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readalotwritealot's review
4.0
This is a unique and at times disturbing collection. But as a whole, I loved it. A few of my standout favorites were Sex Drive which had Joyce Carol Oates vibes, Yolk with its bold and haunting take on motherhood, and The Great Bear with its feeling of being misunderstood.
notsarahconnor's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Rounded up to 4. A collection of flash fiction with themes of sadness and grief and throw reader's right into the hearts of the stories. A bit repetitive at times but enjoyable nonetheless.
Read the full review on my blog: Book Review: The Predatory Animal Ball by Jennifer Fliss | Not Sarah Connor Writes
Read the full review on my blog: Book Review: The Predatory Animal Ball by Jennifer Fliss | Not Sarah Connor Writes
lovelybookshelf's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
THE PREDATORY ANIMAL BALL is Jennifer Fliss's debut collection of flash fiction (extremely short stories) about people left in the wake of predators. These stories will expand your idea of how the word "predator" is defined in sharp, clever, and wonderfully absurd ways. (If you like magical realism or fabulism, you'll love this book!)
Some of the stories are full of dark humor, some are heartwrenching, and some are downright horrifying. I enjoyed the variety in style among these stories, and how they're all united by a common theme: predators are everywhere.
Flash fiction has to say a lot in such a ridiculously brief amount of time. Fliss makes every single phrase an active participant in the story, whether it's a title ("Edward Scissorhands Takes Up Scrapbooking") or a few opening sentences ("Emily was beside herself. Literally, beside herself. She wasn't sure what happened, or how it was even possible."). Every word is important, and the pace is FAST.
I'd get to the end of each story and think, okay, just one more, then I'll go to bed. Same with the next story. I don't recommend starting this book just before bedtime, intending to read only a few and pick it back up the next day. Go ahead and carve yourself out a chunk of time when you can read it straight through (it's only 190 pages) because once you get started, this collection is difficult to put down!
Some of the stories are full of dark humor, some are heartwrenching, and some are downright horrifying. I enjoyed the variety in style among these stories, and how they're all united by a common theme: predators are everywhere.
Flash fiction has to say a lot in such a ridiculously brief amount of time. Fliss makes every single phrase an active participant in the story, whether it's a title ("Edward Scissorhands Takes Up Scrapbooking") or a few opening sentences ("Emily was beside herself. Literally, beside herself. She wasn't sure what happened, or how it was even possible."). Every word is important, and the pace is FAST.
I'd get to the end of each story and think, okay, just one more, then I'll go to bed. Same with the next story. I don't recommend starting this book just before bedtime, intending to read only a few and pick it back up the next day. Go ahead and carve yourself out a chunk of time when you can read it straight through (it's only 190 pages) because once you get started, this collection is difficult to put down!
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