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skeltzer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Uneven stories. Some were great and others skippable. The American stories were less interesting than then Irish stories. Not entirely sure the highly disturbing language was called for.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Grief
tomaxhull's review
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Several of these stories were excellent - deft with language, capturing small details of life (especially life in Ireland, and the tense relationships between men and women) incredibly vividly. I was gearing up to give it 4 or 5 stars. Then one felt weirdly racist: dropping the n word, through character voice, but not remotely necessarily -- and seeming to depict a black man being accused of rape in a way you assumed would lead somewhere and was instead left ambiguous.
Huh, I thought, maybe I missed the point. Then another one was also casually derogatory about black people, in character voice. Then the final story in the collection, about a child going missing,mentioned her being enticed away by a black stranger. This detail appears to have no relevance, and what actually happened is not resolved. I... what? What's going on here? Really weird. I wish I could recommend this work but I truly can't.
Huh, I thought, maybe I missed the point. Then another one was also casually derogatory about black people, in character voice. Then the final story in the collection, about a child going missing,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, and Racial slurs
hollyrebecca's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Lyrically written stories that speak to the darkness in humans, their faults and dreams. Each was so well written, but some of these stories will never leave me: Antarctica, The Ginger Rogers Sermon, and Sisters
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Abortion, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Murder, Racial slurs, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Racism
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