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interrobang's review against another edition
5.0
RIYL Shirley Jackson, Lydia Davis, perfection. I am so mad that I have no more tove jansson books in my house rn
legs_mcgee's review against another edition
4.0
Each story is a beautiful, haunting island that you want to explore deeper and deeper until you reach the heart of it.
Jansson is a spectacular writer- I particularly enjoyed "The Squirrel", and "Black-White".
Jansson is a spectacular writer- I particularly enjoyed "The Squirrel", and "Black-White".
miaandtheliterature's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Tove Jansson to me is Mommin, as she is undoubtedly is too many people. But I’ve discovered that her adult work is just as enjoyable and has a wonderful, if sometimes perverted (which makes it better) sense of humor.
This is a collection of various short stories, and while I didn’t enjoy every short story it is a very good collection.
My favorite is mostly likely the one that is dedicated to Edward Gorey, “Black-White”. This story, like most of the others in the collection is about creator and creation. The story not only references several of Gorey’s outworks but does make a reader want to read a biography about Gorey.
The idea of creation taking over the creator is most thoughtfully depicted in “The Cartoonist”, and a reader has to wonder if this is, in part, about her own success with her strips and then her brother’s taking over of such work.
There are several stories about the natural world and the people that view it. There is a story of a woman and the squirrel that visits her on the woman’s island. The short story “The Doll’s House” isn’t Ibsen.
Perhaps the most interesting stories are the ones that take the form of letters towards the end of the collection.
This is a collection of various short stories, and while I didn’t enjoy every short story it is a very good collection.
My favorite is mostly likely the one that is dedicated to Edward Gorey, “Black-White”. This story, like most of the others in the collection is about creator and creation. The story not only references several of Gorey’s outworks but does make a reader want to read a biography about Gorey.
The idea of creation taking over the creator is most thoughtfully depicted in “The Cartoonist”, and a reader has to wonder if this is, in part, about her own success with her strips and then her brother’s taking over of such work.
There are several stories about the natural world and the people that view it. There is a story of a woman and the squirrel that visits her on the woman’s island. The short story “The Doll’s House” isn’t Ibsen.
Perhaps the most interesting stories are the ones that take the form of letters towards the end of the collection.
interrobang's review
5.0
RIYL Shirley Jackson, Lydia Davis, perfection. I am so mad that I have no more tove jansson books in my house rn
jaydeereading's review
3.0
Possibly a 3.5 if goodreads gave half-stars, but the collection was a bit frontloaded for my taste to round up
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