Scan barcode
lexisunshine's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
4.25
Loved: almost everything! The vibes were so immaculate and odd. The stories were almost too short and yet the abrupt ends to them were so sharp, so precise- it left a weird but pleasant taste in my mouth.
Didn’t love: maybe the stories as a collection? Each were so unique and self-sufficient, I wonder what the author’s intent might have been for the book as a whole.
Didn’t love: maybe the stories as a collection? Each were so unique and self-sufficient, I wonder what the author’s intent might have been for the book as a whole.
rakoerose's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great collection of stories and I’m happy to have picked it up!
She told us that evil rarely looked like evil when it first arrived.
— from “Cult of Mary”
I was surprised how many of these pieces seemed to focus on things buried, that must be confronted and realized. The darkness within the world and within ourselves, shrouded in van den Berg’s really gritty, surreal style. Some of the stories left me feeling dread in the pit of my stomach, partially due to the topic and partially because I know much of this is a true potential experience for women. (as a result, I do recommend looking up content warnings for this collection if you have any sensitivities. A big one mentioned is sexual assault, with others as well.)
If I had to pick my favorite story, it’s probably “Lizards,” for much of what I said above. It truly illustrates how women aren’t viewed genuinely for their fears, for the worries about sexual assault. It highlights how men sometimes lack the ability to bridge that gap where women are so often viewed as prey instead of equals. It left a tingly sensation across my whole body with fear when I finished it, because women so often are in these positions and never realize it. Because society deemed it the norm.
I also particularly enjoyed “The Pitch” for its surreal tone and unexpected ending. The intense focus on her husband’s gardening gloves added to the weird vibe of the story. It’s another one where they have to confront what was buried for so long.
Overall, I do recommend this collection for those looking for stories that delve deep into the feminine experience. Stories that aren’t afraid to lay bare the harsh realities of existence.
She told us that evil rarely looked like evil when it first arrived.
— from “Cult of Mary”
I was surprised how many of these pieces seemed to focus on things buried, that must be confronted and realized. The darkness within the world and within ourselves, shrouded in van den Berg’s really gritty, surreal style. Some of the stories left me feeling dread in the pit of my stomach, partially due to the topic and partially because I know much of this is a true potential experience for women. (as a result, I do recommend looking up content warnings for this collection if you have any sensitivities. A big one mentioned is sexual assault, with others as well.)
If I had to pick my favorite story, it’s probably “Lizards,” for much of what I said above. It truly illustrates how women aren’t viewed genuinely for their fears, for the worries about sexual assault. It highlights how men sometimes lack the ability to bridge that gap where women are so often viewed as prey instead of equals. It left a tingly sensation across my whole body with fear when I finished it, because women so often are in these positions and never realize it. Because society deemed it the norm.
I also particularly enjoyed “The Pitch” for its surreal tone and unexpected ending. The intense focus on her husband’s gardening gloves added to the weird vibe of the story. It’s another one where they have to confront what was buried for so long.
Overall, I do recommend this collection for those looking for stories that delve deep into the feminine experience. Stories that aren’t afraid to lay bare the harsh realities of existence.
alexarn9393's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
iabsi47's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
westontori's review against another edition
5.0
I really love this book. Such interesting, convoluted stories. I took my time reading this so I could soak in each sentence. Sometimes with short stories, you're left wanting more, but each of these was unbelievably satisfying in completely different ways - even if you wanted more info, each conclusion felt good. An awesome read!
dreamgalaxies's review against another edition
5.0
I have a booktube channel now! Subscribe here.
I really enjoyed this book of short stories. 4.5 stars. Highly atmospheric and creepy. There's often a moment toward the end where it seems the story is going to capsize into magical realism, but they mostly hang around the edges of reality. Characters' voices are highly developed despite in some cases very limited page counts, and these stories have wonderful structure.
There's a simmering menace in the background in the form of alienation, misogyny, violence, and economic decay. However, van den Berg keeps it subtle enough that there is no tendency toward the didactic. In fact, I think I see growth here in terms of making things a little less subtle; the other book I've read by her, [i]Third Hotel[/i], makes its themes too subtle and remote.
There are some common elements in these eleven stories: alienated/isolated young women, strained sibling relationships, grief upon losing a family member, substance abuse...but despite the repetition, I didn't get bored of any of them. I'll definitely be reading van den Berg's other work.
I really enjoyed this book of short stories. 4.5 stars. Highly atmospheric and creepy. There's often a moment toward the end where it seems the story is going to capsize into magical realism, but they mostly hang around the edges of reality. Characters' voices are highly developed despite in some cases very limited page counts, and these stories have wonderful structure.
There's a simmering menace in the background in the form of alienation, misogyny, violence, and economic decay. However, van den Berg keeps it subtle enough that there is no tendency toward the didactic. In fact, I think I see growth here in terms of making things a little less subtle; the other book I've read by her, [i]Third Hotel[/i], makes its themes too subtle and remote.
There are some common elements in these eleven stories: alienated/isolated young women, strained sibling relationships, grief upon losing a family member, substance abuse...but despite the repetition, I didn't get bored of any of them. I'll definitely be reading van den Berg's other work.
saraaikman's review against another edition
4.0
A true 3.8⭐️s, the author does a great job of setting an unsettling mood and I love an insane woman forever and ever and ever. The short stories were fun and I loved getting through them quickly. Overall I wish I would’ve gained a bit more from the stories but I defs highlighted some wonderfully written parts and I liked the storytelling overall.