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zibby's review
4.0
This is an outstanding debut collection of short stories - filled to bursting with fresh ideas, sartorial swipes and dark humour. Many stories deal with human relationships boiled down to essentials or given a surrealist twist to bring out new perspectives (take for example the opening story, Moving On - where poor widows are sent to a detention centre to await husband reassignment - really a perceptive exploration of grief of a loved one). For me though, the strongest stories where those that tackled ideas around motherhood and children. The stand-out story for me was Somebody's Baby, surrounding a mysterious man who took people's first, second or even third born children. It addressed issues of motherhood, especially new mothers and feelings of indecency, that I've not really seen much of in fiction. Other stories such as The Not-Needed Forest are full more violent urges and the 'darker' side of humanity. The prose is direct and unfussy, cutting through the more strange/surreal elements and ground the stories in reality.
okaima's review
4.0
Don't think the author meant for this book to be frightening but it really frightened me. I got to the end feeling like *what did I just read?? Give me more!!*
Might be the strangest thing I have ever read and I don't mean that in a bad way
Might be the strangest thing I have ever read and I don't mean that in a bad way
beckylej's review
4.0
Cook's theme here is, of course, man versus nature, but within this theme the stories themselves run the gamut from man literally versus nature to man versus human nature and everything in between! The interesting and unexpected thing about this collection is that most of the stories are set in post apocalyptic and even somewhat dystopian worlds. Worlds in which spouses are assigned rather than chosen and children are determined to be necessary or not. Worlds overcome by natural and unnatural forces. Worlds in which the unbelievable are everyday occurrences.
Some of Cook's stories are amusing, some are shocking, and most fall somewhere in between. All of them are a bit weird, to be honest, but every one of the chosen pieces for the collection fit together to perfectly illustrate Cook's obvious talent as a storyteller.
A couple of my personal favorites in the collection are "Moving On," where a newly widowed woman faces a new life without her husband, all the while waiting for a new husband to bid for her hand and "Somebody's Baby," a tale that brings to mind legends of changelings.
Man v. Nature is quirky and dark, likely to hit the spot for a particular set of readers, but it's also an altogether fantastic collection.
Some of Cook's stories are amusing, some are shocking, and most fall somewhere in between. All of them are a bit weird, to be honest, but every one of the chosen pieces for the collection fit together to perfectly illustrate Cook's obvious talent as a storyteller.
A couple of my personal favorites in the collection are "Moving On," where a newly widowed woman faces a new life without her husband, all the while waiting for a new husband to bid for her hand and "Somebody's Baby," a tale that brings to mind legends of changelings.
Man v. Nature is quirky and dark, likely to hit the spot for a particular set of readers, but it's also an altogether fantastic collection.
friedbooks's review
4.0
I have been trying to find a short story collection that utilized both themes of nature and oppression based on gender. This collection delivered both. The purpose of this was for a class I teach, but the overall effect was quite enjoyable. The only reason I take one star away is that the book got rather heavy at points, with no stories to really let you take a breath. I understand wanting each story to hit heavily, and this collection not being meant for happy endings, and the characters were interesting ...but you can’t root for them. And, when you can, the story reveals more and more of them until you can’t. For that, the book stays true, and the book wins. But, if you were looking for a little hope amongst the pain, I guess you’re looking in the wrong place, or you have to look harder than I did.
anke's review
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cori_reads's review
5.0
If you read one book of short stories this year pick this one. Each story is set in a strange slightly off world that sets the tone for the insecurities or sense of loss that the characters can't quite describe. Eerie, beautiful and gut-wrenching. Exactly what the form of short story does perfectly.
reishail's review
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jeffreyp's review
5.0
I had high expectations for this book, based on the themes involved, and those expectations were surpassed. I liked every story in this book very much--and two of the stories will, I think, stay with me forever. Just a stellar work, with interesting-yet-accessible language, fascinating tableaux, and so many of the themes I love to explore in books, with death and humor right there together at the top.
theinvisiblecosmo's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
biscuithead's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0