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A review by house_of_hannah
The Best American Short Stories 2021 by Heidi Pitlor, Jesmyn Ward
slow-paced
2.0
I really wanted to give this three stars, but with how that very last story made me feel I don't think I can. There are 20 short stories in this book, and they vary greatly in genre and quality. When I first started reading I thought it was alright, but then it got to be a slog to get through. I think the second to last story, Biology, is my favorite, but then the very last story, Little Beast, just made me angry.
There are a few gems in here, but there are also stories that I absolutely do not understand the point of. Several stories seem to be people acting evil for no rhyme or reason, no consequences, and I cannot figure out what the message is supposed to be.
For me this title was just very misleading. Claiming that these stories are the best of the year is high praise, but unfortunately it just could not live up to it.
There are a few gems in here, but there are also stories that I absolutely do not understand the point of. Several stories seem to be people acting evil for no rhyme or reason, no consequences, and I cannot figure out what the message is supposed to be.
For me this title was just very misleading. Claiming that these stories are the best of the year is high praise, but unfortunately it just could not live up to it.