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biolexicon's review
4.0
For me, the standout stories are “Natural Light” by Kathleen Alcott, “Hellion” by Julia Elliott, “Bronze” by Jeffrey Eugenides, “Anyone Can Do It” by Manuel Muñoz, “The Plan” by Sigrid Nunez, “Letter of Apology” by Maria Reva, “Black Corfu” by Karen Russell, and “Wrong Object” by Mona Simpson.
The stories that will stick with me the most are “Letter of Apology” and, my favorite, “Black Corfu”.
The stories that will stick with me the most are “Letter of Apology” and, my favorite, “Black Corfu”.
sktxaryaw's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
julesjoulesjewels's review against another edition
4.0
As with any anthology, there were some winners, there were some losers, and there were some stories that just didn't really stand out one way or the other. The winners, though, were absolutely exceptional.
My favorites, in order, were:
"Natural Disasters" by Alexis Schaitkin
"Black Corfu" by Karen Russell
"Omakase" by Weike Wang
"Hellion" by Julia Elliott
"The Third Tower" by Deborah Eisenberg
"Wrong Object" by Mona Simpson
These were by no means the only stories in the collection that I enjoyed, but they were the ones that really stood out.
My favorites, in order, were:
"Natural Disasters" by Alexis Schaitkin
"Black Corfu" by Karen Russell
"Omakase" by Weike Wang
"Hellion" by Julia Elliott
"The Third Tower" by Deborah Eisenberg
"Wrong Object" by Mona Simpson
These were by no means the only stories in the collection that I enjoyed, but they were the ones that really stood out.
hlphill's review
4.0
Standout for me was "Bronze" by Jeffrey Eugenides, but I was also in love with "Natural Disasters" by Alexis Schaitkin, "Omakase" by Weike Wang, and "Hellion" by Julia Elliott.
modeislodis's review
4.0
Notes mostly for myself here, as readers don't need to be encouraged to pick up The Best American Short Stories' annual collection; these collections are a touchstone for those of us who enjoy short stories and you'll either check it out or not.
Proof in point: I read the 2019 volume strictly because of my devotion to Anthony Doerr and was curious about what kind of stories he finds entertaining/intriguing.
I liked the exposure to some legendary authors; Ursula K. Le Guin's "Pity and Shame" was a real standout - 3-dimensional characters living in a rugged landscape, all propped up on her beautiful writing. I am DYING to talk to someone about the 3rd person-to-1st person switch up in the last two paragraphs of Wendell Berry's "The Great Interruption...", gave me whiplash with such a tone change and made the entire story read different.
Some new voices that I'll keep a keen eye on now; Jamel Brinkley's "No More Than a Bubble" is probably the story I come back and think about the most. What does that dog scene symbolize, and did the two boys have sex at the end? Julia Elliott's "Hellion" was such a blast to read -more of her in my life, please! Manuel Munoz's "Anyone Can Do It" broke my heart so bad I have to remind myself that it's fiction in order to cope.
Proof in point: I read the 2019 volume strictly because of my devotion to Anthony Doerr and was curious about what kind of stories he finds entertaining/intriguing.
I liked the exposure to some legendary authors; Ursula K. Le Guin's "Pity and Shame" was a real standout - 3-dimensional characters living in a rugged landscape, all propped up on her beautiful writing. I am DYING to talk to someone about the 3rd person-to-1st person switch up in the last two paragraphs of Wendell Berry's "The Great Interruption...", gave me whiplash with such a tone change and made the entire story read different.
Some new voices that I'll keep a keen eye on now; Jamel Brinkley's "No More Than a Bubble" is probably the story I come back and think about the most. What does that dog scene symbolize, and did the two boys have sex at the end? Julia Elliott's "Hellion" was such a blast to read -more of her in my life, please! Manuel Munoz's "Anyone Can Do It" broke my heart so bad I have to remind myself that it's fiction in order to cope.
garrett_jn's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
thatbookishwriter's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
petrange77's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
dllh's review
3.0
I very much liked several of the early stories in this collection, but then it sort of flat-lined for me, and I had to make myself push through the rest of it.