Reviews

The Best Short Stories 2022 by Valeria Luiselli

Only show reviews with written explanations

bigmuscledreallycoolreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

fast-paced

5.0

a_davis's review against another edition

Go to review page

I’d like to retry at some point, but I’m just on a roll with other books and genres at the moment

ctholt's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

zisi's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

One of the best volumes in recent years. I'm especially thrilled with the inclusion of so many excellent writers from other countries whose work appeared last year in English translation. American-born writers could learn a thing or two from their international compatriots. I also like the spirit of freshness and originality, especially in the anthology's longest (50 pages) and best story, Vladimir Sorokin's "Horse Soup." But plenty of other stories come close to Sorokin's fantastic inventiveness. Even the more realistic fiction is first-rate.

torireads123's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

christinafrancisgilbert's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I always find the short story genre a hit-or-miss reading experience. I understand that the structure of such short fiction needs to be tight, resonant in terms of its message to the reader and usually a single plot, yet I find the inconclusive nature of much short storytelling to be frustrating. I like a neat, tidy ending, whether it be a happy or tragic one. I often find the resolutions of prize-winning short stories to be unsatisfactory, perhaps highlighting an amateur writer way of thinking.

Many of the stories in this collection do not end with a definite conclusion. For me, they leave too many unanswered questions, which affects whether I'm left with a lasting message, and for many of these stories, I was not.

Ten of the twenty stories in this collection are in translation. Of these, translated from Spanish, Polish, Bengali, Norwegian, Greek, Russian and Hebrew, my favourite is that of Samanta Schweblin called An Unlucky Man. I enjoyed reading the author's explanation of its personal and political nature and her aim to show that 'without the reader's fears and prejudices, this story wouldn't work.' It reminded me of a scene from Dani Shapiro's latest novel Signal Fires.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's story Zikora and 'Pemi Aguda's story Breastmilk stand out from the crowd. Interesting since they address the same topics of motherhood and childbirth. The imagery and 'grittier and more realistic' description of birthing a child presented beautifully in both of these stories appealed to me.

A number of the stories deal with the Covid-era. They are current and engaging with fresh representation of what will become interesting historical documentation of this century. A collection of stories all more closely tied to the central pivot of the pandemic might have worked more strongly than having them dotted amongst other stories with no mention of Covid-19.