Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
There were a couple of stories that actually made me cry, which isn't easy to do with a short story. The first one was my absolute favorite - I thought it was going to go so wrong and was glad that it totally didn't - as well as Angel of Rome (the aforementioned tear-jerker.) A couple of them were duds but overall, I really enjoyed this collection.
this book is excellent! it’s full of interesting and engaging short stories that talk about life, adolescence, aging, and hope. i highly recommend this one! especially the audiobook - the narrator is fantastic
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
My favorite story in the collection was the feature one, Angel of Rome.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jess Walter's other collection, "We Live in Water" is one of my favorite books I've read this year. So I was thrilled when I found out he had a nex collection.
And a lot of the stories in this one are just as good as the ones in the other, but some are not.
I loved the title story. It was my favorite in this book.
And a lot of the stories in this one are just as good as the ones in the other, but some are not.
I loved the title story. It was my favorite in this book.
Overwrought. Poorly written. Giving two stars instead of one because there were some sweet, poignant moments. However, not worth the effort or time to read. Characters were vapid and poorly developed. The context was unbelievable. Felt pulpy and like something I’d read in a workshop in my first year of my MFA program.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Mixed feelings about this collection. While I've never encountered a short story collection in which I loved every piece, my opinions range wildly on those included here.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such a great book. I can’t believe how much depth Jesse draws from his characters in such a short amount of pages. I don’t normally go for short stories. This was not like your typical book of short stories. All the stories feel much longer than they are. Most enjoyable. Funny too!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes