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4.39 AVERAGE
4.39 AVERAGE
I love interconnected short stories and this collection is especially good because it’s not a disjointed novel disguised as stories, but truly stories. They are about very different topics and characters but each have some piece that connects it to another story.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Loosely connected stories, lovingly told. Not as tightly braided as North Woods, but similarly bound by place and motif. The thematic winding together took me a long time to figure out, but I think I did-- it's the idea of loss, which is sometimes realized right before it happens, and sometimes an epiphany that happens too late. Mostly, it happens too late.
These are stories of people who decide to live their authentic lives or fail to decide, which is also a decision. I love the quick immersion into the intense world of the short story, but I also don't love the lack of resolution. I need my endings, even if they're sad.
And damn if the story of the Great Auk isn't just about the saddest ending I've ever heard.
These are stories of people who decide to live their authentic lives or fail to decide, which is also a decision. I love the quick immersion into the intense world of the short story, but I also don't love the lack of resolution. I need my endings, even if they're sad.
And damn if the story of the Great Auk isn't just about the saddest ending I've ever heard.
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t really ever read short stories but I loved this collection! The audiobook is definitely the way to go with the all-star cast including the likes of Nick Offerman, Ed Helms, and Jenny Slate! Really enjoyed these stories depicting life in New England juxtaposed between the past (as far back as the late 1600s) and the present day. Seeing how these stories connect to each other and also explore the complexities of relationships was interesting and emotional at times. Beautiful writing and very evocative of the various New England locations. Really strong short story collection that’s taken up a step with the audio production!