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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
the prose in this book is very beautiful but I didn’t find it super engaging beyond the story about the woman with her baby’s arm coming out of her and pointing towards the ocean - that was crazy and weird and I loved it
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this, and the parts that I understood I did, but the rest of it I am sad to say I just didn’t get.
dark
funny
mysterious
I do love a short story collection, mainly as it allows the the author to show their diversity. I do, however, have to agree with other reviews that there really were only two standout stories, Orange and Peking Duck. Not that I didn’t like the other stories, their concepts were great, I just felt they needed a little bit more. Overall, it’s an enjoyable set of stories. And I can’t wait to read more from Ling Ma.
not sure i understood what was going on in most of this book but that's what made me want to read it more. a really beautiful yet surreal and strange exploration of family and home and loneliness and isolation.
dark
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
What a strange mix of short stories. I really enjoyed each bizarre tale in their own ways.
This one reminded me a lot of “Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory” except there was more of a common thread between each story. Some of them take longer to sink in and others have an immediate impact, but each one was insightful.