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nornors's review against another edition
dark
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Abortion, Suicide, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Death, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse
mfrost's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
beastreader's review against another edition
2.0
I have to say that I do not have mush experience reading Russian books or authors. However I have read authors from other countries and I can tell a difference in the writing styles of these authors to U.S. authors. They are a little more vivid in their details, black humor can be borderline crude, and then there is the language. U.S. authors use more words to get their point across whereas other authors from other countries use less works and it can be like reading from a cue card.
The reason I wanted to check this book out was because of the title. Plain and simple. I thought the title was interesting and I wanted to know how you could get love from a girl who seduced her sister’s husband and hanged herself. Well I learned all about it in Hallelujah, Family!
These tales of love are not all about a happy ending. Some tales are kind of meant to shock you. Others may make you think the woman gets around a lot. In other stories the guy is a bastard. Like for example in A Murky Fate, a unmarried woman falls for a guy who commutes between his mother and his wife’s house. He is a womanizer. He talks about himself, gets himself some and then leaves the woman. The ending line goes like this “There was nothing but pain in store for her, yet she cried with happiness and couldn’t stop. “
While, I found these stories short and out of the ordinary, after a while I had to stop because I also found them somewhat depressing and dreary. Also, some of the stories I liked but then they would stop suddenly. This book is a unusual collection of love stories.
The reason I wanted to check this book out was because of the title. Plain and simple. I thought the title was interesting and I wanted to know how you could get love from a girl who seduced her sister’s husband and hanged herself. Well I learned all about it in Hallelujah, Family!
These tales of love are not all about a happy ending. Some tales are kind of meant to shock you. Others may make you think the woman gets around a lot. In other stories the guy is a bastard. Like for example in A Murky Fate, a unmarried woman falls for a guy who commutes between his mother and his wife’s house. He is a womanizer. He talks about himself, gets himself some and then leaves the woman. The ending line goes like this “There was nothing but pain in store for her, yet she cried with happiness and couldn’t stop. “
While, I found these stories short and out of the ordinary, after a while I had to stop because I also found them somewhat depressing and dreary. Also, some of the stories I liked but then they would stop suddenly. This book is a unusual collection of love stories.
erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
Calling these short stories "love stories," might be a bit of a stretch but that does not diminish their greatness. Raw, cruel, ironic, and playful these short stories won't leave your brain. Written by one of Russia's most acclaimed living writers; these stories are bleak, realistic, relatable, and compelling. From illicit trysts, divorce, children born out of wedlock, poverty, alcoholism, to horrible living conditions- readers are pulled along through a world of bleak (yet realistic) tales of woe and small triumphs. A fantastically quick read. I look forward to reading more of her short story collections!
balletbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Amazing bleak, strange, needy stories. A biting examination of Soviet era relationships between lovers, husbands, wives, children, parents, etc. So good.
stealingyoursunbeams's review against another edition
2.0
I bought this because the title was intriguing. I love unconventional love stories and damaged characters.
This book has plenty of both, but I found it lacking because all the stories are too damn short. Every time I think I'm starting to connect or understand the character, the story ends abruptly. For me, it was a forgettable collection of stories with an otherwise good premise.
This book has plenty of both, but I found it lacking because all the stories are too damn short. Every time I think I'm starting to connect or understand the character, the story ends abruptly. For me, it was a forgettable collection of stories with an otherwise good premise.
moirwyn's review against another edition
5.0
For my full review, see here:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/there-once-lived-a-girl-who-seduced-her-sisters-husband-and-he-hanged-himself-love-stories-by-ludmilla-petrushevskaya/
Overall, I was very impressed. Petrushevskaya uses a style reminiscent of Chekhov in this collection of love stories gone wrong. She uses sympathetic but very flawed protagonists to point out problems in Soviet society. This book could have been very depressing if Petrushevskaya didn't have a dark sense of humor that permeates the book. Overall, a wonderful read.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/there-once-lived-a-girl-who-seduced-her-sisters-husband-and-he-hanged-himself-love-stories-by-ludmilla-petrushevskaya/
Overall, I was very impressed. Petrushevskaya uses a style reminiscent of Chekhov in this collection of love stories gone wrong. She uses sympathetic but very flawed protagonists to point out problems in Soviet society. This book could have been very depressing if Petrushevskaya didn't have a dark sense of humor that permeates the book. Overall, a wonderful read.
sarapalooza's review against another edition
4.0
Her stories are so immersive and “bingeable”.
Can’t compare her to anyone.
Can’t compare her to anyone.