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A review by basicallyhades
Even That Wildest Hope by Seyward Goodhand
4.0
An eclectic collection of strange short stories, ranging from the gruesome to the quite charming, all invoking strong emotion in the reader.
Enkidu ★★☆☆☆
So I Can Win, the Galatrax Must Die ★★★☆☆
The Fur Trader's Daughter ★★★★★
Felix Baumgartner's Guardian Angel ★★★☆☆
What Bothers a Woman of the World ★★★★☆
Pastoral ★★★★☆
The Gamins of Winnipeg ★★★★★
Embassy Row ★★★☆☆
The Parachute ★★★★☆
Hansel, Gretel, and Katie ★★★★★
Average: 3.8
I'll admit, when I first started reading this collection of stories, that started with 'Enkidu', I had a sinking feeling that it wasn't the book for me. However I got through the first story, which had the vibe of a religious mythology origin story (which is the kind of thing I usually like but couldn't get into on this occasion), and was pleasantly surprised! Each story invoked a strong sense of emotion in me. In particular my favourites were The Fur Trader's Daughter, The Gamins of Winnipeg, and Hansel, Gretel, and Katie. I think what these stories had in common, apart from the Gamins of Winnipeg, is that they all had an air of fairytale (with Hansel, Gretel, and Katie obviously being a reimagining of the classic Hansel and Gretel). This is also something I enjoyed about Pastoral too. I think this is the kind of story Goodhand writes really well; although the strangeness that creeps out of the other stories is a particular highlight too.
If you like the kind of stories that will stick with you, I definitely recommend this collection. In a nutshell I would describe this book as strange, thought provoking, engrossing, and wonderful.
I received a free copy of this from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Enkidu ★★☆☆☆
So I Can Win, the Galatrax Must Die ★★★☆☆
The Fur Trader's Daughter ★★★★★
Felix Baumgartner's Guardian Angel ★★★☆☆
What Bothers a Woman of the World ★★★★☆
Pastoral ★★★★☆
The Gamins of Winnipeg ★★★★★
Embassy Row ★★★☆☆
The Parachute ★★★★☆
Hansel, Gretel, and Katie ★★★★★
Average: 3.8
I'll admit, when I first started reading this collection of stories, that started with 'Enkidu', I had a sinking feeling that it wasn't the book for me. However I got through the first story, which had the vibe of a religious mythology origin story (which is the kind of thing I usually like but couldn't get into on this occasion), and was pleasantly surprised! Each story invoked a strong sense of emotion in me. In particular my favourites were The Fur Trader's Daughter, The Gamins of Winnipeg, and Hansel, Gretel, and Katie. I think what these stories had in common, apart from the Gamins of Winnipeg, is that they all had an air of fairytale (with Hansel, Gretel, and Katie obviously being a reimagining of the classic Hansel and Gretel). This is also something I enjoyed about Pastoral too. I think this is the kind of story Goodhand writes really well; although the strangeness that creeps out of the other stories is a particular highlight too.
If you like the kind of stories that will stick with you, I definitely recommend this collection. In a nutshell I would describe this book as strange, thought provoking, engrossing, and wonderful.
I received a free copy of this from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!