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laellede's review against another edition
3.0
One of those good books you like a lot, but don't love. Very enjoyable read.
auroraboringallofus's review against another edition
4.0
Insightful and unpredictable meditation on ideals, commitment, and loss.
amycrea's review against another edition
4.0
Really, 4.5 stars, and that only because the older I get, the more persnickety I get about giving 5 stars. Silber really knows how to write a book of interconnected short stories. Each of these stands alone beautifully, but together, they're larger than the sum of their parts. Even the cover art is perfect (once you've read the book).
dcmr's review against another edition
3.0
Well crafted and well-written but not especially moving. I liked the linked element, in which the character of one story shows up in another in a sideways kinds of way (as the child of a main character, or the grown-up version of a previous young character, etc).
akingston5's review against another edition
I've read so much good about this and have had it recommended to me a few times. Honestly, after the first story I'd lost interest-- it was difficult in each new piece to tell where I was or who I was with which was disorienting and did not help the flow of the narrative. I loved so many of the questions the book wrestled with, but the formatting and flow overshadowed them. I'm sure others have liked this, but it just wasn't for me.
sonia_reppe's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome. In every story there were sentences and paragraphs that were perfect! These realistic stories are so close to perfection; Silber is a master.
utdawson's review against another edition
2.0
Well-written, but not the compelling story it was portrayed to be. Interesting but also pretty depressing.
ringrrl's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this more than I did. I liked that the stories were all connected, even in the most minor ways, but overall this didn't thrill me.
janice_sumka's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mattmatros's review against another edition
4.0
An expertly crafted collection of stories, executed by a master of her craft. Joan Silber does wonders with character development in extremely small spaces, yet somehow also manages to weave in philosophy, history, humor, and oh yes, plot. She proves in these stories that she can write convincingly, and well, from just about any perspective, and her prose is a joy to read. The earlier stories resonated with me more than the last few, but this is still a hugely impressive work from an accomplished (and underrated?) artist.