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brennacummings's review against another edition
4.0
Bove is a slightly less philosophical — more flowery version of Camus and I am HERE for it.
cryo_guy's review against another edition
3.0
Charming enough in their own way. I bought this because Winter's Journal sounded interesting. I'd still like to read it, but these weren't that impressive. I think the best was Kafka without the punch and not as sympathetic as Bartleby (mentioned in the forward), the main issue being the narrator is someone else rather than the absurd hero. The others were good at psychological realism but suffered from overindulgent and overly neurotic narrators, a preoccupation with the inanities of heterosexual relationships, or a touch of ennui (other reviewers called these stories banal, but if this is what banality is, strike me down. I'd say they're more bland than banal and far too excitable to be mundane.).
I can only judge Bove so much for these short stories. And while they have flaws, there is a poignancy behind them to be discovered.
I can only judge Bove so much for these short stories. And while they have flaws, there is a poignancy behind them to be discovered.
noahregained's review against another edition
3.0
super interesting writing style, to his credit it did feel like a great writer's worst book
callymac's review against another edition
4.0
Such European 1900s melancholy. very funny, very Gogol-esque, but lacking the surreal. More about a good turn of phrase and characters who always seem to get worse than they deserve.
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