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manderly's review against another edition
3.5
Like any short story collection, this was a mixed bag. Since this book was so hyped up for me, my expectations were sky high. I still liked all the stories, but I feel like the first half was much stronger than the second half; the stories where he tries to analyze human nature were much weaker to me compared to the stories where he focused more on the sci fi aspects.
shermanberry's review against another edition
3.0
Looks like I’m in the minority here as the world and his wife seem to be falling over themselves to throw awards at Ted Chiang. I feel like telling them all that the Emperor doesn’t appear to be dressed.
Whilst some of the stories threw up interesting ideas (most noticeably in The Story Of Your Life) I found the collection hard work, joyless and tedious. I was glad to get to the end so I could begin to read something else.
Full declaration, I’m not a fan of short stories and this has reminded me why. I don’t ever feel properly engaged and in my view they all end abruptly.
If there’s a great story why not tell it properly and do it justice rather than try and outdo yourself by culling more and more sentences. Clever maybe but for me it’s at the expense of the enjoyment of the story. It’s like watching a 2 minute trailer when you really want to watch the movie.
Three stars for The Story Of Your Life as it was the basis for the movie Arrival which I loved.
Whilst some of the stories threw up interesting ideas (most noticeably in The Story Of Your Life) I found the collection hard work, joyless and tedious. I was glad to get to the end so I could begin to read something else.
Full declaration, I’m not a fan of short stories and this has reminded me why. I don’t ever feel properly engaged and in my view they all end abruptly.
If there’s a great story why not tell it properly and do it justice rather than try and outdo yourself by culling more and more sentences. Clever maybe but for me it’s at the expense of the enjoyment of the story. It’s like watching a 2 minute trailer when you really want to watch the movie.
Three stars for The Story Of Your Life as it was the basis for the movie Arrival which I loved.
fritzb's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
4.25
nyxlikesbook's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
seaweed's review against another edition
seventy two letters is truly a crazy story. if you want to take a look into the history of science and understand the phrase "you wish for mankind to proliferate through nomenclature", give it a shot.
the other stories felt less impactful, even though the narrators were doing an incredible job (abby craden??? hello???). several of them are about insecurities regarding intelligence, and after finding out that chiang has a degree in comp sci, I am not surprised.
the other stories felt less impactful, even though the narrators were doing an incredible job (abby craden??? hello???). several of them are about insecurities regarding intelligence, and after finding out that chiang has a degree in comp sci, I am not surprised.
megosler's review against another edition
3.75
High highs and low lows for sure in these short stories. Last one in there was a total dud to me.
aethermoss's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jayisreading's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
This collection was definitely a mixed bag, with either me enjoying the short story or caring very little about it (if at all). Without a doubt, though, Chiang really knows how to craft a world and situation; even for the short stories I struggled with due to disinterest, I was still impressed with the way he wove everything together. Furthermore, each story posed such interesting questions and challenges to reflect on, whether it be the unreliability of mathematics as we know it, reckoning with the undeniable presence of God and His angels, or reconfiguring one’s reality through language. Perhaps not surprisingly, the gem of this collection is “Story of Your Life,” which may have been one of the best short stories I have read in a long while. (It has certainly incentivized me to finally get around to watching Arrival.) I now understand why it has received as much praise as it has.
To me, the short stories that are worth reading are: “Story of Your Life” (this one is a must, I’d say), “Tower of Babylon,” “Understand,” and possibly “Hell Is the Absence of God.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Bullying, Torture, and Classism
nic55's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
4.0
I always love when I read from an author and think: "I just love the way their mind works". Ted Chiang's mind is a great place to be in.
This is my second short story collection by this author, and I liked it better than the last. The highs in this collection were very high. Starting with, of course, the ever popular "Story of Your Life". For some unacceptable reason, I haven't watched the movie Arrival but after reading the story that inspired it, I will be watching it very soon. Just so interesting, engaging, surprisingly emotional...I loved it. Other than that, the other standouts for me are "Understand", "Hell is the Absence of God", "Liking What You See: A Documentary". Overall, I just really appreciate the way Ted Chiang explores topics of contact with aliens, superintelligence, religion/afterlife, and even beauty standards. These stories are equal parts creative, nuanced, and moving with good pacing and writing. Of course, not every story can be a hit, so this wasn't a full 5 star for me. But I'm glad I went back and read this one after my meh feeling with Exhalation.
This is my second short story collection by this author, and I liked it better than the last. The highs in this collection were very high. Starting with, of course, the ever popular "Story of Your Life". For some unacceptable reason, I haven't watched the movie Arrival but after reading the story that inspired it, I will be watching it very soon. Just so interesting, engaging, surprisingly emotional...I loved it. Other than that, the other standouts for me are "Understand", "Hell is the Absence of God", "Liking What You See: A Documentary". Overall, I just really appreciate the way Ted Chiang explores topics of contact with aliens, superintelligence, religion/afterlife, and even beauty standards. These stories are equal parts creative, nuanced, and moving with good pacing and writing. Of course, not every story can be a hit, so this wasn't a full 5 star for me. But I'm glad I went back and read this one after my meh feeling with Exhalation.
yadnesh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0