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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
The Wilds by Julia Elliott is according to Amazon.com:
At an obscure South Carolina nursing home, a lost world reemerges as a disabled elderly woman undergoes newfangled brain-restoration procedures and begins to explore her environment with the assistance of strap-on robot legs. At a deluxe medical spa on a nameless Caribbean island, a middle-aged woman hopes to revitalize her fading youth with grotesque rejuvenating therapies that combine cutting-edge medical technologies with holistic approaches and the pseudo-religious dogma of Zen-infused self-help. And in a rinky-dink mill town, an adolescent girl is unexpectedly inspired by the ravings and miraculous levitation of her fundamentalist friend’s weird grandmother. These are only a few of the scenarios readers encounter in Julia Elliott’s debut collection, The Wilds. In these genre-bending stories, teetering between the ridiculous and the sublime, Elliott’s language-driven fiction uses outlandish tropes to capture poignant moments in her humble characters’ lives. Without abandoning the tenets of classic storytelling, Elliott revels in lush lyricism, dark humor, and experimental play.
The stories in this book are interesting, but just not my type of story. I could not get into this book. When I love a book, I will read and read until I am finished. This book I read in little bits and did not enjoy myself. The stories are well written and, for the right reader, enjoyable.
Please note that I received a free copy of this book courtesy of Goodreads Giveaways and Tin House Books.
At an obscure South Carolina nursing home, a lost world reemerges as a disabled elderly woman undergoes newfangled brain-restoration procedures and begins to explore her environment with the assistance of strap-on robot legs. At a deluxe medical spa on a nameless Caribbean island, a middle-aged woman hopes to revitalize her fading youth with grotesque rejuvenating therapies that combine cutting-edge medical technologies with holistic approaches and the pseudo-religious dogma of Zen-infused self-help. And in a rinky-dink mill town, an adolescent girl is unexpectedly inspired by the ravings and miraculous levitation of her fundamentalist friend’s weird grandmother. These are only a few of the scenarios readers encounter in Julia Elliott’s debut collection, The Wilds. In these genre-bending stories, teetering between the ridiculous and the sublime, Elliott’s language-driven fiction uses outlandish tropes to capture poignant moments in her humble characters’ lives. Without abandoning the tenets of classic storytelling, Elliott revels in lush lyricism, dark humor, and experimental play.
The stories in this book are interesting, but just not my type of story. I could not get into this book. When I love a book, I will read and read until I am finished. This book I read in little bits and did not enjoy myself. The stories are well written and, for the right reader, enjoyable.
Please note that I received a free copy of this book courtesy of Goodreads Giveaways and Tin House Books.
illiterad's review against another edition
5.0
one of my all time favorites. absurd realities as an extension of a purely human condition, painted as something still worth loving, desiring, and opposing
mollygoods's review against another edition
2.0
Gross. Shoulda woulda been a DNF, but I felt committed after listening to the first three stories. Listened on audio and slogged through it.
The stories are interesting, and writing is fine. The content is strange in a churn your stomach way and also the endings are abrupt. Definitely a theme throughout though, which is descriptive grossness.
The stories are interesting, and writing is fine. The content is strange in a churn your stomach way and also the endings are abrupt. Definitely a theme throughout though, which is descriptive grossness.
pixie_d's review against another edition
4.0
If they still teach southern lit at UGA, I hope they put this book on the syllabus. "Southern gothic" with a dash of satire, it's as if Wednesday Addams moved to the south and became a writer (and foodie -- the same sensibilities - as well as recurring themes - run through the different stories). Whether it is a kid in one of the stories, a narrator in another story, or the author overall, there is this irrepressible imagination and need to entrance a "captive audience" with outrageous tales. Some of the stories read more like chapters, and I would gladly have read them as whole books - I'm only afraid she will go on to something else and not finish those stories. But I'm excited to read whatever she comes up with next. Other stories, like the first one, show a perfect understanding of the short story form. Fantastic, and fantastical.
daena_johnson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
graggirl's review against another edition
4.0
I think this book is best read in small bite pieces one story at a time. I read all but the last three stories in October and then put the book aside for 5 months. I enjoyed picking it back up. It's strange. The stories have great characters, tons of strong women, and are so creative and unique. But most of them stop suddenly. You have to sort imagine the ends and there are multiple possibilities. Had I rated this back in October it would have probably been 3 starts but some of the stories really stuck with me all this time. I was glad to pick it back up. And though I almost never re-read books this is one I may pick back up every now again to re-read one of the stories.
danchibnall's review against another edition
4.0
These stories have a living presence. Reading each one reminded me of walking into a place and smelling something alive on the air. Not a foul smell, but a living, breathing presence. Each story was creepy or spooky and you could feel it, kind of writhing behind the pages. This author impressed me with her ability to craft these kinds of feelings in such short stories. I would definitely read one of her other books.
chrisschilds's review against another edition
5.0
Julia Elliot's The Wilds effortlessly blends elements of southern gothic, magical realism, science fiction, and speculation fiction into a single tome of short stories, each one being truly spectacular. It's a literary gumbo with all the perfect ingredients, cooked to perfection.
tonythep's review against another edition
5.0
These modern Southern Gothic stories are dark, funny, and wildly inventive. Elliott's imagery immerses you in the biology of her characters, in the pure viscera of her words. Whatever she describes, be it a liquored up father teaching his boys how to gut the robins they've shot with their BB gun, or a woman imagining all the organisms teeming in the mouth of her potential lover, her prose leaves behind a distinctive sheen that may well give you the urge to wash your hands. Resist that urge!