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pearloz's review against another edition
3.0
The first few stories were okay, particularly NY1 TA0 and The Disneyland of Albany. About halfway through they started to get pretty forgettable.
adenacohen's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elliep22's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
kfreedman's review against another edition
3.0
Short stories. Some more interesting than others, but plenty of diverse perspectives and writing styles which is always cool.
solson1974's review against another edition
3.0
I really hated the first few stories, and almost gave up on the book. I muscled through because it was harder than you'd think to find an author with my same initials for the 2015 reading challenge. The later stories were better, but I felt like the author was trying too hard to be edgy for the sake of being edgy rather than because the subject of the story required it.
nighthawk's review against another edition
5.0
Oria's collection is a joy to read, an astonishing, exciting, intelligent debut.
Usually, what I look for in stories is characters who feel alive to me. Oria's characters live in a new way, almost as if they are one step ahead of the language that manifests them, coming off the page, reaching for connection. The characters ask of you, too, and the moments that you meet them refract with a complicated light, humor and sadness and seduction and withdrawal, all at once. A parting of veils. Oria's skill lies not only in opening and holding such complex worlds with us, but also in making that reckoning with complexity so pleasurable.
Map Oria near Lorrie Moore or Amy Hempel or Junot Diaz, but these comparisons are only affinities. Mostly she is new, and creating a space for us to ask for more from our stories.
Usually, what I look for in stories is characters who feel alive to me. Oria's characters live in a new way, almost as if they are one step ahead of the language that manifests them, coming off the page, reaching for connection. The characters ask of you, too, and the moments that you meet them refract with a complicated light, humor and sadness and seduction and withdrawal, all at once. A parting of veils. Oria's skill lies not only in opening and holding such complex worlds with us, but also in making that reckoning with complexity so pleasurable.
Map Oria near Lorrie Moore or Amy Hempel or Junot Diaz, but these comparisons are only affinities. Mostly she is new, and creating a space for us to ask for more from our stories.
survivalisinsufficient's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe I'm just a sucker for the Israeli angle (and the little Hebrew bits I could read!), but I really liked this.
aditurbo's review against another edition
3.0
This collection of stories is a good representation of the mentality of the writer's generation. It has some brilliant moments and strong sentences, but is not even in the level of stories. Some have magical realism elements in them, which I usually dislike, and mostly did here. Many deal with LGBT and alternative romantic and sexual relationships, which I know nothing about and therefore found it hard to relate to. Belonging to a different, older generation, I don't think I fully understood some of the decisions and behaviors some of the characters displayed. I enjoyed some of the insights about Israel, but thought others were a little condescending and inaccurate - more stereotypes than realities. In short, I am ambivalent about this book. It has its merits, but maybe it's not exactly for me.