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tildahlia's review
4.0
It was good to remember what I love about Eugenides after the dud that was The Marriage Plot. This collection of short stories span the last 15-20 years and are beautifully written. Weird, wonderful and slightly creepy, they will have you shifting in your seat as you read them. Particularly highlights were 'Baster', 'Early Music', 'Timeshare' and 'Find the Bad Guy'. A very solid collection.
thesanditun's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
carolyn0613's review against another edition
3.0
I have read about the half of the stories and did enjoy them. Unfortunately I get very confused by books of short stories as I tend to read a lot and quickly so can read several in one sitting. This feels disjointed and mars my enjoyment of each individual tale. But if you do like short stories, this is a great collection. I love Jeffrey Eugenides writing and from that point of view , this book does not disappoint
hamilgrom's review
3.0
This is the third book I have read by Jeffrey Eugenides. I have also read Middlesex, which I adored, and The Virgin Suicides, which I found completely underwhelming. My feelings on Fresh Complaint are a mix of my thoughts on his previous two works. Some of these stories I really did enjoy and have continued to think about (Fresh Complaint, The Oracular Vulva) others left me completely cold (Timeshare, Air Mail), some I did not enjoy but could appreciate (Capricious Gardens, Early Music) and others I forgot the moment after reading them (Baster, Find the Bad Guy). I'm glad I read this book, I have not read short fiction since college and this reignited an interest in the medium but I can't say that I will be recommending this particular volume to others in the future.
nickl3s's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
0.25
marinarc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
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? It's complicated
2.0
not my type of book. some of the stories were highly misogynistic and also boring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Dementia, Drug use, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
anoukrobbeets's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
victoria_c's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5