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pawapat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
justinkhchen's review
4.0
4 stars
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke ages like fine wine, the new materials are just fine, not as immediately impactful or fully fleshed out; considering this short stories collection as '1 feature presentation + 2 bonus materials' then you won't be disappointed.
There's an evident thread across all 3 stories — the desperate desire for human connection. The new stories, The Enchantment and You'll Find It's Like That All Over, while each manage to tackle the collective theme from a provocative perspective, both are a couple steps away from feeling polished or as cohesive as THGWSWLS.
The Enchantment has a very powerful opening (reminds me of the suffocating dread of a Ari Aster film), and some beautifully depicted imagery, but it also meanders aimlessly (particularly during the middle), and never fully explores the intriguing spirituality inquiry it puts forward at the start.
You'll Find It's Like That All Over is simply way too short to let its intention breathe, resulting in the whole thing feeling under-baked and oversimplified — I get its message, but the execution is very bare-bone.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke basically carries the star rating for this short stories collection, which remains powerful (and grotesque) upon re-read. The remainder is inoffensive at best, forgettable at worst — if you're expecting a consistent caliber as THGWSWLS, you may find the overall experience a slight letdown .
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke ages like fine wine, the new materials are just fine, not as immediately impactful or fully fleshed out; considering this short stories collection as '1 feature presentation + 2 bonus materials' then you won't be disappointed.
There's an evident thread across all 3 stories — the desperate desire for human connection. The new stories, The Enchantment and You'll Find It's Like That All Over, while each manage to tackle the collective theme from a provocative perspective, both are a couple steps away from feeling polished or as cohesive as THGWSWLS.
The Enchantment has a very powerful opening (reminds me of the suffocating dread of a Ari Aster film), and some beautifully depicted imagery, but it also meanders aimlessly (particularly during the middle), and never fully explores the intriguing spirituality inquiry it puts forward at the start.
You'll Find It's Like That All Over is simply way too short to let its intention breathe, resulting in the whole thing feeling under-baked and oversimplified — I get its message, but the execution is very bare-bone.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke basically carries the star rating for this short stories collection, which remains powerful (and grotesque) upon re-read. The remainder is inoffensive at best, forgettable at worst — if you're expecting a consistent caliber as THGWSWLS, you may find the overall experience a slight letdown .
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
eamcmahon3's review against another edition
3.0
I started this today and couldn't put it down.
The first novella was the most unsettling. Not so much for the content of the story, but it felt like lesbian trauma porn. It was well written, but "unflinching" doesn't describe it, as the cover says. It's an exploitative way to "other" and sexualize lesbians and make them all seem unhinged and troubled. It didn't sit well with me. But it was a good story... I'm torn. Also there was no character development. This first story could have been 100 more pages. We didn't get to know Zoe at all or see any of her backstory. It didn't make any sense that their relationship progressed as fast as it did over a few emails and IMs.
The second story felt "meh"
I liked the social conventions that the third story played on.
The first novella was the most unsettling. Not so much for the content of the story, but it felt like lesbian trauma porn. It was well written, but "unflinching" doesn't describe it, as the cover says. It's an exploitative way to "other" and sexualize lesbians and make them all seem unhinged and troubled. It didn't sit well with me. But it was a good story... I'm torn. Also there was no character development. This first story could have been 100 more pages. We didn't get to know Zoe at all or see any of her backstory. It didn't make any sense that their relationship progressed as fast as it did over a few emails and IMs.
The second story felt "meh"
I liked the social conventions that the third story played on.
coelacanth's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Miscarriage and Toxic relationship
cet828's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
bigkazzac's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Suicide
aurelia_maltzan's review against another edition
I read the first story, thought it was ok, then couldn't even get through the second because the characters felt so flat and unlikable
mcmallow's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5