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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Off the top I have to say that I love and respect George Saunders, absolutely one of my favorite writers, and he has never led me astray. Until now. Sort of. The stories in this collection are not horrible, they just seem to fall short of the admittedly high bar that Saunders has set for himself with his earlier works. It almost feels like a collection of stories by someone trying to write like George Saunders. This collection definitely has its moments, but overall just seems to be a bit flat. But hey, what do I know? The man is a genius and I'm just some dweeb posting reviews online.
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
mysterious
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
Interesting collection. Unlike most of Saunders collection this one is surprising in that it does not have a story that stands above the rest. The whole collection is good as always and increasingly imaginative but I didn’t connect as much emotionally as I have with his previous works. Ghoul, Elliot Spencer, and the title story all stand out as excellent additions to the bibliography.
Saunders has a firm grasp on the American psyche. In this collection, he tackles the recent dystopian future, corroding memories, trauma, aging, and the moral dilemma of self-preservation in a society built to take advantage of you. I’m left totally enthralled and anxious.
challenging
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
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:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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