Reviews

Gunflower by Laura Jean McKay

othersociologist's review against another edition

funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abortion and Child death

julziez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

netflix_and_lil's review

4.0

How do you even rate short story collections??

I was pleasantly surprised by Laura Jean McKay's collection after struggling with her debut (which I would like to revisit after a much more academic friend broke down the thesis behind the book) specifically due to the writing style. In this collection you get to see more variety as the author experiments with different styles, genres and perspectives. Some stories were grounded in reality (Twenty Twenty, Smoko) while some were set in a speculative future (Gunflower, Cats At The Firefront) and some were wildly outlandish and unspeakably bizarre (including Flying Rods, my favourite of the bunch; it reminded me of Our Wives Under the Sea in it's exploration of metamorphosis and body horror, and felt like it went the brutal place I wanted The Animals In That Country to go).

While not every story stuck with me, the ones mentioned above definitely left their mark, especially the titular Gunflower, which reflected on the (abominable) decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in the US with a unique perspective and setting. The audiobook was a great way of experiencing these stories with a solid narrator who understood the assignment with every shift in genre and tone.

teawitheames's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Animal death, Infertility, and Abortion

munyapenny's review

challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

espressoroast's review

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

mandypandyrox's review

Just. Can’t. Do. This. 

archytas's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

There is discordance in McKay's writing which unsettles. Eerie things happen. People, continents disappear. Rocks mutter. Cats are farmed and chickens cuddled. She draws meaning out of the everyday, but it is not quite *our* everyday, but a world slightly off kilter from the familiar. In a book of short stories, this discordance starts to feel repetitious, weakening some of the power of McKay's prose. I found myself drawn to some of the more *straight* pieces, especially Smoko and Lightning Man which both deal with working life and the anxieties of insecure workers. The titular Gunflower is also excellent, as is the delightfully askew Cats at the Firefront - these longer pieces allow McKay to flex her considerable characterisation muscles. I'm not sure McKay will ever be a writer I love or a writer I am content not to read. There is something compelling in the unsettling

katebushofficial's review

3.0

mixed bag- smoko is a 5/5 though

runslikesnail's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Whoa. 
That was sometimes powerful,  often uncomfortable and always thought-provoking.  I'll be thinking about some of these stories for a very long time ...