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mamaro05's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This anthology tells many stories that tell stories that feel very reflective and very much human. Lauren Groff does a great job at describing people’s lives rather than a story, a feeling of reality that is complex. Being a Florida native and reading this book, I resonate with a feeling that Florida is so unique that you find yourself being drawn back to it no matter how far you are or whether you ever return. Each chapter had me pausing and contemplating what I had read and processing it fully. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is ready for an emotionally deep and reflective anthology, especially if you are from or have deep ties to the state of Florida.
futurama1979's review against another edition
3.0
⟶ 3.5/5 stars
I actually first bought this book in 2017 after I heard one of the stories in it read on NPR's Selected Shorts. The story was "At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners" and I just fell in love with the prose and atmosphere on the spot and knew I needed to read it.
For the most part, it held up! The prose is really beautiful, and every story is incredibly atmospheric and tonally powerful, and they keep you just waiting to see what happens next. Groff is a master of building suspense and this slow, heavy feeling of dread that makes you sure something terrible is about to happen and makes for a morbidly exciting read. The only thing that really gave me trouble was that each story was about a different woman, in theory, but they were so, so similar. For the most part, they were women in fine but lacking marriages, with two young sons she adores but feels distant from, thinking about the dangers of the world. It's a narrative repeated in at least three of the pieces, and for me it got a bit tiring, but overall still a great collection.
I actually first bought this book in 2017 after I heard one of the stories in it read on NPR's Selected Shorts. The story was "At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners" and I just fell in love with the prose and atmosphere on the spot and knew I needed to read it.
For the most part, it held up! The prose is really beautiful, and every story is incredibly atmospheric and tonally powerful, and they keep you just waiting to see what happens next. Groff is a master of building suspense and this slow, heavy feeling of dread that makes you sure something terrible is about to happen and makes for a morbidly exciting read. The only thing that really gave me trouble was that each story was about a different woman, in theory, but they were so, so similar. For the most part, they were women in fine but lacking marriages, with two young sons she adores but feels distant from, thinking about the dangers of the world. It's a narrative repeated in at least three of the pieces, and for me it got a bit tiring, but overall still a great collection.
elstanley's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
larkken's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alybark's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
katharine421's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
katiemulcahy122's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Incoherent and unpleasant, although I might have bumped the rating to 2 stars had there been quotation marks.
I was unaware that this was a collection of stories, and spent half my time waiting for things to connect, but alas. Also, half of them were set in other countries?
But to be fair, I only picked this up because of Florence + the Machine referenced it in Florida!!! and I am clearly not the target audience.
I was unaware that this was a collection of stories, and spent half my time waiting for things to connect, but alas. Also, half of them were set in other countries?
But to be fair, I only picked this up because of Florence + the Machine referenced it in Florida!!! and I am clearly not the target audience.
ninaleonie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0