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ladainton's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
2.75
Some stories were better than others, obviously. Overall, i disliked more than I liked but there were some passages that i really related to and lines that resonated with me. My favorites were: Brief Important Moments Where I Was the Only Person on Earth, At the Horizon, A Strange and Difficult Joy, and Part and Apart. I think it would be an interesting read to discuss with other people.
My favorite quote was:
It was about the solitude: the lack of obligation to arrange my face in a way that someone else would understand. Even at age twelve, I understood the weight of that burden, and the relief of its absence. It was the banality of those nights I longed for, doing nothing but doing it completely alone.
And
It was an enormous relief to not want anything from anyone, to not worry about whether I could persuade anyone to love me.
My favorite quote was:
It was about the solitude: the lack of obligation to arrange my face in a way that someone else would understand. Even at age twelve, I understood the weight of that burden, and the relief of its absence. It was the banality of those nights I longed for, doing nothing but doing it completely alone.
And
It was an enormous relief to not want anything from anyone, to not worry about whether I could persuade anyone to love me.
quantumspook's review
A balm for those of us who wander the world alone, by either design or fate.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
exlibrisvita's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Hard to rate an anthology - some of the essays have really stayed with me and others have not at all. Still, an interesting topic to explore!
whatbluereads's review
3.0
Interesting read.
I didn't quite connect to each of the stories shared by the various authors, however, I think each unique perspective of loneliness was so fascinating to read. This collection shows us that no matter who you are, race, religious beliefs, or even sexual orientation, at some point in your life you will feel lonely, but the most important part is, how you overcome that feeling of loneliness and enjoy your time alone with yourself.
I didn't quite connect to each of the stories shared by the various authors, however, I think each unique perspective of loneliness was so fascinating to read. This collection shows us that no matter who you are, race, religious beliefs, or even sexual orientation, at some point in your life you will feel lonely, but the most important part is, how you overcome that feeling of loneliness and enjoy your time alone with yourself.
bookishlychar's review
3.0
The Lonely Stories is a series of essays about the joys and struggles of being alone. There are 22 stories in this collection, some heart breaking, some lovely. These stories made me think and some hit close to home. As with any anthology or collection, some of the stories were not ones I enjoyed, but others I absolutely loved.
My favourites in this collections were: "Javelinas" by Claire Dederer, "At the Horizon" by Maggie Shipstead, "Exodus 2020" by Emily Raboteau and "On Witness and Respair" by Jesmyn Ward.
This collection is a diverse look at loneliness in many facets, including on writers move toward sobriety, living with chronic illness, being an immigrant and not understanding language, the loss of a loved one and the beginning of Covid in 2020. These stories don't only focus on the sadness and despair that often comes with loneliness, but it also focusses on the solitude and insight you can gain.
It was wonderful to read this variety of stories and I appreciated the various takes on loneliness. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.
My favourites in this collections were: "Javelinas" by Claire Dederer, "At the Horizon" by Maggie Shipstead, "Exodus 2020" by Emily Raboteau and "On Witness and Respair" by Jesmyn Ward.
This collection is a diverse look at loneliness in many facets, including on writers move toward sobriety, living with chronic illness, being an immigrant and not understanding language, the loss of a loved one and the beginning of Covid in 2020. These stories don't only focus on the sadness and despair that often comes with loneliness, but it also focusses on the solitude and insight you can gain.
It was wonderful to read this variety of stories and I appreciated the various takes on loneliness. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.