Reviews

Glorious Frazzled Beings by Angelique LaLonde

lucian_childs's review

3.0

I got a third of the way through this collection and stopped. Perhaps I’m a simpleton. I enjoy stories with flesh and blood characters, real-seeming places, things happening that matter, that move me. None of that is present in these murky poetic stories. I don’t like to give up on a book. I know the effort it takes to write one. But there are too many to read and so little time.

tararhiannon's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

smalltownbookmom's review

3.0

3.5 - Two short story collections back to back! Crazy times for me. It's no secret I'm not usually a fan of short stories but I actually really enjoyed the majority of the ones in this collection by a Canadian author. Relatable, likeable characters with bits of fantasy interspersed that kept things original and interesting. Definitely recommended and good on audio! Shortlisted for the Giller Prize.

imworthyandenough's review

2.0

Not for me. Made it to 15%. But I just couldn’t seem to connect with it or “get it” at all :(

kell_xavi's review

mysterious reflective slow-paced

3.0

I liked: 
Malarkey
Puff
Her Unspoken Name
The Teeny Ghost People

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Animal death, Infertility, and Infidelity

Minor: Religious bigotry and Terminal illness

lori_reads_everything's review

4.0

Glorious Frazzled Beings is a collection of short stories like none I've ever read. Alternating between stories of the paranormal (tiny ghosts, disappearing towns and boys with fox ears), and heartbreakingly authentic stories of addiction and lost families, you can't help but feel all the feels. I also don't mind telling you that there were a few stories in here that I didn't understand AT ALL, but I'm okay with that. Angelique Lalonde reminds us throughout this whole book that even at our worst we still dare to believe in magic, and then she shows us what magic looks like. I am a fan.

stephanielam27's review

5.0

Best short story collection I've read so far! Lalonde doesn't shy away from things Canadians would rather forget. Full of metaphors I have yet to fully untangle. Surprised this work didn't win the Giller Prize. Was hooked on every page. Written so beautifully I swear there's magic in it. Favourite ones were "The Town Carmen Found," "Home (in Four Parts)," "Reflections for Rita-Mae," "The Pregnancy Test" (so original and ingenious yet so obvious and mundane), and "Ropes of Entropy/ Her Unspoken Name" (a twist on the Cain/ Abel story?).

From page 20: "Carmen's spirit was filled in the dream world, in her forest wanders, and the town Carmen found was rife with the stuff in which spirit could flourish, embedded thickly in the divine. Oh behold! she would exclaim in empty rooms wearing all the trappings of their inhabitants' messy lives. Alas, the glory! Bells ringing through the air, soft kisses of a humanity we wish for but otherwise fail to manifest. Quiet in the spaces between- absurdly and tenderly beautiful."

From page 95: "She tells you she has been reading articles online about pleasure and attempts to guide you through some pelvic exercises intended to increase your orgasmic potential. She tells you it is your birthright. All through this you are squeezing so hard with every muscle of your body, trying to shut her out without appearing disrespectful, because she is emotionally sensitive and you do not want to clamp down on her freedoms with your sorrow, although you wonder if her hard-won freedoms have something to do with where your sorrow came from in the first place."

amandabereska's review

challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

brndnwrght's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.0

tinamayreads's review

5.0

GLORIOUS FRAZZLED BEINGS by Angélique Lalonde is a stunning short story collection! I loved this book! I read this book quite slowly over two weeks as some of the stories dealt with some heavy topics such as grief and addiction but overall it was a really enjoyable read! I loved the surrealism, magic and inventiveness in this book! I liked all the stories and my faves were all from Part Three: Home Breaking. The Pregnancy Test which is a story about women who find a pregnancy test in a public washroom. I loved the discussion around pregnancy, motherhood, privacy and womanhood. And my other two fave stories Ropes of Entropy and Her Unspoken Name are interconnected featuring the same characters. I loved the touch of magic and interplay between humans and animals in those two stories. This is a great debut and I would love to read anything by this author in the future!
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And a big congrats to Angélique for being chosen for the 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist!
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Thank you to Giller Prize for my gifted copy!