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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
"Like all our memories, we like to take it out once in a while and lay it flat on the kitchen table, the way my wife does with her sewing patterns, where we line up the shape of our life against that which we thought it would be by now."
"The mind is a mine. So often we revisit its winding, unsound caverns when we ought to stay out."
There is something so strange and special about growing up in the desert. This is the first time I've read anything that really conveys what it feels like to come of age in such a dusty, dry, and desolate place. I loved this book.
"The mind is a mine. So often we revisit its winding, unsound caverns when we ought to stay out."
There is something so strange and special about growing up in the desert. This is the first time I've read anything that really conveys what it feels like to come of age in such a dusty, dry, and desolate place. I loved this book.
This was an extraodinary first collection of stories from Claire Vaye Watkins. I ran across some embodiment of "The Past Perfect, The Past Continuous, The Simple Past" in The Paris Review a year or two ago and was curious to see how she'd fill out a collection. "The Diggings" felt a little out-of-place at first, particularly the historically contrived language, but I also don't generally like historical fiction (for that reason, among others). But even with that piece (which I warmed up to), this was a really strong collection. Strong senses of place and time, and the endings were just what I find satisfying in short fiction. Can't wait for her next collection.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well written, but a lot of assault, and generally not my writing style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had great expectations for this book and was mildly disappointed. It won a couple of major literary prizes recently, but wasn't as potent as I expected. It's a collection of ten short stories, primarily taking place in western Nevada and its desert. I think I liked the last three stories the best, especially Diggings, about some '49'er gold miners on the American River. Lots of prostitutes, druggies and people searching for something in these stories.
Verhalen in en om Reno. Het leven valt niet mee in het westen. Leesbaar, maar niet opvallend.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated