Reviews

Night at the Fiestas: Stories by Kirstin Valdez Quade

rtdarden2's review

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5.0

An absolutely stunning collection of short stories. Some so powerful that I had to stop reading afterwards to absorb what had occurred.

gummy__smile__'s review

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emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

veemiranne's review

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challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

driaslibrary's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

dude_watchin_with_the_brontes's review

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4.0

Interesting set of short stories, not interconnected so much by characters (I didn't notice any recurring characters) but by themes and actions. Would recommend.

miramcm's review

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4.0

So smart. I love how Valdez Quade writes characters. Not five stars bc it would be hard for all the stories in a short story collection to be equally good.

cowboyjonah's review

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3.0

Really great stories but I felt very neutral about it when I finished, 3.5 ⭐

liberrydude's review

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3.0

Ten short stories mostly set in New Mexico ( one in Utah, one in California) with women as the principal protagonists. The author captures the interface of Anglo, Hispanic, and Mormon cultures in the Southwest but Native American is conspicuously absent. You never know where these stories are headed. Lots of angst, anxiety, and despair.

notesonbookmarks's review

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5.0

What a collection! It felt so great to be "home" in New Mexico in these stories, but I really don't think that matters so much as the way she draws characters so completely in so few pages. Of course enhanced by reading in community, I cannot recommend this one enough.

tortillacat's review

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5