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raquelcanread's review
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Gore
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Pedophilia
rorikae's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
'Bloody Summer' by Carmen Maria Machado is an engaging short story told through the form of a research paper. The author of the piece has studied hand games that are played by children in a town in Virginia. These hand games are all related to tigers and the town was the site of a tragic event related to tigers that left many of the inhabitants dead and all of the town's children missing.
I loved how Machado uses the research paper to delve into the folklore of the town, particularly the hand games that local children play. This story speaks to how an event impacts the folklore and folk traditions of the area where the event takes place. I also loved how Machado used footnotes even utilizing real sources paired with fictional sources.
The one downside to this story is the length. The story felt a little bit rushed, especially in the section about the hand games themselves. This story could easily have been twice its length and I think that would have aided in the pacing as well as letting Machado delve further into the folklore of the region. Even so, it is a great short story and one that I would highly recommend, especially if you have loved Machado's work in the past.
I loved how Machado uses the research paper to delve into the folklore of the town, particularly the hand games that local children play. This story speaks to how an event impacts the folklore and folk traditions of the area where the event takes place. I also loved how Machado used footnotes even utilizing real sources paired with fictional sources.
The one downside to this story is the length. The story felt a little bit rushed, especially in the section about the hand games themselves. This story could easily have been twice its length and I think that would have aided in the pacing as well as letting Machado delve further into the folklore of the region. Even so, it is a great short story and one that I would highly recommend, especially if you have loved Machado's work in the past.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide
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