Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
i think i just need to accept that short stories aren’t really for me.
4.5/5 - Ling Ma does a really good job with satire + weirdness + a little sci fi. All of these were interesting all though the ending for some was not as satisfying as I hoped.
so good, like so unimaginably good.
getting older, being a young adult in the 21st century, reflections on being asian american without being cringe and heavy handed,,,?, metaphors that i couldn’t ever dream of coming up with myself.
just a super amazing collection of short stories
getting older, being a young adult in the 21st century, reflections on being asian american without being cringe and heavy handed,,,?, metaphors that i couldn’t ever dream of coming up with myself.
just a super amazing collection of short stories
Another fever dream short story collection. Ling Ma’s writing is so good!
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
So many of the "voices" in this book sound the same to the point that they all flowed together. A couple of times, I didn't realize that one chapter had ended and another began because it felt like something that could be happening to the prior character.
And not each story is created equal- some are so much better than others. Los Angeles, G, Yeti Love Making, Office Hours and Tomorrow were my favorite. The chapters that absolutely carry the book definitely rounded up my review.
I thought this would be a quick read but I found myself not excited to finish it at times. This could be a really great source material for a series adaptation, though.
And not each story is created equal- some are so much better than others. Los Angeles, G, Yeti Love Making, Office Hours and Tomorrow were my favorite. The chapters that absolutely carry the book definitely rounded up my review.
I thought this would be a quick read but I found myself not excited to finish it at times. This could be a really great source material for a series adaptation, though.
3.5
Some very good stories and some I didn't enjoy as much, but overall it was a good collection and I'm really excited to finally read Severance.
Some very good stories and some I didn't enjoy as much, but overall it was a good collection and I'm really excited to finally read Severance.
Bliss Montage falls to the curse that a lot of short story collections succumb to – there are a few standout stories and the rest are more or less mediocre. At the top tier, I would say Returning, Office Hours and Peking Duck were the standouts. The middle tier holds G, Tomorrow, and Oranges. At the bottom of the pile is Los Angeles and Yeti Lovemaking.
Thematically, Bliss Montage delves into not only a fear of change, but even an almost medical aversion to it – the anxiety and repulsion from finding ourselves outside of what we believe we know is something that touches the edges of our vision all the time, and in its absurd twists, the stories in Bliss Montage aims to lend a tangible form to that feeling.
I did enjoy these pieces and the writing is not difficult to follow or maintain interest in. I only wish Ling Ma had committed a bit more solidly to the absurdity of some of these stories, it felt like the best parts were when it was at the very tip of becoming surreal.
Thematically, Bliss Montage delves into not only a fear of change, but even an almost medical aversion to it – the anxiety and repulsion from finding ourselves outside of what we believe we know is something that touches the edges of our vision all the time, and in its absurd twists, the stories in Bliss Montage aims to lend a tangible form to that feeling.
I did enjoy these pieces and the writing is not difficult to follow or maintain interest in. I only wish Ling Ma had committed a bit more solidly to the absurdity of some of these stories, it felt like the best parts were when it was at the very tip of becoming surreal.
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated