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manderley's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
endless_highway's review against another edition
2.0
Very well written but the stories dragged on far too long.
jvillanueva8's review
3.0
Beautifully written, but taken all together, the collection seems to reflect a narrow range of worldly experiences, evidenced by the prestigious academic bubbles in which almost every story takes place.
ldv's review
4.0
I generally prefer novels to short stories, but this collection is the perfect blend. Rebecca Lee's stories break out of the traditionally defined short story (aboout one singular event) to take place over months ("Fialta") or a year ("Min" and "The Banks of the Vistula") or even years ("Slatland"). Those stories that do take place around a singular event ("Bobcat" and to some extent "World Party") are given plenty of history and depth to make it feel like you know the characters as well as if you were following them through a novel. Each story has plenty of detail and musings and nuance to make a second or third read worthwhile. These are the types of short stories that can be studied and discussed in a book club or even literature class in university.
In fact, university students may enjoy a few of the stories because they do take place on a campus (all but the first and last). The collection itself can be studied. For example, compare "Bobcat" and "Settlers" because both involve dinner parties. Or "The Banks of the Vistula" and "Fialta" to compare the professor/student relationship.
My favourite story is "Min" partly because its story has the breadth and depth and plot of a novel, but it moves along swiftly and succinctly in short story form.
I admit that I don't understand "Bobcat." Its ending was too abrupt for me and left me with too many questions. The reference at the end, "she formed the perfect answer to the question that was County Clanagh" is too vague for me. I know County Clanagh refers to the narrator's honeymoon when she came across her husband inexplicably crying, but does that mean he was crying then already about the "she" in the quotation? The theme of adultery is clear in the story, and the narrator thinks someone should tell the wife whose husband is cheating that she is being cuckolded, so the irony is clear, but the leap is just a little to big for me in the swift ending of the story. Perhaps that is meant to mimic the feeling that one has in such a situation. Life seems to crash in those moments when knowledge which had been bubbling under the surface suddenly bursts out in front of you. Or perhaps there is another explanation.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and thank LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program for awarding me this copy.
In fact, university students may enjoy a few of the stories because they do take place on a campus (all but the first and last). The collection itself can be studied. For example, compare "Bobcat" and "Settlers" because both involve dinner parties. Or "The Banks of the Vistula" and "Fialta" to compare the professor/student relationship.
My favourite story is "Min" partly because its story has the breadth and depth and plot of a novel, but it moves along swiftly and succinctly in short story form.
I admit that I don't understand "Bobcat." Its ending was too abrupt for me and left me with too many questions. The reference at the end, "she formed the perfect answer to the question that was County Clanagh" is too vague for me. I know County Clanagh refers to the narrator's honeymoon when she came across her husband inexplicably crying, but does that mean he was crying then already about the "she" in the quotation? The theme of adultery is clear in the story, and the narrator thinks someone should tell the wife whose husband is cheating that she is being cuckolded, so the irony is clear, but the leap is just a little to big for me in the swift ending of the story. Perhaps that is meant to mimic the feeling that one has in such a situation. Life seems to crash in those moments when knowledge which had been bubbling under the surface suddenly bursts out in front of you. Or perhaps there is another explanation.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and thank LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program for awarding me this copy.
e___ee's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
4.5
elienore's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.25
ailsahatton's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, I enjoyed that. Parts of it were fantastic and parts of it didn't connect at all, but I suppose that's the joy of a short story collection - the parts that don't work for you can be easily passed over, so they don't taint your enjoyment of the whole thing. There was some amazing language and some great voices and characters, but yeah, not the best thing I've ever read as a whole. But I guess it didn't need to be.
schenkelberg's review
3.0
Excellent collection of bold, thoughtful and thought-provoking stories, that have a great diversity and are each quite enjoyable to read.