Reviews

Florida by Lauren Groff

amm0029's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

lizzylikesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

dmsehnert's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

“it's marvelous to know another person's entire literary canon by heart. it's like knowing their secret personal language.”

mothers, lovers, friends, and fools all seeking that small, indiscernible missing  thing in their lives - none of them realize that, as mina says, the whole world is split open like a peach for them and all they have to do is reach.

but the florida heat drags on and on and on. it gets into your bones, breeds insanity and leaves you with an insatiable desire to fuck it all up. 

absolutely loved dogs go wolf, eyewall, for the god of love, for the love of god, above and below, and yport! 

she_reader's review against another edition

4.0

Exquisitely wrought tales, but on the depressing side.

paperandfiction's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

swivelhead's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.75

nahanarts's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

casebounder's review against another edition

3.0

Earlier this month I kicked off my #storySeptember with Lauren Groff’s FLORIDA. A few years back I’d read FATES & FURIES — Groff’s much-buzzed about novel on marriage and perspective — and enjoyed the characters, memorable scenes, and luscious but sometimes dense prose.

This collection definitely had a strong, stable vibe throughout, and started off strongly with the haunting haunting “Ghosts and Empties.” The Florida environment, with its wildlife and flora and weather, is a very present setting and connective tissue. While I didn’t quite connect with all of the stories, that’s pretty par for the course with me and short story collections. Other favorites included “The Midnight Zone,” “Salvador,” and “Snake Stories.”

jordan_uhden's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

3.0

alliekcav's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5