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mattleesharp's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very frustrating read for me. A few of the stories (particularly toward the end of the collection) really connected. They felt genuine, and the people were interesting. But the vast majority of the stories in this collection are little more than scribbled down ideas for the beginnings of stories. Very few of the shorter pieces get off the ground. Many hover around the same ideas or techniques but never quite land. I'm glad I read the book for the glimpses of great writing, but I can't say I'd recommend it to many people.
moumita's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Eccentric and unconventional
soniek's review against another edition
2.0
I had always wondered what it'd be like, writing while drunk or high. After reading this book, I think I have a fair idea what the result would be like.
I had high hopes about this book but it turned out to be so bad, only my compulsion to finish a partly read book made me hang on till the end.
This book consists of short stories. The title gives away that insects are a steadily recurring theme in those stories. To be honest, the stories are often not even stories, they read like very short excerpts of a thought or a dream. Now I don't mind reading unconventionally structured poetry or prose. And I myself have delved into writing stuff which were a form of self-expression. But I didn't enjoy any of the stories, save one or two. That too because those had some ounce of "normal" in them.
Let's go deeper into the writing. It's terrible at times. The stories begin and end abruptly. Sometimes they just make no sense and have no reason to be in the book, except to maybe add more pages. There are way too many insects and you can sense that the writer may have forced herself to write about insects because their appearance gets cliched and repetitive (too many butterflies and other insects wriggling out of hands, mouth or shifting inside loose bones). Get the idea?
Few stories are very good. Kudos for the thought, imagination and novelty behind those. But overall, I am as pissed off at having to pay money to read such a shitty book, as when I get when a juicy bug gets squished under my shoes with a loud crunch.
I had high hopes about this book but it turned out to be so bad, only my compulsion to finish a partly read book made me hang on till the end.
This book consists of short stories. The title gives away that insects are a steadily recurring theme in those stories. To be honest, the stories are often not even stories, they read like very short excerpts of a thought or a dream. Now I don't mind reading unconventionally structured poetry or prose. And I myself have delved into writing stuff which were a form of self-expression. But I didn't enjoy any of the stories, save one or two. That too because those had some ounce of "normal" in them.
Let's go deeper into the writing. It's terrible at times. The stories begin and end abruptly. Sometimes they just make no sense and have no reason to be in the book, except to maybe add more pages. There are way too many insects and you can sense that the writer may have forced herself to write about insects because their appearance gets cliched and repetitive (too many butterflies and other insects wriggling out of hands, mouth or shifting inside loose bones). Get the idea?
Few stories are very good. Kudos for the thought, imagination and novelty behind those. But overall, I am as pissed off at having to pay money to read such a shitty book, as when I get when a juicy bug gets squished under my shoes with a loud crunch.
atabattata's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
beslayed's review against another edition
3.0
Very interesting collection of weird short, short fiction by odd Tamilian Manickavel.
ghosthermione's review against another edition
This is too weird and experimental for me
casimiera's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
leguinstan's review against another edition
2.0
While this is categorized as a "short story collection" it is more of a flash fiction collection since the vast majority of the stories are no longer than 3 pages.
The stories were so short and so downright weird it was very difficult to get attached to any of the characters. I kind of struggled to read the collection from front to back.
However, there were small moments to savor. There is some really strong and unsettling imagery interspersed throughout the stories and at time I found the prose to be electrifying.
I genuinely liked "Sugargun Fairies", "Jam That Bread of Life", "The Queen of Yesterday", and "Murali". I absolutely ADORED "A Bottle of Wings and Other Things" and it's largely the reason I'm keeping the book instead of giving it away even though I only liked ~15% of the stories.
I can't recommend the collection as a whole but it's so unique and daring I can't bring myself to simply give it a 1 star rating.
CW: gore, (supernatural) body horror, infanticide, suicide
The stories were so short and so downright weird it was very difficult to get attached to any of the characters. I kind of struggled to read the collection from front to back.
However, there were small moments to savor. There is some really strong and unsettling imagery interspersed throughout the stories and at time I found the prose to be electrifying.
I genuinely liked "Sugargun Fairies", "Jam That Bread of Life", "The Queen of Yesterday", and "Murali". I absolutely ADORED "A Bottle of Wings and Other Things" and it's largely the reason I'm keeping the book instead of giving it away even though I only liked ~15% of the stories.
I can't recommend the collection as a whole but it's so unique and daring I can't bring myself to simply give it a 1 star rating.
CW: gore, (supernatural) body horror, infanticide, suicide
nefeli's review against another edition
It's not the book's fault that I can't deal with quirkiness and surrealism, but the fact remains that I can't. I quit at 32%. I couldn't find the willpower to read 140 pages of something I found incomprehensible. It felt like reading someone's dreams. Which can be fun sometimes and the first 10 or 20 pages were kind of interesting and I certainly like the writing, but 140 pages of this? No.