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ayeyoblack's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trentthompson's review against another edition
4.0
My favorite stories were: 1) An Orange Line Train to Ballston, 2) The Store, and 3) His Mother’s House.
ttbaby159's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed reading all of these short stories. This book makes me want to read more short story/anthology books for sure! Overall, I'd give this book a 3.5/5!
j_f's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I had liked this book more. There were a few stories in the middle, and the last story, that spoke to me, but the rest were just OK and even those few were not amazing.
I will easily say that a few passages from the story were very clever. I wish there was either more story or more meaning. Or both, I guess.
Maybe I'm not a huge fan of short story anthologies. I tend not to take to them. Something is just... Lacking.
I will easily say that a few passages from the story were very clever. I wish there was either more story or more meaning. Or both, I guess.
Maybe I'm not a huge fan of short story anthologies. I tend not to take to them. Something is just... Lacking.
spiderfelt's review against another edition
3.0
Considering the accolades given this book, and the fact that it has been published continually for twenty+ years, I wanted to give this book a fair shot. While I can't put my finger on any single thing, I realized after reading the first half, that I was reading out of a sense of duty, and not from any pleasure I was deriving from the book. Life is too short to read books for that reason, so I'm putting it away. Undoubtedly, it will strike a chord with someone.
jess_segraves's review against another edition
2.0
I felt strangely unmoved by any of the stories, and I found the dialogue-heavy prose stilted and unemotional at times.
erink87's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Ableism, and Domestic abuse
drbird's review against another edition
4.0
Very good collection. I can't wait to have some time to finish reading it. Strong voices, strong characterization, a variety of thoughts and feelings. I'm glad Jones is not just another flavor of the minute. I'll happily read more of his work.
krisharris525's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0