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danacs2227's review against another edition
5.0
It is so easy to become lost in Marina's writing. I was so thoughtful for her parents to share her brilliant work.
mschrock8's review against another edition
4.0
Not only did I enjoy this young lady's writing, the essays and short stories were in separate sections.
babyruth510's review against another edition
3.0
meh...Marina Keegan was talented and this book of short stories and essays shows the potential and promise she possessed (her life was cut tragically short just after her graduation from Yale). However, as a whole this collection just didn't do much for me.
adonisroses's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
the nonfiction is really where this book shines, but even so i don’t think it would be nearly as impactful if it wasn’t posthumously published. i also simply couldn’t get over the author’s fixation on weight as a primary descriptor, and the one story about iraq was agony. the nonfiction, however, had a really lovely and consistent voice. wish she could’ve grown and developed as a writer.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
3.0
Wunderbar ruhig und weich vorgelesen. Leider muss ich gestehen, dass mich das Vorwort – welches nicht von der Autorin stammt – am meisten berührt hat. Marina Keegans Schicksal ist einfach irre tragisch und es stimmt, dass sie ein Talent für schön erzählte Texte hatte. Die meisten ihrer Kurzgeschichten waren mir allerdings zu “literary fiction”. Ich hatte oft das Gefühl das Ende oder die Botschaft nicht zu verstehen. Die Essays fand ich zugänglicher und ich habe ihnen gern gelauscht. Mein Favorit war übrigens der über ihre Glutenunverträglichkeit.
yaraaria's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
2.0
elizabethcordo's review against another edition
3.0
To be honest, I found the majority of the stories and a couple of the essays boring and I just skimmed through them. The only reason I gave the book this high of a rating was because there were a few stories/essays that I really liked.
The story I liked was Hail, Full of Grace, and the essays I liked were The Opposite of Loneliness, Stability in Motion, Against the Grain, and Song for the Special.
Overall, I'm glad I read it because I've been meaning to branch out more in my reading, but it definitely was not my favorite.
The story I liked was Hail, Full of Grace, and the essays I liked were The Opposite of Loneliness, Stability in Motion, Against the Grain, and Song for the Special.
Overall, I'm glad I read it because I've been meaning to branch out more in my reading, but it definitely was not my favorite.
migimon2002's review against another edition
4.0
I saw book listed during the Goodreads Choice Awards and, after waiting months to finally snag a copy from the library, I was finally able to read it. A book of short stories and essays is definitely not usually my personal preference. But, the talents of this young writer (unfortunately and tragically taken from this world too soon) cannot be denied. She evokes a sense of pure honesty, and her varied texts cover a wide array of topics; there's something relatable for everyone! As a side note, I personally enjoyed the first half - the fiction pieces - better than the second half. If you like realistic fiction and/or essays, or are interested in posthumous writing, this book would be a great choice for you.
erboe501's review against another edition
5.0
Most moving book I've read this summer? THE OPPOSITE OF LONELINESS. I took this book slowly. I wanted time to digest each story or essay, to let it mature in my mind before moving on to the next one. I am amazed by Marina's talent, which makes her loss all the more crushing. To think of what other works she could have produced if she'd been given years. As a rising college sophomore, I'm impressed by how prolific Marina was in college. To have so much rich material to publish by your senior year of college is remarkable.
Everything about this book was good. The forward was just the right amount of reflection and praise. The photo on the book cover is just so perfect. A bright yellow trench coat, an almost smile, a long sleeve shirt with too-long sleeves. The photo also points to what part of the fascination with this book is. It's about the stories, but it's also about Marina herself. Who was this bright writer whose light was doused too early? But even if I hadn't known the tragedy of Marina's background, I would still be haunted by the truth of her prose.
My favorite essays were the title essay: "The Opposite of Loneliness," and "Stability in Motion," "Putting the 'Fun' Back in Eschatology, "Why We Care about Wales," and "Song for the Special." So, basically all of the essays. They are so relevant to college students. They are so truthful. I think every college student should read, if not this entire book, at least these essays. My favorite piece of fiction was "Cold Pastoral."
This is one of the strongest voices of our generation, in my opinion. Hopeful and only slightly rational.
Everything about this book was good. The forward was just the right amount of reflection and praise. The photo on the book cover is just so perfect. A bright yellow trench coat, an almost smile, a long sleeve shirt with too-long sleeves. The photo also points to what part of the fascination with this book is. It's about the stories, but it's also about Marina herself. Who was this bright writer whose light was doused too early? But even if I hadn't known the tragedy of Marina's background, I would still be haunted by the truth of her prose.
My favorite essays were the title essay: "The Opposite of Loneliness," and "Stability in Motion," "Putting the 'Fun' Back in Eschatology, "Why We Care about Wales," and "Song for the Special." So, basically all of the essays. They are so relevant to college students. They are so truthful. I think every college student should read, if not this entire book, at least these essays. My favorite piece of fiction was "Cold Pastoral."
This is one of the strongest voices of our generation, in my opinion. Hopeful and only slightly rational.
lisaspon's review against another edition
4.0
What a wonderful collection of short stories. All the fictional stories were unique and interesting, each insightful in its own way. This author has a particular talent for ending stories really well. They would just be going along...and BAM it ended and I just had to sit there and reflect for a bit. I loved that. I also enjoyed the non-fiction stories. They were honest and relate-able, and they gave a true glimpse into who Mariana Keegan was. Although Mariana Keegan was incredibly talented and died tragically young, that is not what makes this book so great. It is great because of her ability to bring characters to life in a way that connects with the reader, giving insight into the way we live our lives.