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chirptrip's review against another edition
5.0
4.8 Rounded up
Shoutout to whoever donated this to a used bookstore I went into on a whim, I found this there and loved it!
Man, I really needed this collection to remind me that I like reading. The stories had me hooked, the concepts and spec. fiction aspects were good, the flow and inner character monologues and dialog felt extremely natural (and funny at times), and it really made me like reading again.
Highlights (hopefullyI won't reiterate the whole book lol):
Pilot, Copilot, Writer
The titular story (would the phrase "girlboss" fit here? You decide, lol.
The majority of the "A Meritorious Life" stories
The Artist's Voice
The two zombie-themed stories
"Wolf!"
The Disappearance of the Sebali Tribe
& Farewell, Africa
... okay, so I might have just mentioned like 7/10ths of the book, but still, it's really good.
Read this book if you want to get back into reading again. It has a good flow that makes you want to read more!
Shoutout to whoever donated this to a used bookstore I went into on a whim, I found this there and loved it!
Man, I really needed this collection to remind me that I like reading. The stories had me hooked, the concepts and spec. fiction aspects were good, the flow and inner character monologues and dialog felt extremely natural (and funny at times), and it really made me like reading again.
Highlights (hopefullyI won't reiterate the whole book lol):
Pilot, Copilot, Writer
The titular story (would the phrase "girlboss" fit here? You decide, lol.
The majority of the "A Meritorious Life" stories
The Artist's Voice
The two zombie-themed stories
"Wolf!"
The Disappearance of the Sebali Tribe
& Farewell, Africa
... okay, so I might have just mentioned like 7/10ths of the book, but still, it's really good.
Read this book if you want to get back into reading again. It has a good flow that makes you want to read more!
odd_eye's review against another edition
3.0
There are a few good stories and a more "okay" stories. after a while it felt like the author never really changed the style between stories so the tone of voice of narrator seemed almost like the same person was telling different stories even though that wasn't the case.
arden_time's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
dili's review against another edition
4.0
It was a bit hit and miss but really good nevertheless. The word is it's creative, unique and packing new twists.
fendergender's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
(slaps book cover) this bad boy can fit everything in it- weird stories, funny stories, unmemorable stories quickly replaced by even stranger stories, etc. not bad for a random $2 bargain book!
ilpreads's review
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
salbulga's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
kellylynnthomas's review against another edition
4.0
For anyone like me who is terrified of zombies, there are two zombie short stories in this collection! One is fine and not scary, but "Escape From the Mall" is awful if you don't like zombies. It's a great story, though. But there, I warned you.
The stories in this collection are full of mystical creatures, monsters, fantastic happenings, and brutal battles (literal and figurative). Gonzales uses detail to great effect (I'm still thinking about the way he described those zombies in "Escape From the Mall"... *shudder*). His characters are deeply flawed, ordinary people in bizarre situations. It's fascinating to see how they react, how they grow, how they break under pressure.
The stories in this collection are full of mystical creatures, monsters, fantastic happenings, and brutal battles (literal and figurative). Gonzales uses detail to great effect (I'm still thinking about the way he described those zombies in "Escape From the Mall"... *shudder*). His characters are deeply flawed, ordinary people in bizarre situations. It's fascinating to see how they react, how they grow, how they break under pressure.
jenibus's review against another edition
2.0
Man I just.... did not feel this book at all. Reading brief descriptions of the short stories this collection seemed absolutely perfect for me. A man who accidentally shrinks his wife and has to keep his war with her hidden from everyone else? A plane that flies in circles around Dallas for 20 years? A couple who have to isolate themselves from the world because sounds cause them physical harm? ALL OF THESE STORIES SOUND GREAT. Unfortunately, although the author was excellent at coming up with strange and interesting concepts to base his short stories on, they were not developed much beyond that. I understand that in the format of short story we don't have a lot of time get as in depth as we do with a novella or novel, but quite frequently the story would be nothing more than just explaining that a concept exists without any context or further investigation.
Full disclosure, I stopped reading after the ninth story in this collection. Of the nine I read, I only really liked one of the short stories, the titled Miniature Wife. Every other story seemed to rely heavily on telling rather than showing. There would be a lot of stating the bare facts of what's happening, which frustrated me to no end. Maybe I had too high of expectations with my love of all things weird and creepy, but I needed more substance than what was ultimately given. I'm sorry, book, but I really did not enjoy my time with you.
Full disclosure, I stopped reading after the ninth story in this collection. Of the nine I read, I only really liked one of the short stories, the titled Miniature Wife. Every other story seemed to rely heavily on telling rather than showing. There would be a lot of stating the bare facts of what's happening, which frustrated me to no end. Maybe I had too high of expectations with my love of all things weird and creepy, but I needed more substance than what was ultimately given. I'm sorry, book, but I really did not enjoy my time with you.
a_lyric_to_a_song's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5