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hallizalli's review against another edition
4.0
This short story collection survived the great to-read list purge of 2022. It’s been on my list since 2014 and I decided to give it a go because I’ve enjoyed Bender’s quirky collections in the past!
Very enjoyable overall, the collection is separated into three parts. While I liked some of the stories in the first two parts, I loved every single story in part three. My favorite from part one was “The Red Ribbon”, and my favorite from part two was “Bad Return”. “Appleless” and “Lemonade” were two I didn’t like at all. The title story, “The Color Master”, was my absolute favorite in the whole collection. It was beautiful and strange and so very moving. This quote nearly brought me to tears when I read it, and then reread it:
“I picked the right colors to mix with blue, a little of so many other colors and then so many different kinds of blue and gray and more blue and more. And in it all, the sensation of shaking my fists at the sky, shaking my fists high up to the sky, because that is what we do when someone dies to early, too beautiful, to undervalued by the world, or sometimes just at all — we shake our fists at the big blue beautiful indifferent sky, and the anger is righteous and strong and helpless and huge.” (p. 179)
Very enjoyable overall, the collection is separated into three parts. While I liked some of the stories in the first two parts, I loved every single story in part three. My favorite from part one was “The Red Ribbon”, and my favorite from part two was “Bad Return”. “Appleless” and “Lemonade” were two I didn’t like at all. The title story, “The Color Master”, was my absolute favorite in the whole collection. It was beautiful and strange and so very moving. This quote nearly brought me to tears when I read it, and then reread it:
“I picked the right colors to mix with blue, a little of so many other colors and then so many different kinds of blue and gray and more blue and more. And in it all, the sensation of shaking my fists at the sky, shaking my fists high up to the sky, because that is what we do when someone dies to early, too beautiful, to undervalued by the world, or sometimes just at all — we shake our fists at the big blue beautiful indifferent sky, and the anger is righteous and strong and helpless and huge.” (p. 179)
willwork4airfare's review against another edition
4.0
I love me some Aimee Bender, so beautiful and strange. Some of these stories went over my head but there’s no denying she can write gorgeous sentences.
pearloz's review against another edition
4.0
Three great stories I loved: "Tiger Mending," "The Color Master," and "The Devourings." Most of the rest were okay!
rebeccasreadingrambles's review against another edition
2.0
I know this is contrary to popular opinion, but I really disliked this book. A lot. I wouldn't have made it past the halfway point if it wasn't so short. Seriously the stories were strange and the characters were stranger, but not even in a likable way. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it, but it was a struggle to get through each story. The first story was interested and I thought it was okay, but then after that it kept going off the deep end. 2 stars from me because I can see Aimee Bender has a way with words and is a good story teller. I just happened to hate the stories.
jennahazzard's review against another edition
2.0
To preface this review, I did not finish this book. I read to about page 110 before giving up.
I picked this book up for a couple of dollars somewhere, and to be honest, I'm glad that I didn't spend much more than that. I can see why people enjoy Aimee Bender and to a certain degree, I also enjoyed her writing. She uses some interesting metaphors. For example, "Her hair is so long and wheatlike you could bake it into bread." However, I tired of this flowery style quickly. Perhaps the book just wasn't to my taste (I prefer cleaner, more minimalist prose).
I think I could have gotten over my style preferences, if the plots of the short stories were a bit more focused. Some stories were better than others, but a lot of them seemed a bit aimless with their plot. Overall, this collection wasn't for me.
I picked this book up for a couple of dollars somewhere, and to be honest, I'm glad that I didn't spend much more than that. I can see why people enjoy Aimee Bender and to a certain degree, I also enjoyed her writing. She uses some interesting metaphors. For example, "Her hair is so long and wheatlike you could bake it into bread." However, I tired of this flowery style quickly. Perhaps the book just wasn't to my taste (I prefer cleaner, more minimalist prose).
I think I could have gotten over my style preferences, if the plots of the short stories were a bit more focused. Some stories were better than others, but a lot of them seemed a bit aimless with their plot. Overall, this collection wasn't for me.
n0rth3y's review against another edition
4.0
My very first (and so far only) Goodreads giveaway win - so I may be a tad biased by the joy I had in receiving it in the mail...
...but not that biased.
It's 1:46 in the morning; I just finished reading this while dwelling with seven strangers in the in between-ness of stations for half an hour because someone (no one we ever saw) has apparently pulled the emergency brake. I describe all this because - though you could not arrange it - this was the perfect setting for reading Aimee Bender's latest short story collection: everything surreal, unusual, unexpected.
Overall, there's much to fly through here. Everything leaves you off-balance but not upset. I like that.
...but not that biased.
It's 1:46 in the morning; I just finished reading this while dwelling with seven strangers in the in between-ness of stations for half an hour because someone (no one we ever saw) has apparently pulled the emergency brake. I describe all this because - though you could not arrange it - this was the perfect setting for reading Aimee Bender's latest short story collection: everything surreal, unusual, unexpected.
Overall, there's much to fly through here. Everything leaves you off-balance but not upset. I like that.
jelundberg's review against another edition
5.0
Aimee Bender is one of my all-time favorite writers, and this new collection did not disappoint. If I ever get the chance to meet her, I will hug her for writing the stories in this book. In a word (and in its original intended meaning): AWESOME. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
salicat's review against another edition
4.0
This collection is worth reading for the title story alone- inspired by the disturbing fairy tale "Donkeyskin." Though I do think my favorite Bender collection will always be Girl in the Flammable Skirt.
gilmoreguide's review against another edition
4.0
Aimee Bender’s The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is one of my favorite books. Her combination of magical and realism makes for poetic, moving reading. Last month her newest book of short stories, The Color Master, came out, and it shimmers with its ability to be both fantastical and utterly human.
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://wp.me/p2B7gG-yG
The rest of this review can be read at The Gilmore Guide to Books: http://wp.me/p2B7gG-yG
minty's review against another edition
5.0
I've always liked short stories, but I have had some trouble with them in audiobook. (Goodreads did not have the audiobook as an option, so this review is tied to the hardcover.) Going into this one I reminded myself that each story would have a different narrator, and I had less trouble following along.
Each story is so wildly inventive and interesting--I loved this collection. The characters are fascinating; many of them grappling with feeling or actually being somehow out of step with society's expectations or norms. The narrators are often unreliable and yet still sympathetic. Aimee Bender is definitely my new favorite author; I wish the Brooklyn Public Library had more of her books!
Each story is so wildly inventive and interesting--I loved this collection. The characters are fascinating; many of them grappling with feeling or actually being somehow out of step with society's expectations or norms. The narrators are often unreliable and yet still sympathetic. Aimee Bender is definitely my new favorite author; I wish the Brooklyn Public Library had more of her books!