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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
As with many books of short stories, there were some stories in this one that I really enjoyed and some that just didn't do it for me. I thought the one about the presidents as horses and the one about antarctic tailgating (Team Krill!) were pretty funny. The final story in the book, which was about a group of boys that find a doll/scarecrow that looks just like a classmate they used to torment was good and creepy.
I listened to the audiobook version of this and I enjoyed that each story had a different narrator.
I listened to the audiobook version of this and I enjoyed that each story had a different narrator.
VERDICT: ~2 stars. The first & last tales were pretty good (~3 stars); the rest were worse (0 to 2 stars). Two of the eight stories were DNFs for me. Perhaps you will love this collection more than I did.
I've found several short story collections (including this book) at a certain One Dollar store. Some were pretty good (3+ stars). This book was mostly a disappointment to me, but individual tastes will vary a lot on this one.
If you're wondering, there's only one vampire tale in the 8.
I've found several short story collections (including this book) at a certain One Dollar store. Some were pretty good (3+ stars). This book was mostly a disappointment to me, but individual tastes will vary a lot on this one.
If you're wondering, there's only one vampire tale in the 8.
This book was pretty okay. I generally really enjoy collections of short stories, but these ones didn't grab my interest quite as easily as, say, George Saunders' pieces do. I should have finished this book much more quickly than I did, but I wasn't too impressed with it. The stories by themselves however are really great stories. There are actually a couple that I think would be worthy of teaching in a college lit class. My only complaint about Russell's writing as shown in this book is that I wish she ended the stories a little better. She either doesn't know how to end a story well, or she gets lazy and just wants to finish it once she gets close to the end. Overall, a pretty average read.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
N/A
Presidential ungulates, lemon loving vampires, and silkworm women: terrific short stories.
dark
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book when I finished it for the first time. Most of the stories just end, which annoyed me; but, as time passed, the imaginative stories and vivid prose stuck with me far longer than other short story collections.
I need to reread it soon to collect my thoughts better, but there’s a few prevailing themes—contention in misery, inevitability, and inability to communicate—throughout the collection. As I’ve had these stories and themes circulating in my head, I’ve come to realize the abrupt endings are critical for the stories and overall anxieties and ideas expressed.
I need to reread it soon to collect my thoughts better, but there’s a few prevailing themes—contention in misery, inevitability, and inability to communicate—throughout the collection. As I’ve had these stories and themes circulating in my head, I’ve come to realize the abrupt endings are critical for the stories and overall anxieties and ideas expressed.