Reviews

2.5 stars. I listened to the audio version of this and all through out the book I kept thinking about not finishing it. But I kept hearing how good it is so I kept listening. Yet, by the time each story ended I was left thinking, "Thats it?" Or "what was the point of that?" To me it wasn't dark enough. It wasn't weird enough. It kind of seemed pointless. Plus, the male narrator got on my nerves. He made every female character sound like a weak timid old lady.

galaxywitch's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

owl139's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

maksbookstudy's review

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1.0

Słyszałam o tych opowiadaniach wiele dobrego, a sama się po prostu bardzo wynudziłam. Owszem, miały ciekawe powiązania, aczkolwiek same historie mnie nie porwały (poza pierwszym opowiadaniem, przy którym się wzruszyłam).

natsbookstack1's review against another edition

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4.0

#1️⃣5️⃣5️⃣

Now THIS is creative writing!

Really enjoyed the layout of the story and how each “dark” take intertwines into the other until it comes back full circle at the end. It was witty, clever and reactive. I personally wouldn’t classify it as dark or goth like, but was unique in itself.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Star

#25bookchallenge #2024

laindarko2's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

5.0

Ogawa always manages to deeply unnerve through rigorously constructed suggestion. Hers is my favorite kind of horror; understated, quiet, in many ways always left unresolved. Especially in these stories, there is such mastery of the art of the reveal, that line or two near the end of each story that, while not always describing a shocking event, leaves a lingering sense of unease. I would call this collection "mundane gothic." 11 uniquely troubled people live their routine lives and suddenly turn a corner and find themselves passing through the uncanny. Small details cast long, long shadows over the narrative. The simplicity of Ogawa's prose is, as always, extremely deceptive. I'm not sure how she does it, but as always, I'm impressed and I will be sitting with the uncomfortable feelings of these stories for a while.

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