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nazarin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Took me a lifetime to finish this collection of short stories!!!
oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition
3.0
Might not be a book I re-read, but certainly creepy and memorable. Stories have a lingering dread and sometimes I was reminded of Haruki Murakami on a good day.
(Argentina)
(Argentina)
goudaparanoia's review against another edition
Not. Into. It. I kept listening because I thought I would like some of the short stories and I was so wrong.
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
5.0
Most of these short stories have a sort of nightmarish qualities about them, much like another Intentional Booker nominee from author, Fever Dreams (but 'Fever Dreams' had a far better execution IMO and, to be honest, should have won International Booker that year). Sometimes the nightmarish quality is due to environment or because of the perspective of a child narrator while others really have a somewhat Kafka-like dream-realism (unpredictable sequence of surreal events) with an which is the thing I enjoy most about this author. The unease one feels during a nightmare is common to the narrators of all the good stories in here. 'Headlights', 'Butterflies', 'Preserves", 'toward the civilization' etc are some of the best ones.
There a few less enjoyable stories (the titular story, incidentally, was one of those I enjoyed less), but the 5-star ones are too difficult to ignore.
A bad sample, bad not because it is a bad story, but because it doesn't have this nightmarish quality, can be read here.
There a few less enjoyable stories (the titular story, incidentally, was one of those I enjoyed less), but the 5-star ones are too difficult to ignore.
A bad sample, bad not because it is a bad story, but because it doesn't have this nightmarish quality, can be read here.
emorm's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
rosielazar1's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
sentetia's review against another edition
3.0
3,5/5 stars
A mixed bunch, but overall very enjoyable.
My favorites: Preserves, Butterflies, Santa Claus Sleeps at Out House, My Brother Walter, The Size of Things, and The Heavy Suitcase of Benavides.
A mixed bunch, but overall very enjoyable.
My favorites: Preserves, Butterflies, Santa Claus Sleeps at Out House, My Brother Walter, The Size of Things, and The Heavy Suitcase of Benavides.
sabrinaliterary's review against another edition
4.0
Five stars for "Headlights," seven stars for "Preserves."
lapeladaesa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25