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lizwisniewski's review against another edition
4.0
Reminded me of George Saunders, but different. Wonderful reads, thoughtful, lyrical, engrossing. Wish I could give it 4.5.
briandice's review against another edition
4.0
It's hard to find fault in any collection of Dybek stories; I've missed his writing and am glad to read more from his pen.
Even if you're not a fan of love stories, don't be fooled by the title - love is the clay to this Potter; watching what he does with the medium is dazzling.
Even if you're not a fan of love stories, don't be fooled by the title - love is the clay to this Potter; watching what he does with the medium is dazzling.
d35l3g3nd's review against another edition
3.0
My heaven is the Chinese laundry that's a restaurant at the beginning of the last story in this collection. I hope I dream tonight about being there with friends, hefting the menu.
sarahshaiman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
2.0
moonshake's review against another edition
4.0
Yah. 'Four Deuces' and 'Oceanic' are probably the best of the bunch; it's a good collection that is surely to have 'magic realism' tossed around when being described but I really felt Dybek was not afraid to flit from thought to thought without all the dressage of logic and all that 'therefore' biz
garthranzz's review against another edition
2.0
One Great Short Story (Short Story Month) - Lit Hub: May 5
https://lithub.com/tag/one-great-short-story/
Just “Paper Lantern”
https://lithub.com/tag/one-great-short-story/
Just “Paper Lantern”
drexedit's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brianthehuman's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
3.5
erinray82's review against another edition
4.0
This book had a haunting quality that made the subject of love, or rather the art of love, feel like an ethereal journey, somehow both perilous and exhilarating, like being caught up in a tremendous tide. It has an element of the terrifying as well as the hypnotic beauty that is infatuation and captivation combined, imbued with an air of true devotion. There is a sense of confusion at times, bitter disillusionment, and tremendous beauty all wound up with stark ugliness and woe. Somehow it's all entwined in expensive sheets that smell of pricy perfume, cigarettes, and some wonderfully aged liquor. This book makes me taste cherries and rich sauces, smell sandalwood, feel the weight of furs, and picture silk stockings on the line. It tells secrets and stokes the fires of deceit. There are shadows on every page, and thus, mystery lurks around every corner. Somehow the prose itself feels both seedy and extravagant all at once. It is the epitome of wealth and fluidity, even when it features subtlety, the common, the low. Decked out like some classy broad, the writing makes you work, makes you think, but ensures that you enjoy the entire process. My favorite stories were Seiche, Four Deuces, If I Vanished, and Waiting (my favorite of them all). When I sat this book down at the end I stared at it as if I had devoured some alcohol infused exotic cake in one sitting, wondering how I did it, feeling both a little sick and deeply satisfied, and monstrously, monstrously full.
blearywitch's review against another edition
1.0
I can only say one sentence about this book - a waste of my precious time. None of the stories made any impression on me. "Tosca" especially, literally put me to sleep. Not trusting Wall Street Journal's review yet.