3.27k reviews for:

Bliss Montage

Ling Ma

3.91 AVERAGE

jirenehare's review against another edition

2.75

dark reflective tense slow-paced

jadeeeee's review against another edition

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didn’t love it tbh

read for: short stories, contemporary short stories, surrealism, grounded speculative

juniperwhiskey's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This collection of short stories at times felt autobiographical. I can’t say it’s visceral because there is no gore, but it it’s tangible. The down to earth tone grounds the characters though there are some non traditional literary choices that make it fantastical. Not sure this is for everyone content-wise, but the writing is interesting, engrossing, and high quality.

ldubphil's review against another edition

4.0

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Delightfully weird!

beebo88's review against another edition

3.25

challenging funny mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

phoires's review against another edition

4.0

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a literary delight! the stories are kind of crazy it's messing up with my brain i love it

janelle_tackett's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

amy_reads_stuff's review

2.5

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Yeah this one was not for me, but it did make for a great discussion at book club. Very strange, dreamlike stories with various themes of loneliness, estrangement, disassociation, escapism, and sense of place. I was frustrated with the lack of concreteness or endings but this does allow for open interpretation so that everyone can take something away from it. Office hours was probably my favorite story of the bunch.

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting

haleyrenel's review against another edition

3.5

mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated