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justinkhchen's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
Having enjoyed the novel The Grip of It by the same author a couple years back, I decided to pick up False Bingo on a whim. Typical with short stories collection, there are bound to be ones that resonant more than the others, but overall I'm happy to say the writing is extremely consistent: observational, frank, and razor-sharp at picking up unsettling details. While The Grip of It was unmistakably a horror story, False Bingo is less constraint by genre, ranging from thriller-esque scenario, character study, slice-of-life, to familiar drama, but all contain traces of eeriness and looming melancholy.
- - -
Any Other: 3.5 stars
More of a mood piece. Really liked the setup, but its super short length didn't allow the story to build before the 'twist' came fast and furious—kind of wished there's more substance to it. Still a decent book opener though!
Delivery: 4 stars
Eerie imagery, a melancholic perspective on one's parent succumbing to dementia.
Strange Loop: 4 stars
Another mood-oriented piece, but I love the intentional pacing, very hypnotic.
The Principal's Ashes: 3.5 stars
Filled with dark humor and some quirky detail.. but I don't get the ending...
Don't Let's: 4.25 stars
Was loving this one! By far the most fleshed-out story thus far with amazing detail/character. The ending came way too abruptly when there was still so much room for development.
Get Back: 3 stars
I *get* what it was going for, but it became repetitive quickly. (amazing writing though!)
Pastoral: 3 stars
Interesting concept and execution, but not quite a story I connected with.
Loser: 4 stars
A complete narrative about an outsider attempting to fit in.
The Halifax Slasher: 4.5 stars
An instant favorite; took me two read-throughs to fully grasp it, but I like the twists and turns as well as an ending that's open for interpretation.
Bull's Eye: 4 stars
An immersive slice-of-life about aging and loneliness.
Half Dollar: 4.25 stars
Quietly sinister, feels like it could be an excellent prologue to a full-length novel!
Manifest: 4.25 stars
Outlandish and grotesque, packed with a lot of WTF moments—really liked this one!
Gladness or Joy: 3 stars
A series of scattered vignettes, while they were semi-interesting independently, as a whole I failed to detect a larger thematic connection. Felt like a filler.
Default: 3.5 stars
A mic-drop of an ending, but the mad lib beginning dragged on for far too long.
Maulawiyah: 4.5 stars
Quirky characters on a yoga retreat trying to find peace, featuring some great eye-roll moments.
Hunt and Catch: 5 stars
A perfect, effortlessly effective little story about a paranoid woman traveling home from work.
Under/Over: 5 stars
A very in-depth look at a dysfunctional sibling dynamic after a traumatic accident.
Kudzu: 5 stars
A bittersweet mother-daughter story with an unusual setting. I also learned so much facts about the plant kudzu, which I had absolutely no knowledge prior.
Trivia Pursuit: 4.5 stars
A couple trying to seek compatible people to hang out with, really enjoyed the dark humor with its conclusion.
Loitering: 5 stars
Honestly this collection really ended on a series of top-rated stories; this one was incredibly immersive and the ending was a pleasant shock to the system, it had an allegorical undertone to it.
Having enjoyed the novel The Grip of It by the same author a couple years back, I decided to pick up False Bingo on a whim. Typical with short stories collection, there are bound to be ones that resonant more than the others, but overall I'm happy to say the writing is extremely consistent: observational, frank, and razor-sharp at picking up unsettling details. While The Grip of It was unmistakably a horror story, False Bingo is less constraint by genre, ranging from thriller-esque scenario, character study, slice-of-life, to familiar drama, but all contain traces of eeriness and looming melancholy.
- - -
Any Other: 3.5 stars
More of a mood piece. Really liked the setup, but its super short length didn't allow the story to build before the 'twist' came fast and furious—kind of wished there's more substance to it. Still a decent book opener though!
Delivery: 4 stars
Eerie imagery, a melancholic perspective on one's parent succumbing to dementia.
Strange Loop: 4 stars
Another mood-oriented piece, but I love the intentional pacing, very hypnotic.
The Principal's Ashes: 3.5 stars
Filled with dark humor and some quirky detail.. but I don't get the ending...
Don't Let's: 4.25 stars
Was loving this one! By far the most fleshed-out story thus far with amazing detail/character. The ending came way too abruptly when there was still so much room for development.
Get Back: 3 stars
I *get* what it was going for, but it became repetitive quickly. (amazing writing though!)
Pastoral: 3 stars
Interesting concept and execution, but not quite a story I connected with.
Loser: 4 stars
A complete narrative about an outsider attempting to fit in.
The Halifax Slasher: 4.5 stars
An instant favorite; took me two read-throughs to fully grasp it, but I like the twists and turns as well as an ending that's open for interpretation.
Bull's Eye: 4 stars
An immersive slice-of-life about aging and loneliness.
Half Dollar: 4.25 stars
Quietly sinister, feels like it could be an excellent prologue to a full-length novel!
Manifest: 4.25 stars
Outlandish and grotesque, packed with a lot of WTF moments—really liked this one!
Gladness or Joy: 3 stars
A series of scattered vignettes, while they were semi-interesting independently, as a whole I failed to detect a larger thematic connection. Felt like a filler.
Default: 3.5 stars
A mic-drop of an ending, but the mad lib beginning dragged on for far too long.
Maulawiyah: 4.5 stars
Quirky characters on a yoga retreat trying to find peace, featuring some great eye-roll moments.
Hunt and Catch: 5 stars
A perfect, effortlessly effective little story about a paranoid woman traveling home from work.
Under/Over: 5 stars
A very in-depth look at a dysfunctional sibling dynamic after a traumatic accident.
Kudzu: 5 stars
A bittersweet mother-daughter story with an unusual setting. I also learned so much facts about the plant kudzu, which I had absolutely no knowledge prior.
Trivia Pursuit: 4.5 stars
A couple trying to seek compatible people to hang out with, really enjoyed the dark humor with its conclusion.
Loitering: 5 stars
Honestly this collection really ended on a series of top-rated stories; this one was incredibly immersive and the ending was a pleasant shock to the system, it had an allegorical undertone to it.
kleonard's review against another edition
1.0
This collection of short stories frequently touches on the true and depressing aspects of life without hope for anything better. Intended to be realist, it is, but in ways that depressed, anxious, stressed, or lonely readers could easily become suicidal by reading it. I'm not looking for happy endings or happy stories, necessarily, but these bludgeon you.
jamesdanielhorn's review against another edition
3.0
I found this short story collection to be interesting enough to hold my interest through completion, but most of the stories didn't really stick with me the way great short fiction does. "Strange Loop", "Delivery" and "Don't Let's" are the strongest work here, and are worth reading the collection for, but honestly, even having read this a week ago can't remember any of the others.
fastestbookreader14's review against another edition
5.0
so so excellent in every way. fav story might be the dementia one cuz it’s just so powerful. love how she uses language. short stories r great cuz if it not interesting it’s done so quick. annoying when they really good and also done so quick. will read a lot more by her this summy
cjothom's review against another edition
3.0
In 'False Bingo', Jac Jemc is able to bring readers a collection of short stories that weave sinister forces into everyday life. There were some really amazing stories that stood out from the others in this collection but I found myself wanting more from a lot of the stories. I felt that so many of them caught my attention right away, started to build up (whether through character development, storytelling, or through the environment Jemc built), and then ended on an uncompleted note (at least to me). I would have loved to see more of these short stories as a longer novella, but I suppose that defeats the purpose of a short story. Jac Jemc's writing is wonderful and I will be looking forward to more of her work.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC.
Much thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC.
rvlgonzalez's review against another edition
3.0
I'd say more like 3.5. Some stories were better than others. Most felt like they didn't have an ending, they just ended, which I didn't love, but Jac Jemc clearly has a very interesting mind and sensibility.
zuly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
3.0
gph's review against another edition
5.0
many of these knocked me off my seat and now i'm covered in thorny vines AND it's getting darker and darker.. yes
mb918's review against another edition
2.0
I will admit that these stories were all super well written, but I felt a little dissatisfied with many of them because I struggled to find a purpose. The few that actually had something to say were great, and I liked the theme of luck woven throughout, but this book ultimately just felt to me like a bunch of good writing with no motive.