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mrswhite's review
4.0
I make no secret of the fact that I'm a huge fan of the short story. There's something uniquely satisfying for me about digesting a complete piece in a single sitting, then possibly even re-reading it a second or third time to pick up on the subtleties I may have missed the first time through. Furthermore, I think short fiction is a true test of a writer's skill, since there's a very limited space to achieve one's purpose, construct a satisfying plot, and flesh out one's characters. I think that's what impresses me so much about Etgar Keret. What most short fiction authors can do in twelve pages, he is able to do in three. Keret possesses a sort of writerly discipline I both admire and covet. For, lo, but I do tend to be verbose.
But my failings aside, The Nimrod Flipout is one of the more unusual things I've read in quite some time, and I mean that as a high compliment. Keret's lightening-quick stories (there's 30 of them in this 167 page collection) are fairly outlandish: one man loves his beautiful girlfriend all the more for the fat, brutish man she turns into at night; a boy is desperate to cure himself of a disease that causes his parents to shrink with every inch he grows; a talking fish provides perspective to the man who had hoped to make it his supper; a father-to-be is so anxious his child won't live up to his hopes that he dreams it into a pony. Keret's imaginative, to say the least.
One may expect such bizarre premises to turn comical, and they sometimes do, but I often found myself bracing for a joke that never materialized. And this was in no way a fault. What begins as silly often turns thoughtful, poignant, or downright sad, and considerably deeper than the offbeat premise had me prepared for. It's perhaps understandable that Keret, an Israeli, weaves terrorism throughout the collection, but it's handled subtly and his stories are neither religious nor political. Instead, and despite all their strangeness, Keret's stories are oddly universal and his characters easy to empathize with.
In sum, I enjoyed this offbeat little book more than a little bit. Should your tastes lean towards the whimsical, you may do well to check it out.
But my failings aside, The Nimrod Flipout is one of the more unusual things I've read in quite some time, and I mean that as a high compliment. Keret's lightening-quick stories (there's 30 of them in this 167 page collection) are fairly outlandish: one man loves his beautiful girlfriend all the more for the fat, brutish man she turns into at night; a boy is desperate to cure himself of a disease that causes his parents to shrink with every inch he grows; a talking fish provides perspective to the man who had hoped to make it his supper; a father-to-be is so anxious his child won't live up to his hopes that he dreams it into a pony. Keret's imaginative, to say the least.
One may expect such bizarre premises to turn comical, and they sometimes do, but I often found myself bracing for a joke that never materialized. And this was in no way a fault. What begins as silly often turns thoughtful, poignant, or downright sad, and considerably deeper than the offbeat premise had me prepared for. It's perhaps understandable that Keret, an Israeli, weaves terrorism throughout the collection, but it's handled subtly and his stories are neither religious nor political. Instead, and despite all their strangeness, Keret's stories are oddly universal and his characters easy to empathize with.
In sum, I enjoyed this offbeat little book more than a little bit. Should your tastes lean towards the whimsical, you may do well to check it out.
torismazarine's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
izumen's review against another edition
Керет пише със завидна лекота и чувство за хумор.
soy_sputnik's review against another edition
4.0
Los cuentos de Keret tienen siempre la misma estructura: una historia cotidiana que de repente se convierte en un sin sentido que pareciera estar ahí a propósito. Un sinsentido que irónicamente tiene sentido en la realidad del cuento y quizás en la nuestra. Keret entonces explica cómo entiende el mundo entre situaciones planas que pasan a lo extraordinario. Es lindo porque en el momento que crees que los cuentos de Keret son todos iguales sale otro cuento de la nada que te hace cuestionar por qué si todos son iguales sigues leyendo y leyendo.
pattydsf's review
2.0
I first encountered Keret as the editior of Tel Aviv Noir. He had one short story in that book. I found the story weird, but I didn’t know anything about him or his usual writing. When I found this collection of thirty short stories for sale at the San Antonio library, I figured it was worth a dollar or two. I am still trying to decide whether it was worth the investment.
For the most part, I found Keret’s stories to be annoying. They were only mildly amusing. I didn’t like many of the characters and I didn’t like the way he portrayed women. This is why blurbs on book jackets can drive me crazy. I don’t think I read the same book as the people who wrote the blurbs.
Maybe it is because I am female. Most of the blurbs seem to be written by males. Also I think Keret’s writing is like the Three Stooges. I never understood why my brothers thought they were funny. From my perspective, Keret is writing about life as a man and I just didn’t get it. I am willing to put myself in characters’ shoes, but I didn’t find much to relate to.
Apparently Keret has been on This American Life. Maybe if I heard him tell his stories, I would have found them funnier.
For the most part, I found Keret’s stories to be annoying. They were only mildly amusing. I didn’t like many of the characters and I didn’t like the way he portrayed women. This is why blurbs on book jackets can drive me crazy. I don’t think I read the same book as the people who wrote the blurbs.
Maybe it is because I am female. Most of the blurbs seem to be written by males. Also I think Keret’s writing is like the Three Stooges. I never understood why my brothers thought they were funny. From my perspective, Keret is writing about life as a man and I just didn’t get it. I am willing to put myself in characters’ shoes, but I didn’t find much to relate to.
Apparently Keret has been on This American Life. Maybe if I heard him tell his stories, I would have found them funnier.
aaronlindsey's review
4.0
If you're looking for some light, super-imaginative short stories, look no further! This is it!
mesulkin's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sve100's review against another edition
5.0
Не знам какво мога да напиша за Керет,освен че съм безвъзвратно влюбена в начина,по който разказва.
bonaldi's review
4.0
Some killer; some filler; but the killer is (Everything I Do) I Do It For You-smash material.