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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I’m a sucker for short stories, and George Saunders does them like no one else. His ability to look out so deeply and truly from such a menagerie of minds, without pretentiousness, is unrivaled. I haven’t loved all of his works, but this one I certainly did.
slow-paced
One novella, eight short stories, all classic Saunders. At times this felt like the Saunders of his very first collection CivilWarLand in Bad Decline and that was just fine with me. But then a story like Sparrow comes along and you realise we’re all a little more sentimental than we used to be and that’s just fine with me, too. A damn fine writer doing damn fine work.
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
His writing. Makes me think. Like this. Perhaps.
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
George Saunders just doesn't miss. Excellent collection of stories.
Personal favorite was My House, but all of them were creative, profound, insane, funny, etc etc etc. You know, the usual Saunders stuff.
Some stories contained echoes of his earlier works (Liberation Day -> The Semplica-Girl Diaries and Ghoul -> Pastoralia), but all managed to inject enough new-ness that they didn't feel derivative at all.
Personal favorite was My House, but all of them were creative, profound, insane, funny, etc etc etc. You know, the usual Saunders stuff.
Some stories contained echoes of his earlier works (Liberation Day -> The Semplica-Girl Diaries and Ghoul -> Pastoralia), but all managed to inject enough new-ness that they didn't feel derivative at all.
I enjoyed this thought-provoking collection. Every story had a unique voice and explored an interesting setting or person. Even though I didn't love every story, I could still see the value and reason behind all of them.
Individual story ratings:
Liberation day: 4 stars
The mom of bold action: 2.5 stars
Love letter: 3
A thing at work: 4
Sparrow: 4.5
Ghoul: 4
Mother‘s day: 3.5
Elliot Spencer: 4
My house: 3
Individual story ratings:
Liberation day: 4 stars
The mom of bold action: 2.5 stars
Love letter: 3
A thing at work: 4
Sparrow: 4.5
Ghoul: 4
Mother‘s day: 3.5
Elliot Spencer: 4
My house: 3
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated