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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
if that's what we talk about when we talk about love, I don't want it
a lot of this probably went over my head but I am lost, and I never want to see the word "fishing" ever again in my entire life
a lot of this probably went over my head but I am lost, and I never want to see the word "fishing" ever again in my entire life
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
there's no question that Raymond Carver is a master of the short fiction genre--he can take your breath away in a matter of pages. I loved how all the stories just throw you into the middle of whatever is happening, and you slowly put together the puzzle yourself. A rather bleak read though. Almost reads as a set of character studies on how relationships dissolve.
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can see why Carver is talked about; stylistically he's bare and leaves you wanting. However, I can take only so many depressing glimpses into either vile or boring people's lives before needing a break. Some of the issues felt overused, like men cheating on their wives. I am more than a little bored with older male writers and their obsession with illicit sex.
In fact, I think most of my boredom with this book stems from how well most of it fits that tired type of writing: older men get laid, women are either sex objects or mothers, writing is abrupt and tries to shock without warning. Because Carver wrote this so long ago, I am fairly sure that he was at least early to the race, one of the firsts to do much of this, which is why I gave three stars instead of two.
That, and I liked the slugs.
In fact, I think most of my boredom with this book stems from how well most of it fits that tired type of writing: older men get laid, women are either sex objects or mothers, writing is abrupt and tries to shock without warning. Because Carver wrote this so long ago, I am fairly sure that he was at least early to the race, one of the firsts to do much of this, which is why I gave three stars instead of two.
That, and I liked the slugs.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The simplicity of Carver's stories is striking. Captured between the mundane sentences is the essence of being a human- flawed, irrational, selfish but human.