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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-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
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Reading this collection of stories felt like sitting in a first year creative writing class. All of the stories were basic and predicted and trying too hard.
3.5 stars. This was a tough collection for me to rate, and a hard one to read as well. As for the stories' content, trigger warning for rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, children getting molested, miscarriage, death, and more. It's hard to read more than a couple stories in a single sitting, and I would definitely recommend reading this when you're in a strong state of mind, and also alternating between this and some lighter reading fare.
I think if I had read any of these stories in a different collection — say, in an anthology alongside other writers' work — I would have been totally bowled over by it individually. And indeed, a couple of these stories really affected me, and I even teared up at one. But taken together one right after the other, these stories began to run together for me.
I love Gay's writing style, and will definitely seek out more of her work, but the first person narrators started to blend together — especially since so many (basically, all) of the women were in unhealthy relationships with men. In fact, every single story in this collection was about how the women were defined by their relationships and sex with men, and the women rarely overcome this, which was just disappointing given the collection's title.
In these stories, Gay accurately captured how dark and bleak the world is, particularly for women, but I don't need fiction to tell me that; I already know. It's important to have writers these aspects of the human experience, but I have a feeling that the people who will read this collection don't need to be told that this sort of violence against women (particularly, violence committed by men) occurs everyday.
I had hoped for just the tiniest hint of the possibility of triumph, or the seed of the idea that things don't have to be this way always, but there's none of that in these stories. The women aren't difficult themselves, but they do find themselves in very difficult circumstances, and there's very rarely a way out, so don't read looking for one.
I think if I had read any of these stories in a different collection — say, in an anthology alongside other writers' work — I would have been totally bowled over by it individually. And indeed, a couple of these stories really affected me, and I even teared up at one. But taken together one right after the other, these stories began to run together for me.
I love Gay's writing style, and will definitely seek out more of her work, but the first person narrators started to blend together — especially since so many (basically, all) of the women were in unhealthy relationships with men. In fact, every single story in this collection was about how the women were defined by their relationships and sex with men, and the women rarely overcome this, which was just disappointing given the collection's title.
In these stories, Gay accurately captured how dark and bleak the world is, particularly for women, but I don't need fiction to tell me that; I already know. It's important to have writers these aspects of the human experience, but I have a feeling that the people who will read this collection don't need to be told that this sort of violence against women (particularly, violence committed by men) occurs everyday.
I had hoped for just the tiniest hint of the possibility of triumph, or the seed of the idea that things don't have to be this way always, but there's none of that in these stories. The women aren't difficult themselves, but they do find themselves in very difficult circumstances, and there's very rarely a way out, so don't read looking for one.
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
Hit me hard. Couldn't breathe while reading. Sobbed at one point. Amazing collection of short stories.
Reading Roxane's books is like having a conversation with an old friend. A very interesting friend who you really like. Time goes quickly and the short stories offer variety. The book is a reminder of the myriad of ways the world sees women, and the many joys and challenges we face in our lives. I intend to read as much of this author as I can!
I couldn't read every story but I enjoyed what I did read. I really love Roxane's style.