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catuli's review against another edition
4.0
Jenny Slate posted about this so I didn't hesitate to check it out. Weird, sad and funny.
fallohide's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I can be quite a slow reader but I plowed through this in one sitting. I loved it.
namakurhea's review against another edition
3.0
Reading this book is like sitting down with a group of friends; each one of them telling you snippets of their sexcapades and dating stories from last summer. In a stylishly choppy and conversational prose, Daniel Zomparelli drags you to the table and make you listen stories that will make you go, "awww", "oh no she didnt", "spill the t sis", ":(". My favorites have got to be Ryan's dates, "Fake Boyfriend", and Ryan's date with NotallIcan.
The style of the prose is not my taste (I prefer very traditional long paragraphs). But, the author's chosen style is really the best suited one for this colleaction... so I wouldn't have it any other way tbh! I still would recommend this. Those of us who missed going out for a beer since the rona will be one of the ones who would enjoy this, I think (like meeee).
The style of the prose is not my taste (I prefer very traditional long paragraphs). But, the author's chosen style is really the best suited one for this colleaction... so I wouldn't have it any other way tbh! I still would recommend this. Those of us who missed going out for a beer since the rona will be one of the ones who would enjoy this, I think (like meeee).
gsroney's review against another edition
4.0
“‘You never told your mom you're gay?’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘She was so sick, and the doctors said she
couldn't handle much shock. Her heart was so bad.
I couldn't tell her. I was afraid that if I told her, it
would break her heart, and I'd be the last person to
break it.’
‘Oh, Daniel."
‘It feels like all we ever do in this world is
break each others' hearts.’"
“I ask him if he is happy, and he says he's not sure. He asks me if I am happy, and I say I'm not sure—I don't really know if I've been the ‘happy’ everyone means when they say the word. I know I've felt joy, and I've felt many moments of joy chained together to form happiness.”
This is not a collection for everyone. The writing style feels simplistic, but that adds to the sardonic and feckless tone that is pervasive through all of the stories. While darkly funny, each story deals with the complexities of gay hookups and relationships, insecurities, overwhelming anxiety, and ultimately a fear of happiness, or at least a lack of understanding of how to be happy.
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘She was so sick, and the doctors said she
couldn't handle much shock. Her heart was so bad.
I couldn't tell her. I was afraid that if I told her, it
would break her heart, and I'd be the last person to
break it.’
‘Oh, Daniel."
‘It feels like all we ever do in this world is
break each others' hearts.’"
“I ask him if he is happy, and he says he's not sure. He asks me if I am happy, and I say I'm not sure—I don't really know if I've been the ‘happy’ everyone means when they say the word. I know I've felt joy, and I've felt many moments of joy chained together to form happiness.”
This is not a collection for everyone. The writing style feels simplistic, but that adds to the sardonic and feckless tone that is pervasive through all of the stories. While darkly funny, each story deals with the complexities of gay hookups and relationships, insecurities, overwhelming anxiety, and ultimately a fear of happiness, or at least a lack of understanding of how to be happy.
jonbot666's review against another edition
3.0
I found the narrative frustrating at times but it felt realistic In terms of what gay dating is like. There are 3 amazing stories here. The rest are vignettes and really do exemplify the futile loneliness of love in the digital age. However, I think this is prose constructed as if it were poetry and the nuance gets lost a bit. Like a lot of romances, I felt it ended just as I had become fully immersed.
Very much worth a read, especially if you're familiar with Vancouver and it's landmarks.
Very much worth a read, especially if you're familiar with Vancouver and it's landmarks.
dessa's review against another edition
4.0
Oh my god. This collection is so snarky and self-centered and tender and dreamy and insecure and desperate and plain weird, and I loved every minute of it. I wish there was more. I finished this book and immediately called my neighbour and made him borrow it.
barkylee15's review against another edition
4.0
3.75. I don't know what I was expecting when I started reading this, but I didn't expect it to be so funny, yet also moving in parts or to be charmed by some of these characters. Since it is a short story collection, there are often going to be misses mixed in with the winners, and this is true here. But overall, I enjoyed this collection quite a bit.
huckleberryrk's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Intriguing. For the depressed gay man in your life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Death, Car accident, and Grief
Minor: Body horror