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inyx's review against another edition
5.0
Pam Houston chose an amazing form and filled it with poignant observations and a wry sense of humor.
shelfimprovement's review against another edition
3.0
Part midlife crisis, part travelogue, this novel traces the journey of a restless fortysomething woman who is probably not particularly far-removed from the author herself. The story is told in brief snapshots of trips that Pam takes across the globe. Some with her less-than-ideal love interest, some with various friends, and some by herself. Houston herself fills these snapshots with such intimate details of each location that it’s hard not to assume the incredibly autobiographical nature of this novel.
There is also a severe lack of chronology, as there’s really no indication of a timeframe or a sequence of events for Pam’s adventures. We know it's contemporary, but that's about it. It’s an interesting style, and I loved Houston’s wordsmithing, but there’s a lack of character development that irked me. Though I get that Pam is a woman who runs away from anything in her life that causes her the least bit of anxiety, I didn’t see a whole lot of growth over the course of the story.
There is also a severe lack of chronology, as there’s really no indication of a timeframe or a sequence of events for Pam’s adventures. We know it's contemporary, but that's about it. It’s an interesting style, and I loved Houston’s wordsmithing, but there’s a lack of character development that irked me. Though I get that Pam is a woman who runs away from anything in her life that causes her the least bit of anxiety, I didn’t see a whole lot of growth over the course of the story.
yarnylibrarian's review against another edition
2.0
It pains me to say this... but Pam Houston's latest book really let me down. I so love her earlier short stories (Cowboys Are My Weakness, especially), but the ones in Contents May Have Shifted just don't make the grade. They are too disjointed and, frankly, too negative. The "main character" (term used very loosely) never seems to grow and her whole life situation (especially with men) became utterly tiresome for me. Because these short stories are SO short, it was SO easy for me to put this down and not pick it up again. I gave it a second chance and gave up on it a second time. Now I'm done.
Yes, these contents shifted during flight - and not for the better.
Yes, these contents shifted during flight - and not for the better.
glassesgirl79's review
2.0
Contents May Have Shifted” is a novel written by Pam Houston with a main character named Pam who is searching for her comfort zone by traveling to different countries with her boyfriend Ethan.
Due to the variety of countries that Pam visits through the novel, I had high hopes this would be an enjoyable read. Instead, the chapters are choppy and Pam comes across as misguided and self absorbed at times.
While reading the novel, I wondered at times if this was truly a novel or a fictional travelogue of the author. I felt that the novel completely focused on Pam’s experiences in this different countries instead of highlighting on the real source of her seeking solace through flying around the world. Reading this novel reminded me of “Eat Pray Love” in the main character’s luxury to freely travel the world to find herself/connect with herself without the fear of not having employment when she returns from her travels.
By the end of the novel, the reader is left with the knowledge that although Pam has traveled to thirteen different countries (Australia, Bahamas, U.S., Jamaica , Canada, Bhutan, Argentina, Laos, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, New Zealand, and France) and has have interacted with people from various backgrounds, I feel she hasn’t learned anything from her experience other than the unpredictable nature of life and the instability of romantic relationships.
Due to the variety of countries that Pam visits through the novel, I had high hopes this would be an enjoyable read. Instead, the chapters are choppy and Pam comes across as misguided and self absorbed at times.
While reading the novel, I wondered at times if this was truly a novel or a fictional travelogue of the author. I felt that the novel completely focused on Pam’s experiences in this different countries instead of highlighting on the real source of her seeking solace through flying around the world. Reading this novel reminded me of “Eat Pray Love” in the main character’s luxury to freely travel the world to find herself/connect with herself without the fear of not having employment when she returns from her travels.
By the end of the novel, the reader is left with the knowledge that although Pam has traveled to thirteen different countries (Australia, Bahamas, U.S., Jamaica , Canada, Bhutan, Argentina, Laos, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, New Zealand, and France) and has have interacted with people from various backgrounds, I feel she hasn’t learned anything from her experience other than the unpredictable nature of life and the instability of romantic relationships.
psalmcat's review against another edition
5.0
This turned out to be worth the plod and complete confusion at the beginning. The chapters are flight numbers, the main character shares the same first name as the author, and the other people are sort of just mentioned, not introduced. In all, it sounds like a mess, but I got sucked in bigtime. Maybe it's because she lives (sometimes) in Creede, Colorado, or perhaps it's the incessant travel. I don't know how it works, but I love this book.
torriejaywhite's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
ckporier's review
4.0
3-3/4 stars. I love her voice and enjoyed this book but would rank it below "Cowboys are My Weakness."
elzecatreads's review
4.0
Pam's a great writer, but I didn't like this book as much as the first one of hers that I read years ago, Cowboys Are My Weakness. I do like how each little vignette is set in different geographical locations, as it made me want to visit some of those places. A relationship between the main character "Pam" and a particular guy sort of weaves many of the stories together and I totally disliked the guy character, so that probably has something to do with why this collection of stories wasn't as enjoyable for me. I would still recommend it for people who like Pam Houston's work and if you like short stories involving travel.
msmichaela's review
4.0
I'm predisposed to like Pam Houston - I took a writing class with her back in the late 90s and found her to be warm, funny and really insightful. Totally the kind of person you want to hang out with over beers (though her stories will ALWAYS be better than yours). Her new novel is lovely, though it took me a little while to fall into its rhythm -- 144 short chapters, which take place in various locations and with a variety of characters. Take the time to sort it all out, though, and you get an engaging read about an intrepid traveler named Pam who has an enviable circle of wise, recognizably *real* friends and a somewhat less enviable romantic life. This description makes it sound like generic chick lit, which it most assuredly is not.
eryberry's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure what to make of this book when i started but the authors style of writing appealed to me. The interplay between travel, relationship, and self-discovery vignettes works really well.