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knittingraccoon's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.0
erinray82's review
5.0
Loved this. Minimalist writing. Lovely glimpses into life. When she throws a dart, they land perfectly on those perfect moments. I was never overfed, but I was always full. For a small collection, I find myself completely satisfied.
taysbookshelf's review
2.0
I just finished "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried" and it didn't really resonate with me at all. People call the style minimalist, but I found it overloaded with way too many metaphors and excessive descriptors, saying nothing about the story itself, which did not impart a lesson or even inspire much thought besides this review.
m_yawn_key's review
4.0
My favorite was the short story Beg,Sl Tog, Inc, Cont, Rep... all the K1D2 ladies should read it.
alsmilesalot's review
3.0
All I ever hear about Amy Hempel is "It's the sentences!"
The sentences were fine. The stories uneven. Then again, I think this is her first collection. Perhpas I should read another. I will.
The sentences were fine. The stories uneven. Then again, I think this is her first collection. Perhpas I should read another. I will.
alilalalalalala's review
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
benjaminfcruz's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
drewjameson's review
3.0
Hempel is a minimalist, a student of Gordon Lish, best-known as Raymond Carver's merciless editor. Many of these bleak short-shorts about 'urban dislocation and ennui' feel a little dated to me, but I also think Hempel found ways to sketch a vast volume of personality with amazing economy. I think many of these stories would have been more meaningful and effective if expanded. That being said, I think if you read through "The Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried" and 'don't get why I should care', you aren't fucking paying attention to what you read.
missnicelady's review
5.0
Minimalist yet weighty. Stories short enough to read on the train but emotionally resonant enough to unnerve you all day. "Nashville Gone to Ashes" is one of my favorite short stories ever.