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draconan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
peacelovemath's review against another edition
5.0
This story has always stuck with me, and since then I've always loved the name Margot.
bmg20's review against another edition
5.0
'I think the sun is a flower,
That blooms for just one hour.'
Fabulous little short story. There have been numerous comparisons to [b:Ponies|10452275|Ponies|Kij Johnson|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PbcL4-DqL._SL75_.jpg|15268747] which I believe are a fair comparison, although I didn't enjoy [b:Ponies|10452275|Ponies|Kij Johnson|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PbcL4-DqL._SL75_.jpg|15268747] nearly as much as this one. I feel this was due to the only major difference being the lack of remorse for actions made (in Ponies).
Thanks for another good one, Wendy. :)
That blooms for just one hour.'
Fabulous little short story. There have been numerous comparisons to [b:Ponies|10452275|Ponies|Kij Johnson|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PbcL4-DqL._SL75_.jpg|15268747] which I believe are a fair comparison, although I didn't enjoy [b:Ponies|10452275|Ponies|Kij Johnson|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PbcL4-DqL._SL75_.jpg|15268747] nearly as much as this one. I feel this was due to the only major difference being the lack of remorse for actions made (in Ponies).
Thanks for another good one, Wendy. :)
luisasm's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good, a solid collections of stories. Not my favorite short story book of his, but still great, because of course it's Ray Bradbury, and apparently he incapable of anything bad. I did love the Ice Cream Suit, and a few other ones. Quite a variety too, which is nice.
kchiappone's review against another edition
4.0
Love this story, though I'm in conflict about the ending. I teach this with my eighth graders, and they routinely like the ending better for the Ray Bradbury Theatre version, which I have to say I've come to like better as well.
Character Critique: "Do the scientists really know? Will it happen today, will it?" The way the only adult in the room denies that the sun is going to come out drives me crazy. And how she doesn't stop the children from locking Margot in the closet. She has one job here and it's to watch these children. Ugh!
Other critique: "It had been raining for seven years; thousands upon thousands of days compounded and filled from one end to the other with rain." I wish Bradbury had done some math here because seven years is just 2,555 days. I don't know if that qualifies as "thousands upon thousands." And if we use Venus years, that's just 1,785 days. I know, I know. It doesn't rain in the real Venus like it does in the story, and the pressure alone would be enough to kill everyone on here, but...I don't know. Those are the things I could let go. Maybe just a passing line about how Venus's path around the sun is very slow. Not that I'm one to tell Bradbury how to write.
Other than my critiques, I do love this story. Makes me feel things, and it makes my students feel things, too. Isn't that what a good story should do?
Character Critique: "Do the scientists really know? Will it happen today, will it?" The way the only adult in the room denies that the sun is going to come out drives me crazy. And how she doesn't stop the children from locking Margot in the closet. She has one job here and it's to watch these children. Ugh!
Other critique: "It had been raining for seven years; thousands upon thousands of days compounded and filled from one end to the other with rain." I wish Bradbury had done some math here because seven years is just 2,555 days. I don't know if that qualifies as "thousands upon thousands." And if we use Venus years, that's just 1,785 days. I know, I know. It doesn't rain in the real Venus like it does in the story, and the pressure alone would be enough to kill everyone on here, but...I don't know. Those are the things I could let go. Maybe just a passing line about how Venus's path around the sun is very slow. Not that I'm one to tell Bradbury how to write.
Other than my critiques, I do love this story. Makes me feel things, and it makes my students feel things, too. Isn't that what a good story should do?
leslierholm's review against another edition
4.0
I reckon I'm not very smart. Some of Bradbury's stories just leave me scratching my head and wondering what the heck they mean. His Martian stories, on the other hand, are old favorites that I can reread annually. So I can give more than half the stories in this collection 5 stars, but the remaining I find so baffling that I would only give them 2 stars. That's why it took me a month to read this - every time I came across a baffler, I would put it up - kind of like Joey hiding Little Women in the freezer.
winemum's review against another edition
5.0
I don't think it stands up next to my other five star ratings, however considering the length of this story it packs quite a large punch.