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bradbury's review
4.25
NEEDED THIS! so satisfying how many of these gave me a "WOW. deep breath" moment after finishing them. my favorites were: clementine, carmelita, dog by david means, paradise by yxta maya murray, in this sort of world the asshole wins by christa romanosky, and biology by kevin wilson--but also all of them. wish this wasn't a library copy.
zoot's review
5.0
This is my first short story collection and I chose it because Jesmyn Ward curated it and I enjoyed almost every story!
officialmichaelcera's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Jesmyn Ward my U of M alumni beloved. Favorite stories: To Buffalo Eastward; Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain; Paradise; Good Boy; Portrait of Two Young Ladies in White and Green Robes (Unidentified Artist, circa Sixteenth Century); In This Sort of World, the Asshole Wins; You Are My Dear Friend; Biology
ckiyoko's review
4.0
General Thoughts:
This is an eclectic (and strong) mix of stories. From stories about family grief and imperialism through the lens of a video game, to stories about individuals who struggle to define their worth outside of how they can be of use to others, all roads lead to the interior in this collection (which feels emblematic of the world at large and lockdown tbh)
My personal Top Five from the anthology (in no particular order):
-Jamal Jan Kochai’s “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain”
-Eloghosa Osunde’s “Good Boy”
-Shantra Sigers’, “A Way With Bea”
-Rita Chang-Eppig’s “The Miracle Girl”
-Yxta Maya Murray’s “Paradise”
-Jane Pek’s “Portrait of Two Young Ladies in White and Green Robes (Unidentified Artist, circa Sixteenth Century)”
Petty Grievance:
George Saunders' "Love Letter" was a bit of a letdown for me. There's a clear reaching towards interacting with civil unrest and responses to recent protests, but because the story remains intentionally vague, it feels untethered and loses some of its resonance. Ironically, the refusal to provide any specificity prevented this story from feeling broadly applicable.
This is an eclectic (and strong) mix of stories. From stories about family grief and imperialism through the lens of a video game, to stories about individuals who struggle to define their worth outside of how they can be of use to others, all roads lead to the interior in this collection (which feels emblematic of the world at large and lockdown tbh)
My personal Top Five from the anthology (in no particular order):
-Jamal Jan Kochai’s “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain”
-Eloghosa Osunde’s “Good Boy”
-Shantra Sigers’, “A Way With Bea”
-Rita Chang-Eppig’s “The Miracle Girl”
-Yxta Maya Murray’s “Paradise”
-Jane Pek’s “Portrait of Two Young Ladies in White and Green Robes (Unidentified Artist, circa Sixteenth Century)”
Petty Grievance:
George Saunders' "Love Letter" was a bit of a letdown for me. There's a clear reaching towards interacting with civil unrest and responses to recent protests, but because the story remains intentionally vague, it feels untethered and loses some of its resonance. Ironically, the refusal to provide any specificity prevented this story from feeling broadly applicable.
camilleisreading24's review
3.0
I look forward to these collections every year! It's always a great opportunity to discover new authors and I find that each guest editor has a different taste/flair in picking stories. Perhaps fitting for the year defined by a global pandemic and a contentious election that was defined as a battle for the soul of the nation, many of these stories are dark. I found it difficult to read some of the stories, since 2020 left me wanting to feel hopeful. Standouts in the collection are "The Miracle Girl" by Rita Chang-Eppig, "Escape from the Dysphesiac People" by Brandon Hobson, and "Love Letter" by George Saunders. My absolute favorite story was "Switzerland" by Nicole Krauss. I love stories told by someone looking back on their childhood understanding of the world and people in it with the added wisdom of adulthood. If you typically enjoy the best American short story collections, you should pick this one up.
nuhafariha's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Now available.
Whew, Jesmyn Ward has assembled a fantastic lineup of contemporary authors for this anthology. From new & emerging authors like C Pam Zhang to eminent literary giants like George Saunders, the collection explores the mythical, mystical and realistic. There are fairy tales, hood tales, Gothic tales and even an odd email or two. I absolutely could not stop reading it! Highly recommend this collection to anyone in the mood for a change.
Now available.
Whew, Jesmyn Ward has assembled a fantastic lineup of contemporary authors for this anthology. From new & emerging authors like C Pam Zhang to eminent literary giants like George Saunders, the collection explores the mythical, mystical and realistic. There are fairy tales, hood tales, Gothic tales and even an odd email or two. I absolutely could not stop reading it! Highly recommend this collection to anyone in the mood for a change.
nuhafariha's review
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Now available.
Whew, Jesmyn Ward has assembled a fantastic lineup of contemporary authors for this anthology. From new & emerging authors like C Pam Zhang to eminent literary giants like George Saunders, the collection explores the mythical, mystical and realistic. There are fairy tales, hood tales, Gothic tales and even an odd email or two. I absolutely could not stop reading it! Highly recommend this collection to anyone in the mood for a change.
Now available.
Whew, Jesmyn Ward has assembled a fantastic lineup of contemporary authors for this anthology. From new & emerging authors like C Pam Zhang to eminent literary giants like George Saunders, the collection explores the mythical, mystical and realistic. There are fairy tales, hood tales, Gothic tales and even an odd email or two. I absolutely could not stop reading it! Highly recommend this collection to anyone in the mood for a change.