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wanderingmole's review against another edition
3.0
'slice of life' short story dealing w existential questions as one sees snapshots of the various dwellers of a summer colony
blyn234's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
cdelorenzo's review against another edition
5.0
"—Supongo —dijo un tanto vagamente— que acabas por acostumbrarte. Somos capaces de acostumbrarnos a cualquier cosa.
—¿Tú crees? ¡No sé! —su «no sé» fue tan profundo que pareció brotar de las entrañas de la tierra—”.
"...y ángeles deslumbrantes y frígidos nos llevarán hacia acá o hacia allá, y no habrá tiempo de explicar lo que habría sido tan sencillo de explicar..."
—¿Tú crees? ¡No sé! —su «no sé» fue tan profundo que pareció brotar de las entrañas de la tierra—”.
"...y ángeles deslumbrantes y frígidos nos llevarán hacia acá o hacia allá, y no habrá tiempo de explicar lo que habría sido tan sencillo de explicar..."
chroniqled's review against another edition
5.0
This was a serene little novella that I had the utmost pleasure of reading.
Set against the backdrop of the ocean , or “The Bay,” we encounter people living their day-to-day lives. A husband. A wife. Their children. Their cousins. Their in-laws. Their neighbours.
The descriptions of the ocean were vivid and beautiful, and I felt transported— like I was actually there with the characters.
We plainly see the domestic pains, but also the domestic bliss, that come with the mundane repetitiveness of daily life.
I felt like I was there around the campfire with the children, telling each other ghost stories; lying about on the shore in my underwear, conversing with a woman older and more experienced than myself; taking a bath every morning in the ocean with my cousins; doing household chores and i listen to the waves break; embracing my wife and children as i get home from work.
With this bliss come the pains, and it was sobering to read about dilemmas that resonate with me whenever I find myself in a rut— like, is this all there is to it? Do we all really have to die in the end? What happens then? Are we even deserving of love? Does marriage guarantee happiness? Isn’t being a woman just so, so hard? Will having children make me feel fulfilled and accomplished?
All these questions, swirling in the heads of these people— and they just have to live with it.
Thank you so much to Melville House for gifting me a copy from their The Art of the Novella series in exchange for an honest review.
Set against the backdrop of the ocean , or “The Bay,” we encounter people living their day-to-day lives. A husband. A wife. Their children. Their cousins. Their in-laws. Their neighbours.
The descriptions of the ocean were vivid and beautiful, and I felt transported— like I was actually there with the characters.
We plainly see the domestic pains, but also the domestic bliss, that come with the mundane repetitiveness of daily life.
I felt like I was there around the campfire with the children, telling each other ghost stories; lying about on the shore in my underwear, conversing with a woman older and more experienced than myself; taking a bath every morning in the ocean with my cousins; doing household chores and i listen to the waves break; embracing my wife and children as i get home from work.
With this bliss come the pains, and it was sobering to read about dilemmas that resonate with me whenever I find myself in a rut— like, is this all there is to it? Do we all really have to die in the end? What happens then? Are we even deserving of love? Does marriage guarantee happiness? Isn’t being a woman just so, so hard? Will having children make me feel fulfilled and accomplished?
All these questions, swirling in the heads of these people— and they just have to live with it.
Thank you so much to Melville House for gifting me a copy from their The Art of the Novella series in exchange for an honest review.
samranakhtar's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
amandaceder's review against another edition
4.0
"Oh but I do want to be a bee frightfully," wailed Kezia... A tiny bee, all yellow-furry, with striped legs."