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panieldope's review
5.0
Some of the best writing about L.A. I've read. I'm really impressed by how well Mathews manages so many different kinds of voices—he does justice to everyone's humanity, but he doesn’t let anyone off the hook; there's no pity, but no judgment either. A great mix of lushness and sparseness in the prose.
mikescalise's review
5.0
I was the biggest possible fan of the soft stitching that interwove the big cast of Long Beach searchers in Jim Gavin's Lodge 49 on AMC (it's on Hulu: watch it and fall in love). Mathews' bracing short story collection--the first on Gavin's Tiger Van imprint--is a kind of Elseworlds project, unfolding somewhere in that universe. It's a sort of darker, Lodge 49: After Hours set in 1980s LA, but with its own big heart, beating at its own rhythm, that maintains the same soft stitching across a fascinating community. Mathews swings so well between voice-driven stories, bizarre fables, and lived-in moments that spin off into surprising, sublime directions. If you love narratives that loosely connect a constellation of characters in a unique town, pick this up and enjoy.
mkreader's review
3.0
Ce bouquin est censé être un roman mais il se lit plutôt comme un livre plein de vignettes dont certaines sont très émouvantes et d'autres non. Mais à tout prendre, ça vaut la peine de le lire.
dllman05's review
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kerriboland's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
These were fantastic little stories. I kept waiting for more tragedy and was pleasantly surprised when it didn't happen... not that there wasn't tragedy, but the whole book wasn't centered on it. Loved the interconnections between characters.
mattpatston's review
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
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