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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
While I can appreciate what Saunders is trying to do, this wasn't my cup of tea.
I would say the main theme throughout these short stories is adherence to the rules, or lack thereof, and its intersection with selfishness. I didn't like any of the characters. Most of them had a creative approach to morality, but the ones that didn't were almost worse in their blandness.
The commentary on class, envy and a distorted sense of justice was well done, but I'm someone who likes satire and black humour, and the tone of this book was bleaker than what I find enjoyable. Your taste may be different. "The Mom of Bold Action" was definitely my favourite out of the bunch, with a protagonist trying to navigate justice and guilt from a very base level position of privilege that's very relatable in a horrible way.
I would say the main theme throughout these short stories is adherence to the rules, or lack thereof, and its intersection with selfishness. I didn't like any of the characters. Most of them had a creative approach to morality, but the ones that didn't were almost worse in their blandness.
The commentary on class, envy and a distorted sense of justice was well done, but I'm someone who likes satire and black humour, and the tone of this book was bleaker than what I find enjoyable. Your taste may be different. "The Mom of Bold Action" was definitely my favourite out of the bunch, with a protagonist trying to navigate justice and guilt from a very base level position of privilege that's very relatable in a horrible way.
Challenging, discomforting, strange—I love me some Saunders.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's mostly variations on familiar themes for Saunders, but still so so great.
Favorite stories: Liberation Day, The Mom of Bold Action, Elliott Spencer.
In a way it's great to read this after having read (a few of) his previous collections. It's pretty rewarding to find all the new ways he has to approach similar settings and themes: post-apocalyptic amusement parks and dystopian servitude, or the minor moral failings and tribulations of everyday people striving for beauty and redemption.
Favorite stories: Liberation Day, The Mom of Bold Action, Elliott Spencer.
In a way it's great to read this after having read (a few of) his previous collections. It's pretty rewarding to find all the new ways he has to approach similar settings and themes: post-apocalyptic amusement parks and dystopian servitude, or the minor moral failings and tribulations of everyday people striving for beauty and redemption.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
Super unique collection, experimentative in ways that succeeds and fails.
Liberation Day: 4.5
The Mom of Bold Action: 4.5
Love Letter: 5 (oooof)
A Thing at Work: 4
Sparrow: 4
Ghoul: 3
Mother’s Day: 1 (he already did this style of narration in A Thing at Work and it was much more successful, this is…yeash..)
Elliot Spencer: 3 (interesting approach just needed to get a little deeper into the political theme imo)
My House: 4
i think there’s an interesting skill in developing unique voices for the wide variety of characters that populate saunders’s stories, and it always adds texture and depth for me. also this may be a me thing, but i was put off by the baseline heteronormative and monogamous relationships that animated most of the conflict in these stories. seems tough to be a straight person living with that status quo.