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lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
reflectiverambling_nalana's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Full disclosure: I won an advanced reader copy via goodreads of this novel. Review is based on uncorrected proof.
Overall rating: 3.5/5
All of us at one point or another have a moment looking at their life and thinking 'what if'. To those I know from the millennial generation it seems to be persistent enough to even be considered a pre-mid-life crisis. What are all the ways things could have been different if I hadn't ___, if I had ___, be it a decision as in what career to take or what store you stopped at on a certain day. "In Universes" is certainly not the first work to ever go over this idea, but in this hodgepodge glance at a handful of different paths brings the idea to life with immense heart and more than a little few helpings of bizarre.
THis is not going to be a story collection for everyone. Some of the other lives are rather domestic filled with every day trials. Some are dystopian or straight up horror. Some play with heavy helpings of magical realism. Some of the universes I would have loved to see more of. There's a story in which an octopi has a role to play that I'm still puzzled over. it's not for someone unwilling to take huge leaps of faith and open to a spread of metaphors as they are often framed as trauma coping mechanisms.
What makes this collection so fascinating to me is to see what things are seen as integral to a person, and what things can change. Things that we associate as being essential to who we are aren't set in stone across these options. Gender identity, age, all of those things can shift. Yet some things remain the same. Raffi always has the heart of a scientist and always falls under the queer umbrella. Britt always has her horse. There is a melancholy and searching and tragedy in different forms as well as persistence to move forward. All of this is framed by the narrative of the first alternative and only seeing how each story built upon, leap frogged, from the last splintering point, makes what could be a kitschy message of hope and learning to embrace yourself, to forgive and love yourself, truly heart felt.
But, as with short story collections, your enjoyment of each universe is greatly going to determine how you feel about the piece as a whole. I'm no exception. Some were entertaining or thought provoking. Some fell flat.
Overall rating: 3.5/5
All of us at one point or another have a moment looking at their life and thinking 'what if'. To those I know from the millennial generation it seems to be persistent enough to even be considered a pre-mid-life crisis. What are all the ways things could have been different if I hadn't ___, if I had ___, be it a decision as in what career to take or what store you stopped at on a certain day. "In Universes" is certainly not the first work to ever go over this idea, but in this hodgepodge glance at a handful of different paths brings the idea to life with immense heart and more than a little few helpings of bizarre.
THis is not going to be a story collection for everyone. Some of the other lives are rather domestic filled with every day trials. Some are dystopian or straight up horror. Some play with heavy helpings of magical realism. Some of the universes I would have loved to see more of. There's a story in which an octopi has a role to play that I'm still puzzled over. it's not for someone unwilling to take huge leaps of faith and open to a spread of metaphors as they are often framed as trauma coping mechanisms.
What makes this collection so fascinating to me is to see what things are seen as integral to a person, and what things can change. Things that we associate as being essential to who we are aren't set in stone across these options. Gender identity, age, all of those things can shift. Yet some things remain the same. Raffi always has the heart of a scientist and always falls under the queer umbrella. Britt always has her horse. There is a melancholy and searching and tragedy in different forms as well as persistence to move forward. All of this is framed by the narrative of the first alternative and only seeing how each story built upon, leap frogged, from the last splintering point, makes what could be a kitschy message of hope and learning to embrace yourself, to forgive and love yourself, truly heart felt.
But, as with short story collections, your enjoyment of each universe is greatly going to determine how you feel about the piece as a whole. I'm no exception. Some were entertaining or thought provoking. Some fell flat.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
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