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matildacanread's review
fast-paced
4.25
I really enjoyed reading these stories, especially the 2nd and 5th one.
gemmaduds's review
3.0
ALL THE PEOPLE WERE MEAN & BAD
Liked the snapshot into two characters' lives and the brief time they connect, which is the theme for all of these stories and one of my favourite short story tropes. In this one we have a woman with a baby on a plane, sat next to a stranger who shows a lot of kindness towards her. We learn lots about them without really knowing much at all.
THE BODY AUDIT
My favourite of the stories; at first I thought it quite disconcerting. But it turns into a commentary on body positivity and the connections between teen boys, the kind of support between each other you rarely read about in stories of boys & men.
NIGHT TRAIN
An interesting encounter between two women who find themselves in the same carriage on a sleeper train. I enjoyed it for the most part, but remember little about it other than it felt like it just stopped at the end.
TOADSTONE
Melancholy, reflective - but I don't think I really understood it and didn't get much from it.
MAYKOPSKY DISTRICT, ADYGHE OBLAST
An interesting format. We don't get any detailed information about the three men, but the setting and intention is clear. A lot happens and then gets wrapped up in a few short pages.
Liked the snapshot into two characters' lives and the brief time they connect, which is the theme for all of these stories and one of my favourite short story tropes. In this one we have a woman with a baby on a plane, sat next to a stranger who shows a lot of kindness towards her. We learn lots about them without really knowing much at all.
THE BODY AUDIT
My favourite of the stories; at first I thought it quite disconcerting. But it turns into a commentary on body positivity and the connections between teen boys, the kind of support between each other you rarely read about in stories of boys & men.
NIGHT TRAIN
An interesting encounter between two women who find themselves in the same carriage on a sleeper train. I enjoyed it for the most part, but remember little about it other than it felt like it just stopped at the end.
TOADSTONE
Melancholy, reflective - but I don't think I really understood it and didn't get much from it.
MAYKOPSKY DISTRICT, ADYGHE OBLAST
An interesting format. We don't get any detailed information about the three men, but the setting and intention is clear. A lot happens and then gets wrapped up in a few short pages.
schoolofholly's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It is very hard to give a star rating for an anthology of short stories from different authors so I will separate out my ratings for each story below:
1. 5 stars - this was the winning story and I adored it. Unusually written in second person (you) which I've never really come across but it worked.
2. 4 stars - I'm not a teenage boy, have never been a teenage boy and yet I loved this. I loved that it was hopeful and supportive instead of the expected degrading story it could have been.
3. 3 stars - A fine reflective story but it just didn't really do anything for me
4. 3 stars - again well written story with an interesting storyline around the toads but it just wasn't really for me.
5. 4 stars - Very very different to all the others in this book but I did love it. It only lost a star because what I really wanted was more, the first story got 5 stars because it fully worked as a story in its own right and whilst it could have been expanded into a novella or novel, it didn't need to be. Story 2 worked well as a glimpse into the boys lives and this one particular interaction, 3 and 4 just weren't really interesting enough to be expanded. But this one, yes it could work as a slightly longer than it is short story, it could also be a novella that I would devour!
1. 5 stars - this was the winning story and I adored it. Unusually written in second person (you) which I've never really come across but it worked.
2. 4 stars - I'm not a teenage boy, have never been a teenage boy and yet I loved this. I loved that it was hopeful and supportive instead of the expected degrading story it could have been.
3. 3 stars - A fine reflective story but it just didn't really do anything for me
4. 3 stars - again well written story with an interesting storyline around the toads but it just wasn't really for me.
5. 4 stars - Very very different to all the others in this book but I did love it. It only lost a star because what I really wanted was more, the first story got 5 stars because it fully worked as a story in its own right and whilst it could have been expanded into a novella or novel, it didn't need to be. Story 2 worked well as a glimpse into the boys lives and this one particular interaction, 3 and 4 just weren't really interesting enough to be expanded. But this one, yes it could work as a slightly longer than it is short story, it could also be a novella that I would devour!
theserendipitousreader_'s review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
minifirehazard's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
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