Scan barcode
A review by koob
Large Animals by Jess Arndt
I did not vibe with this at all so I'm not going to rate it. I wanna support queer voices and, if the stories are written chronologically, then Arndt's potential could possibly grow into something quite great which is hopeful (I can still be hopeful when writing reviews). If they're not, er, some speak to me more than others.
The writing felt somewhat rookie, in the (annoying) way that there was a mediocre adjective attached to every verb. I felt a difference in how comfortable the stories were unfolding, between the first, middle and last piece in this collection. The adjectives being used caught a certain flare that felt deliberate and effective in working with the tone of the scene. The tone of which usually involved alcohol and probably good haircuts too. I got tired of that quick.
The writing was very unclear to me. There wasn't much clarity in the line between fiction and/or if it was a personal. This line can be worked with of course but the voices felt repetitive in all the stories, and I didn't connect with them at any point.
There was one occasion where the queerness and the sense of bodies having such an important role in the stories, linked up really nicely. I'm not sure what kind of queerness I felt it was (or I was in response to this). Perhaps something about how bodies are held in queer spaces (or in each individual or relevant queer mind) as more than just holding us up, but filled with tales, traumas, hopes, expression, so much self being upheld in these forms of ours.
Someone said something about Kafka in a review somewhere and I don't recall being that into Kafka either. But if this was because of a large animal in the title story and said insect showing up, then i guess they were spot on.
Glad to have read it. Curious how to constructively write poor reviews or read constructively despite not liking it. Review coins to be gained here. Queer book club appreciation regardless.
The writing felt somewhat rookie, in the (annoying) way that there was a mediocre adjective attached to every verb. I felt a difference in how comfortable the stories were unfolding, between the first, middle and last piece in this collection. The adjectives being used caught a certain flare that felt deliberate and effective in working with the tone of the scene. The tone of which usually involved alcohol and probably good haircuts too. I got tired of that quick.
The writing was very unclear to me. There wasn't much clarity in the line between fiction and/or if it was a personal. This line can be worked with of course but the voices felt repetitive in all the stories, and I didn't connect with them at any point.
There was one occasion where the queerness and the sense of bodies having such an important role in the stories, linked up really nicely. I'm not sure what kind of queerness I felt it was (or I was in response to this). Perhaps something about how bodies are held in queer spaces (or in each individual or relevant queer mind) as more than just holding us up, but filled with tales, traumas, hopes, expression, so much self being upheld in these forms of ours.
Someone said something about Kafka in a review somewhere and I don't recall being that into Kafka either. But if this was because of a large animal in the title story and said insect showing up, then i guess they were spot on.
Glad to have read it. Curious how to constructively write poor reviews or read constructively despite not liking it. Review coins to be gained here. Queer book club appreciation regardless.