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a_r_e_l_i_c's review against another edition
4.0
05 mortar
07 boiled potatoes & fermenting cabbage
22 stale smell of socks
28 syrupy smell {pine trees}
29 diesel plume
31 moldy onions
37 sweet, like a baby’s mouth after feeding
57 sulphurous stench
58 pickled smell of the fabric
59 singed pig flesh
71 acrid smell of burning plastic
86 stale tobacco
—-stench of garbage
100 spiced & herbal
107 like barley fermenting in urine
118 waxy fragrance, faintly petrochemical
122 fumes of aerosols, eaux de toilette & singed hair
123 newly varnished floor
136 pomade
137 oil & dirt
205 old books & laurel leaves
07 boiled potatoes & fermenting cabbage
22 stale smell of socks
28 syrupy smell {pine trees}
29 diesel plume
31 moldy onions
37 sweet, like a baby’s mouth after feeding
57 sulphurous stench
58 pickled smell of the fabric
59 singed pig flesh
71 acrid smell of burning plastic
86 stale tobacco
—-stench of garbage
100 spiced & herbal
107 like barley fermenting in urine
118 waxy fragrance, faintly petrochemical
122 fumes of aerosols, eaux de toilette & singed hair
123 newly varnished floor
136 pomade
137 oil & dirt
205 old books & laurel leaves
zigzagzmak's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really enjoyed this one!! So many stories that intersect and converge. There was a bit of absurdism almost, in some places, but then wasn't the USSR also pretty absurd?
emjay2021's review
5.0
This is an excellent collection of linked short stories about an apartment building in Soviet-era Ukraine. It doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of Soviet rule and existence in a crumbling society, but it also has many moments of humour. Parts, but not all of it, are bleak. There was one story towards the end that I wasn’t a super fan of, but mostly because it was about a giant cockroach and it was too gross.
My favourites were the stories about Zaya, the little girl from the orphanage. She is a fantastic character. It’s interesting to see the link she has to the apartment building, because it’s not clear at first.
Anyway, highly recommended. The writing is terrific, the characters memorable, and the plots strange and fascinating.
My favourites were the stories about Zaya, the little girl from the orphanage. She is a fantastic character. It’s interesting to see the link she has to the apartment building, because it’s not clear at first.
Anyway, highly recommended. The writing is terrific, the characters memorable, and the plots strange and fascinating.
professor_dinosaur's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
aoifeagle_27's review
4.0
literally so weird...like an orphan girl with a cleft lip carries around a mummified monk as a doll. BUT could not put it down and it was such a cool writing style!
pixe1's review
This was 3-4 stars for me, noting that it finished a lot stronger than it started.
sonderteaa's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
mold_munchr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0