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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
I wanted to rate this book higher than three stars, because I fully appreciate and admire Helen Oyeyemi's skill as a contemporary writer--I marvel at the complexity of these genre-bending-gender-bending tales. But. My brain literally hurt as I tried to make sense of each new setting and situation in this collection of short stories.
This is a surreal and interesting collection of short stories. The characters from each story intertwine and appear across stories, and there’s the recurring appearance of various keys that play a significant role. Overall, the stories feel like feverish dreams.
The stories in this book are beautiful and mysterious. Very enjoyable read.
Utterly gorgeous, twisting short stories. Probably not everyone's cup of tea--but if you read Kelly Link or Gene Wolfe, then these are for you.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
I think I just didn’t get it. Not the book’s fault.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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
Startling, lovely in spots, obscure in others. I was intrigued throughout it but found some stories more engaging than others and I kept wishing for a bit more resolutions, which may be a function of the short story format.
*3.7
Witty, bizarre and right up my alley. I loved how characters from previous stories threaded their way throughout the book. I felt like some of the stories ended too abruptly and others with an unsatisfying conclusion but the writing! the writing had me re-reading sentences chuckling to myself. Such a fresh, magical collection.
Witty, bizarre and right up my alley. I loved how characters from previous stories threaded their way throughout the book. I felt like some of the stories ended too abruptly and others with an unsatisfying conclusion but the writing! the writing had me re-reading sentences chuckling to myself. Such a fresh, magical collection.
I had a hard time getting into this collection—the first few stories didn't capture my attention—but by the end, I found it an incredibly rewarding read.