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nixieknox's review
3.0
No one does suburban ennui turned to despair like Tom perotta. A nice collection of short stories and I liked that one was even a tad hopeful. Glad I'm not paying hardcover prices though - it was a quick read.
miajmu's review
2.0
I like Tom Perotta's novels and I haven't ever thought they were super happy, but man this collection of short stories is a downer! Every story was filled with hopelessness and depression...
mikepage7176's review against another edition
2.0
If this is what he considers modern suburban life, I ask you what is the point? It is miserable, depressing, embarrassing, and shameful. He takes a slice of life for a small portion of people and writes it into every story, presumably that this is the way all are.
So what is the point? The prose is good, but not the stories. Look elsewhere for redemption from your perceived miserable, depressing, embarrassing, and shameful suburban lives.
So what is the point? The prose is good, but not the stories. Look elsewhere for redemption from your perceived miserable, depressing, embarrassing, and shameful suburban lives.
cool_new_jacket's review against another edition
dark
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
like a male response to "birds of america", and like that book, it feels like all these stories exist in the same latger world. it was good!
offbalance80's review against another edition
4.0
Some day, I'd like Tom Perrotta to write something (a novel, a short story, a novella) and call it "Look at your life, look at your choices." Because that is the true thread that ties all of his characters together. Nine Inches collects most (if not all) of the short stories that Perrotta has released into the wild (be it via internet or other publication) over the recent years into one bonanza of moderately affluent white people making genuinely stupid decisions and paying the price for them. (One of the reasons we can tell this is fiction, after all). In many of the stories, you feel no sympathy for these characters whatsoever, and the author never indicates that he wants you to, which is part of the reason I adore his writing. The sheer pileup of arrogant humanity does wear on the reader for the majority of the book, so I was grateful that Perrotta (or his editors) chose to leave the two more hopeful stories for the end. This is great if you enjoy short stories or particularly enjoy Tom Perrotta, but if you would like an introduction to the author, please make sure you pick up a copy of his marvelous novel Little Children as soon as you can (and avoid the movie that completely missed the point of the book).
alexander_reads's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
liamhall's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
bookhawk's review
5.0
Nine Inches is the best book of short stories I have encountered. Perotta created great characters and tales throughout the collection. Highly recommended reading.