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sabalekhan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
turtlewoman101's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up this book on the recommendation of the Reading Women podcast and it didn't disappoint. I really loved this book and I am not a big fan of short stories. The stories were full of beautiful prose, magic, witchy women, alien blobs, a mermaid, an underground cave, hopelessness and hope. I did not want to put this book down. My only criticism is there weren't enough stories. I can't wait for more.
greeneggsnpham's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
yourwitch_hekate's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
meghan111's review against another edition
5.0
Each story in this collection is a complete little universe. Spanning a multitude of different settings and characters, each of the nine stories takes you on a journey of transformation. From a man on a commercial fishing vessel who sees a mermaid, to a woman fascinated by a cave she discovers near her home, each story verges on feeling post-apocalyptic while also clearly maintaining a link with our reality. The most unforgettable may be "Manus," set in a world where aliens have conquered earth and are now forcing humans to have their hands removed and replaced with metal tines. It is so strange and yet so resonant.
For 2019, my reading goal has been to read one story each night before bed - this new routine has made the last part of each day a more pleasurable and calm time, and I feel like I am taking better care of myself. If you want to enjoy the feeling of finishing something, if you are bogged down trying to complete a book that just won't end, or if you are sick of 800-page doorstop novels, I suggest trying a a short story collection by a contemporary author!
For 2019, my reading goal has been to read one story each night before bed - this new routine has made the last part of each day a more pleasurable and calm time, and I feel like I am taking better care of myself. If you want to enjoy the feeling of finishing something, if you are bogged down trying to complete a book that just won't end, or if you are sick of 800-page doorstop novels, I suggest trying a a short story collection by a contemporary author!
spinstah's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great collection of stories. They cross, and blend, genres in a way that I really enjoyed. There’s an element of the fantastic to each, and what it is varies from magical creatures to extreme scientific advances.
shewwimonster's review against another edition
2.0
There is some great writing here, but I didn't really connect with any of the stories.
lindsayb's review against another edition
4.0
It took me until I was about halfway through to realize that I liked the book (I think I was just in a bad mood when I started reading it and then I was stuck on a plane... :/ ), but then I realized that I really liked this book. Such a great blend of realistic and fantasy/weird fiction. I'm also a sucker for mermaid tales when the mermaids are given more animalistic characteristics than human.
holly_ed_'s review against another edition
2.0
An interestingly written collection of grotesque, stylized short stories that made me wonder if it’s necessary to like the writing to enjoy the book. I gobbled down the first installment, The World by Night, a really inventive and surprising story told with deftness and a surety of phrase, but then found myself cooling as I progressed, knowing I should be admiring the writing but actually, not enjoying the plots.
The collection explores ideas of fate and predestination, often railing / cautioning against the ordinariness of life and speculating how much you can alter or take revenge on the world around you. Stories range from a millworker who ends up finding ancient artifacts in the desert after a bizarre accident, to a seaman being captivated by a mermaid, to kidnapped women exerting their own mysterious powers over their captors.
While I found the ideas interesting, I was never completely immersed in these unsettling mirror universes (almost ours but not quite). Maybe the point is to make the reader unsettled, but I found some of the ideas so fantastical that I couldn’t wrap my head around them, the world they occurred in too similar to mine it suspend my disbelief. A failing on my part, I think rather than the writing, as this collection has had rave reviews all over the place. I always have to work hard at short stories, and these were just too much hard work for me.
The collection explores ideas of fate and predestination, often railing / cautioning against the ordinariness of life and speculating how much you can alter or take revenge on the world around you. Stories range from a millworker who ends up finding ancient artifacts in the desert after a bizarre accident, to a seaman being captivated by a mermaid, to kidnapped women exerting their own mysterious powers over their captors.
While I found the ideas interesting, I was never completely immersed in these unsettling mirror universes (almost ours but not quite). Maybe the point is to make the reader unsettled, but I found some of the ideas so fantastical that I couldn’t wrap my head around them, the world they occurred in too similar to mine it suspend my disbelief. A failing on my part, I think rather than the writing, as this collection has had rave reviews all over the place. I always have to work hard at short stories, and these were just too much hard work for me.
kayleeaspen's review against another edition
5.0
These stories were amazing! Each was unique in its own way, and they all leave you desiring more.