
2024 Spring Beyond the Bookends Reading Challenge: Read a book that makes you cry.
mitskacir's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely phenomenal. One of those books that you finish and just have to lay there stunned for awhile.
This book melds the novel and the short story, presenting vignettes of David's life that oscillate between his childhood to his adult years (with a unique voice but with similar effect to the writing in [b:Blonde Indian: An Alaska Native Memoir|502297|Blonde Indian An Alaska Native Memoir|Ernestine Hayes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348339619l/502297._SY75_.jpg|490371]). In many ways, David is childlike in all of the stories but also grows up quickly in a world of alcohol and drugs, so sometimes it is unclear how old he is. However, in the stories of very young David the voice of the author and the (fabulous) audiobook narrator change to capture the sadness of childhood: the keen observations that children can make and the details that stick out as you remember events from your early years accompanied by a child's naïveté. These opacities in the narrative are so artful - the gaps in what the reader is given just large enough for us to understand most but not all of what is happening.
In the hands of another author the reader could really come away with strong judgements of some of the characters or a sense of pity for their challenging lives. Yet Talty balances trauma and humor in different degrees in each story, and the non-chronological structure lets the reader see the good and bad in each person and each situation. I think this is a book that is really going to stay with me. Audiobook highly recommended.
This book melds the novel and the short story, presenting vignettes of David's life that oscillate between his childhood to his adult years (with a unique voice but with similar effect to the writing in [b:Blonde Indian: An Alaska Native Memoir|502297|Blonde Indian An Alaska Native Memoir|Ernestine Hayes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348339619l/502297._SY75_.jpg|490371]). In many ways, David is childlike in all of the stories but also grows up quickly in a world of alcohol and drugs, so sometimes it is unclear how old he is. However, in the stories of very young David the voice of the author and the (fabulous) audiobook narrator change to capture the sadness of childhood: the keen observations that children can make and the details that stick out as you remember events from your early years accompanied by a child's naïveté. These opacities in the narrative are so artful - the gaps in what the reader is given just large enough for us to understand most but not all of what is happening.
In the hands of another author the reader could really come away with strong judgements of some of the characters or a sense of pity for their challenging lives. Yet Talty balances trauma and humor in different degrees in each story, and the non-chronological structure lets the reader see the good and bad in each person and each situation. I think this is a book that is really going to stay with me. Audiobook highly recommended.
kalliegrace's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
3.0
I'm not sure what to think about this one. Certainly I didn't know what I was getting into, it sounds like a horror novel but it's vignettes on trauma. I didn't realize till over half way through that this wasn't a novel though, so that made me scratch my head.