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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.
veronicab102's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
jessie_p's review against another edition
5.0
This book was fabulous. My favorite essays were Cold Pastoral, Winter Break, Reading Aloud and The Emerald City. She used phrases like "consciously romantic" and "curiosity killed precaution", absolutely magnificent. Definitely worth a read in a short time, or in small pieces, essay by essay.
a_hirchert's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
lilyreads01's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.25
ericaroseeberhart's review against another edition
5.0
It is hard, actually damn near impossible, to read this collection of work without feeling a sense of loss, or for your mind to bring up ghosts of your own past. Ghosts of classmates, friends, and acquaintances who you not only recall for their smiling faces or quiet personalities but because they died long ago, when they were just as young as Marina Keegan (if not younger) without the opportunity to really display their talents to the world. While they did not have the opportunity, Ms. Keegan did (after death) have her talent displayed; how lucky are we, those who continue on, that we get to carry with us the impressions the young-who-have-been-lost and in that way their talents live on.
This collection is of Keegan's work which ranges from fiction to non-fiction. If I've come to understand Marina Keegan, based on the articles I've read and the well written introduction of this book, it's that she had a lot more written material that didn't even appear in this publication. Still, her talent shows through these pages like a beacon. I found myself going, "Yes, yes, yes!" as I read her words, "I understand that! I've experienced that! I want an endless parade of gluten-filled foods before I die as well!" but just as quickly it was followed by, "No, no, no" and "How can writing that seems so alive be written by a girl who is no longer here?"
And that's the thing, her writing is alive and in that she lives. For someone so young, she had an enormous amount of talent and amongst all the other feelings I felt I often was startled by how clearly she could describe all emotions and senses. She understood life in ways many people twice her age are still striving to handle.
When I approached this book I was interested in her story -- a girl who was published after she died -- and I was determined to not allow that fact to sway my opinion. It hasn't swayed my opinion, not entirely, because I know some of my swaying emotions were caused because I kept thinking, "She was so young, she was so talented," but that's the fact: she was so talented.
So much of her work seemed to whisper of death, whisper of hopes to live on, and it's a coincidence now that she is no longer here. But she did live on, she was young and she had so much to do with this thing called life, but in a way she's doing it all.
Above all, I'm thankful that her parents printed these pieces of work. I can't imagine how painful it is to lose a child and I'm sure that pain continued while going through her hard work but thanks to their decision I've had a chance to remind myself of my younger self, who wanted to be the best writer I could be, and of friends who have passed on when they were so young. It reminded me of life, in general, and how easily it leaves you but above all, you can still continue existing in one way or another.
This collection is of Keegan's work which ranges from fiction to non-fiction. If I've come to understand Marina Keegan, based on the articles I've read and the well written introduction of this book, it's that she had a lot more written material that didn't even appear in this publication. Still, her talent shows through these pages like a beacon. I found myself going, "Yes, yes, yes!" as I read her words, "I understand that! I've experienced that! I want an endless parade of gluten-filled foods before I die as well!" but just as quickly it was followed by, "No, no, no" and "How can writing that seems so alive be written by a girl who is no longer here?"
And that's the thing, her writing is alive and in that she lives. For someone so young, she had an enormous amount of talent and amongst all the other feelings I felt I often was startled by how clearly she could describe all emotions and senses. She understood life in ways many people twice her age are still striving to handle.
When I approached this book I was interested in her story -- a girl who was published after she died -- and I was determined to not allow that fact to sway my opinion. It hasn't swayed my opinion, not entirely, because I know some of my swaying emotions were caused because I kept thinking, "She was so young, she was so talented," but that's the fact: she was so talented.
So much of her work seemed to whisper of death, whisper of hopes to live on, and it's a coincidence now that she is no longer here. But she did live on, she was young and she had so much to do with this thing called life, but in a way she's doing it all.
Above all, I'm thankful that her parents printed these pieces of work. I can't imagine how painful it is to lose a child and I'm sure that pain continued while going through her hard work but thanks to their decision I've had a chance to remind myself of my younger self, who wanted to be the best writer I could be, and of friends who have passed on when they were so young. It reminded me of life, in general, and how easily it leaves you but above all, you can still continue existing in one way or another.
aebaranello's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Marina definitely shines in her fiction prose - her short stories were relatively compelling, and the introduction was right - her voice is very sincere, not trying to be any age other than what she is. I skimmed the nonfiction part - her writing is good, but some of the topics just weren't interesting to me. Overall a decent read