You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Misogyny, Transphobia
Minor: Abortion
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Consider this my official petition for 'Manywhere' by Morgan Thomas to become required reading for anyone who remembers being a queer teen from the South, trying to find themselves in the mid-2000's.
This isn't to say that folks without this experience won't enjoy this book—the way that Thomas incorporates queerness into each of their stories frames it more like a set-piece that further immerses a reader. The places themselves feel like a central characters with a rich history and serve as much importance to the narrative as the people that live in them.
The prose is gorgeous without being overly complex, though its fluidity is both a strength and—to me—a hindrance. While 'Manywhere' checked off all of my usual boxes (character-driven, working-class queers, challenging relationships) I struggled to feel tethered to most of the stories ('The Daring Life of Phillipa Cook' being the exception as I'm a sucker for the epistolary format.)
Overall, if you love an unorthodox kind of magical realism, complicated pasts, and even more complicated characters: I'm excited to introduce you to your next beloved short story collection.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This isn't to say that folks without this experience won't enjoy this book—the way that Thomas incorporates queerness into each of their stories frames it more like a set-piece that further immerses a reader. The places themselves feel like a central characters with a rich history and serve as much importance to the narrative as the people that live in them.
The prose is gorgeous without being overly complex, though its fluidity is both a strength and—to me—a hindrance. While 'Manywhere' checked off all of my usual boxes (character-driven, working-class queers, challenging relationships) I struggled to feel tethered to most of the stories ('The Daring Life of Phillipa Cook' being the exception as I'm a sucker for the epistolary format.)
Overall, if you love an unorthodox kind of magical realism, complicated pasts, and even more complicated characters: I'm excited to introduce you to your next beloved short story collection.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
challenging
reflective
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:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
This was really special. Certain short stories were more impactful than others, Bump and Manywhere were stand-outs for me.
I think this review someone left perfectly summarizes how I felt reading it:
"They managed to develop captivating characters and intricate settings in stories that are relatively short. This, combined with the writing style, makes them stories that require your full attention—and a little bit of patience."
While certain stories dragged a bit, there was still a ton of beauty in the writing, setting, and characters that held my attention. I wouldn't file this one as a "quick read", it requires time to sit and dissect in order to appreciate it at its fullest.
I think this review someone left perfectly summarizes how I felt reading it:
"They managed to develop captivating characters and intricate settings in stories that are relatively short. This, combined with the writing style, makes them stories that require your full attention—and a little bit of patience."
While certain stories dragged a bit, there was still a ton of beauty in the writing, setting, and characters that held my attention. I wouldn't file this one as a "quick read", it requires time to sit and dissect in order to appreciate it at its fullest.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really solid debut collection. Lots of interesting thematic explorations of queerness/gender identity, history, and pregnancy/motherhood. The first two stories were the weakest (and quite confusing) of the collection for me, but I'm glad I continued on as the stories got better and better. Favorites were: "The Daring Life of Philippa Cook The Rogue" (fascinating story about trans identity in colonial-era America), "Bump," and "Manywhere," but as I said I enjoyed most of the stories after the first two. Thanks to MCD (FSG) for providing me with a free early copy! Manywhere comes out January 25!
this was an amazing collection of short stories. each one of them left me with such an unique feeling that i cant describe, they were fantastic. "the daring life of phillippa cook", "surrogate" and "manywhere" where my favourites but to be honest, all of them where amazing in their own way, the author did an amazing job and i hope i can read more about then in the future !!
(4.5)
thank u netgalley for proving me with a e-copy of this book♡
(4.5)
thank u netgalley for proving me with a e-copy of this book♡
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
MANYWHERE is an inventive and unique collection of nine short stories focusing primarily in the Southern US and featuring primarily genderqueer and queer experiences. A group is relocated due to flooding and FEMA offers them land in an area where a leper colony resides. Midwives in Alabama are pushed out of the profession by the emphasis on doctors. Someone learns about the history of an individual who lived as both a woman and a man in colonial times. The stories that I think about the most are MANYWHERE where a trans man's father comes to live with him. They used to hike together, and his father walks miles around the house day after day as his cognitive abilities wane, and the narrator tries to find him a surrogate daughter. Also BUMP, where a trans woman has a strong desire to be pregnant and purchases a strap on pregnancy belly and coworkers not surprisingly assume she is pregnant.
This collection is a diverse set of stories featuring characters not often highlighted and I truly enjoyed them, and would recommend others read these stories and expand their literary range.
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
This collection is a diverse set of stories featuring characters not often highlighted and I truly enjoyed them, and would recommend others read these stories and expand their literary range.
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced