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mountainreader's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ben_miller's review
5.0
This collection had me in its thrall from beginning to end, each story unfolding in ways that were both convincing and unexpected. Like all great writing, its purpose is to illuminate the experience of being human and existing in a place, and it does this repeatedly not just with the drama of fiction but with the grace of poetry.
The prose is gorgeous and luxuriant, blending and blurring physical and emotional landscape to create a magical and dreamlike (often nightmarelike) effect. When needed, it can also cut right to the heart of things in a single, swift stroke. Either way, you're on your guard, a little off-balance, and unable to stop reading.
It's all hits, no skips, but I was especially impressed by "The Orams" (very advanced POV technique, also funny and insane), "The Bear is Back," "Potions," and "Monsters." (You think the monsters in that last one are going to be some elaborate literary metaphor, and you keep on thinking that until you find yourself in that shed at the end.)
The prose is gorgeous and luxuriant, blending and blurring physical and emotional landscape to create a magical and dreamlike (often nightmarelike) effect. When needed, it can also cut right to the heart of things in a single, swift stroke. Either way, you're on your guard, a little off-balance, and unable to stop reading.
It's all hits, no skips, but I was especially impressed by "The Orams" (very advanced POV technique, also funny and insane), "The Bear is Back," "Potions," and "Monsters." (You think the monsters in that last one are going to be some elaborate literary metaphor, and you keep on thinking that until you find yourself in that shed at the end.)
ambereatsbooks's review
2.5
I will admit I had a tough time with this one. I think it may have been a combination of me not being in the mood for a slow read and the writing being a bit too descriptive for my taste. I wanted to connect with the stories but they were all very sad or depressing. I enjoyed the setting but wished that the stories revolved around the woods a bit more. Again, I definitely feel like it was personal preferences that hindered my experience more than the writing itself.
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