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tessaays's review
5.0
Incredible. I actually gasped out loud a few times, the writing is so beautiful. Searing, gorgeous, sad, hopeful. Truly a breathtaking collection.
brittn's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
hcube3's review
3.0
2022 continues my ongoing journey to stan elizabeth harrower, but I admit her novels are better - these short stories have all the same themes of her other work: imbalanced relationships, psychological control, the misguided trust we have in family and partners; but I realise the quality I enjoy about Harrower's work is being fully immersed in that complex feeling, and not many of these stories are long enough to achieve that. The standouts are The Beautiful Climate, The City at Night, It Is Margaret
wtb_michael's review
3.0
These stories are about women - women oppressed by family, women uncertain about themselves and women finding small moments of self-belief. Harrower's a lovely writer, but the short story format doesn't give her the time to build up the deep and pervading dread that she manages in [b:The Watch Tower|2497026|The Watch Tower|Elizabeth Harrower|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335598702s/2497026.jpg|2504346] - although she comes close in The Beautiful Climate, the best story in this collection.
taphophile's review
3.0
I keep reading how Elizabeth Harrower is a rediscovered literary genius. I've tried more than once to read her novels and hoped I'd have better luck with her short fiction. Nope, I just don't connect with it. Well written, absolutely, but strangely cold and removed. I just can't engage.
brona's review
3.0
Some of the stories contained the emotional punch I was expecting and hoping for - especially the stories that examined the mother/daughter or older/younger woman dynamic (Alice, Summertime and The Cornucopia).
Most of us have experienced or witnessed toxic female friendships and we have learnt to keep those people at a distance. The hard part, of course, is when that toxic female is your mother or your boss and escape becomes very difficult. That's what makes Harrower's stories so disturbing. That sense of entrapment and 'stuckness' can make the reader feel suffocated and frustrated.
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/a-few-days-in-country-by-elizabeth.html
Most of us have experienced or witnessed toxic female friendships and we have learnt to keep those people at a distance. The hard part, of course, is when that toxic female is your mother or your boss and escape becomes very difficult. That's what makes Harrower's stories so disturbing. That sense of entrapment and 'stuckness' can make the reader feel suffocated and frustrated.
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/a-few-days-in-country-by-elizabeth.html
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