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3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
This is one of those books that I pick up because of the cover and title....and then want to forget I saw once I read the back cover. I have never been a fan of short stories...and this is a book of short stories, short stories that intertwine a bit, but still...sigh. I was already to throw the book back to oblivion, then a former student recommended it and I decided I should *once again* give short stories a try.
(Why am I anti-short stories? I get so committed to a story...and then its over before the characters even had a chance to invite me to dinner.)
This is a collection of short stories about women photographers...most of the stories take place in the past, most dabble in feminism, quite often there is unconventional love...and commentaries on a woman's place in the home (outside the home). The stories are interesting...the women all lead fascinating (though often sad) lives--- and each is searching for their place in the photography world.
The writing is good....the stories are interesting, but I dragged my feet through the book each time a short story ended because I didn't have the energy to dive into another world....to find it end so quickly.
So! If you like short stories....read this! Especially if art and the world of women interest you. If you are more into nature...or full novels....just keep walking.
(Why am I anti-short stories? I get so committed to a story...and then its over before the characters even had a chance to invite me to dinner.)
This is a collection of short stories about women photographers...most of the stories take place in the past, most dabble in feminism, quite often there is unconventional love...and commentaries on a woman's place in the home (outside the home). The stories are interesting...the women all lead fascinating (though often sad) lives--- and each is searching for their place in the photography world.
The writing is good....the stories are interesting, but I dragged my feet through the book each time a short story ended because I didn't have the energy to dive into another world....to find it end so quickly.
So! If you like short stories....read this! Especially if art and the world of women interest you. If you are more into nature...or full novels....just keep walking.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If you are a Whitney Otto fan, I would recommend this, with the tip to just read it, don't read the reviews, don't get a preconceived notion of what the book is about, just read it because you enjoy her writing.
With that said, here's my review...
For me, I felt this book, at least the first five (of eight) short stories was more about sexuality than photography; the girls were all described as androgynous. There was more focus on their affairs and sexual relationships and lack of "normal" sexual restraints, than on their photography skills and achievements. Some of the "girls" end up finding/marrying men who said they wanted her as she was, until they didn't; I found the only one who stayed true to that was in the final story.
Several of the stories were very politically charged, WWI and WWII, Jewish and Nazi, Mexican revolutionary, Communist.
There is a randomness to the stories, long drawn descriptions, talking of one thing to quickly change to another. I often found myself wondering where an idea came from or where it was suppose to fit in. There is also a randomness of the stories as a collection; the first five stories and the last three stories have a very different feel. The first five are centered more in time and the last three gets us through quite a few decades. The attempt to connect the stories by Cymbeline showing up in some way in all of them was interesting and help me get through the book in the end.
With that said, here's my review...
For me, I felt this book, at least the first five (of eight) short stories was more about sexuality than photography; the girls were all described as androgynous. There was more focus on their affairs and sexual relationships and lack of "normal" sexual restraints, than on their photography skills and achievements. Some of the "girls" end up finding/marrying men who said they wanted her as she was, until they didn't; I found the only one who stayed true to that was in the final story.
Several of the stories were very politically charged, WWI and WWII, Jewish and Nazi, Mexican revolutionary, Communist.
There is a randomness to the stories, long drawn descriptions, talking of one thing to quickly change to another. I often found myself wondering where an idea came from or where it was suppose to fit in. There is also a randomness of the stories as a collection; the first five stories and the last three stories have a very different feel. The first five are centered more in time and the last three gets us through quite a few decades. The attempt to connect the stories by Cymbeline showing up in some way in all of them was interesting and help me get through the book in the end.
The book seems very well researched but unfortunately I didn't end up enjoying the different storyline of the women. The premise sounded like something I would enjoy but something about it just made it hard to connect with it
This book had lots of potential, I thought ... photography through the ages, across the world, through the female artist's eye ... and it did all this, sure, but really every woman's story was how her life was affected/changed/thwarted/overpowered/distracted/overshadowed, etc. by romantic entanglements with men. Men men men. Men were the photographers, women assisted, or modeled. Men worked, women photographers ultimately resigned themselves to marriage, kids, and "hobby" photography, maybe. So sad. So uninteresting. Couldn't just one of the women -- ONE -- said "Ef-the M(m)an! I'm in love with my art! My photography! and I will pursue it until the ends of the earth!" I'm not saying every person did this, obviously the real life problem is how male artists have been viewed as Artists, women equal crafters or hobby-ists, but not Artists in the ways that men are. Sigh. I do, however, LOVE the cover.
Here: http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/adult4teen/2012/11/29/weekly-reviews-girls/
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
I loved the feminist aspect of the stories, that they were based on real photographers, and the vignette/short storytelliing style. It was reminiscent of the Emma Donoghue collection, Astray. That said, I think Donoghue did a more masterful job with historical material. While I enjoyed Otto's stories, I found ti hard to distinguish between the different women. They seemed so similar as to be indistinguishable. But still I cannot help but get behind any book with such a strong feminist focus.
I liked the idea and the historical aspects that were in the stories. What bothered me was that while there were some really interesting places that the stories could have gone, it seemed to always end up centering around a man or relationship in their life, rather than the ridiculously interesting female character that had been created.