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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
The History of Sound was one of the best short story collections I’ve read in a long time. I especially love ones that have interconnected details that shed surprising light on the previous stories. The narratives ran the gamut from slightly terrifying, shocking, foreboding, quirky, endearing, and a bit humorous. Each was so realistic, raw and provocative. I felt like I learned something about human nature (and sometimes history or science) with every installment, while also being completely hypnotized by the prose. I highly recommend the audiobook because it is read by a cast of excellent actors and added so much to the experience.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
‘I wanted all the chiseled ridges of sound that went missing. The vibrations that had been released into the world and never concentrated down the phonograph's tube and to the stylus, that had never been impressed to wax. I wanted a record of the sound from the years before. The first time David spoke his name to me in the pub. David inviting me to his apartment. Asking me one late night if he should join the war or not, and me saying yes because I thought that's what he wanted to hear. The history of sound, lost daily. I've started to think of Earth as a wax cylinder; the sun the needle, laid on the land and drawing out the day's music—the sound of people arguing, cooking, laughing, singing, moaning, crying, flirting.’
I think it’s interesting that the first story (the collection’s titular The History of Sound) is seemingly the only one that’s being included in the movie adaptation. Shattuck’s writing is very lyrical and moving but I would say this story was less compelling to me than some of the others - in particular, I really adored the desire and fear and cult psychology in The Children of New Eden, and the theme of narrative making in August in the Forest and The Journal of Thomas Thurber. The Journal in particular was very reminiscent of The Terror. I wish I had more intelligent stuff to say but overall I really enjoyed this collection! It felt very vivid. Sometimes the stories were quite slight and definitely before August, I was feeling a little demotivated by the pacing and sometimes repetitive tone, but the imagery and language in the latter half of the collection more than makes up for it.
Another quote from New Eden that I adore: ‘Caroline asks if he thinks there are strawberries in the Pioneer Valley. He puts his hand on her neck. "Being with you is like putting down something heavy," he says.’
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
I would not have picked up this book (nor would it have been on my radar) had a friend not read and reviewed it.
The History os Sound is a collection of 12 beautifully crafted stories that are a bit interconnected to each other... so they flow from one to the next in the best way. Some of the stories have hit me more profoundly than others, but they all were just the perfect thing.
If you are looking for that perfect read, look no further... this book hit all the spots for me!
I strongly recommend!
The History os Sound is a collection of 12 beautifully crafted stories that are a bit interconnected to each other... so they flow from one to the next in the best way. Some of the stories have hit me more profoundly than others, but they all were just the perfect thing.
If you are looking for that perfect read, look no further... this book hit all the spots for me!
I strongly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Shattuck’s stories, at least in my memory, are all set in more rural parts of New England. The story “August in the Forest” I found quite memorable. The narrator, August, writes a story in which he expresses doubts about beginning a relationship with Elizabeth. He never shares those doubts with Elizabeth, and it takes a couple of years for the story to finally be published. August realizes that the story is going to be published in a high circulation magazine and Elizabeth will end up reading the story and seeing the doubts that August never articulated written down and printed for thousands to read.
“What would Elizabeth first say when he finished reading her the story? She wouldn’t be wrong to be angry. To be used in that way, drawn into a story that he only wanted to publish for the sake of—what? Some small bit of entertainment for a few dozen readers? Maybe he had betrayed her.”
“What would Elizabeth first say when he finished reading her the story? She wouldn’t be wrong to be angry. To be used in that way, drawn into a story that he only wanted to publish for the sake of—what? Some small bit of entertainment for a few dozen readers? Maybe he had betrayed her.”
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Loved this! The way the stories related, great technique. Would buy.