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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I was a little disappointed with this collection, I loved her first collection so much and I just assumed this would be brilliant, but most of the stories just didn’t click with me though. The first three stories were amazing though (so I gave it a star for each) especially ‘Reeling for the Empire’
Mostly just meh. I really liked a couple stories, the rest didn't do much for me. I liked the twist in each story, but none came to as clear a conclusion as I would have liked.
Some really strong stories in this collection, Proving Up (old west, window), in particular, was amazing and really should be the basis of her next novel (only please be good this time). The vampire story (lemons/Italy/fear of flying) was okay, I loved the second story, Reeling for the Empire (silk manufacturing). It felt like an old-school Stephen King story. Barn at the End of Our Term (horses!) was odd and amusing. New Veterans was strong. The remaining stories I could take or leave. I'm leaning towards 3 - 3.5, but we don't get halves here so I'm rounding up for being pleasantly surprised given how I felt about Swamplandia!
A collection of short stories that showcases Russell's inventive mind -- while some of the stories are better than others, all reveal an incredible imagination. The beginning of any Russell story leaves me unsettled, even if the narrator and setting is seemingly good. My favorites of the collection: "Vampires in the Lemon Grove," "Proving Up," and "The New Veterans." The last one in this list is a reminder of what fiction can be -- a way to shed light on a tough subject (PTSD) with creativity and without being preachy.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
Hits and miss for me. Reeling for the Empire is one of the best shorts I've ever read. On par with Liu's Paper Menagerie. Proving Up was another gem - so haunting that I had to reread it. And the Barn at the End of our Term was quite funny and surprisingly charming.