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sapien85's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
tinynavajo's review
3.0
This...is a strange little book full of strange little stories. And I mean little stories. And yet, the title tells you all that you need to know before reading this book: nothing is strange. And if nothing is strange, then these stories may have a reason for being in this particular book.
hedgehogbookreviews's review against another edition
4.0
You can also find this review on Hedgehog Book Reviews!!
A man called Dunce who is bald with a pointed head, a couple who wishes that their genitals would fall off, and a clone who gets locked up in a shed, are all different types of people who make appearances in Nothing is Strange. The 20 short stories exist in their own fantastical lands that each have their own special laws of physics. What happens when right arms are nonexistent or the act of crying is never heard of? These things are just normal occurrences in Mike Russell’s writings.
Earlier this year, I was gifted a copy of Mike Russell’s other book, Strange Medicine. It was the first short collection in a long time that I actually enjoyed. I went into Nothing is Strange with high expectations and I was not disappointed. Thank you to the Strange Books team forsending me this title!
Mike Russell has a brain similar to Douglas Adams’. His stories make almost no sense at all, which actually makes them sort of make sense. He begins each short storyin a world with at least one strange concept and then builds off of that with seemingly random events and characters. Reading his work is almost like riding a roller coaster, except you can’t see and don’t know where all the curves and drops are. Although, I don’t like roller coasters, but I liked Nothing is Strange.
My favorite thing about these short stories is that most of them don’t make any sense until the last paragraph or last sentence. Or in some cases, the stories don’t make any sense and the last sentence makes even less sense. For example, “Lesley Visits the Barber” ends with “thus beginning the universe”. While reading the story, I had no idea where I would end up, but the beginning of the universe was not it. I haven’t read a book that blindsided me so many times since finishing the “Dirk Gently” series a few years ago. That’s truly saying something about Mike Russell’s writing technique.
I also want to comment on the story length, as I think it says a lot. The stories range from 3 to 9 pages. That is not very much room to develop a made-up world and characters. The fact that Mike Russell can give enough detail and context for a reader to imagine the setting of each story is amazing. While reading Nothing is Strange, I never felt confused due to the short length of the book.
It’s clear to me that it takes quite a bit of talent to successfully write a collection of short stories such as Nothing is Strange. I’m so honored that Strange Books sent me a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. It was such an enjoyable read for me, as I love science fiction. If you’re a fan of Douglas Adams, you’ll love this book.
A man called Dunce who is bald with a pointed head, a couple who wishes that their genitals would fall off, and a clone who gets locked up in a shed, are all different types of people who make appearances in Nothing is Strange. The 20 short stories exist in their own fantastical lands that each have their own special laws of physics. What happens when right arms are nonexistent or the act of crying is never heard of? These things are just normal occurrences in Mike Russell’s writings.
Earlier this year, I was gifted a copy of Mike Russell’s other book, Strange Medicine. It was the first short collection in a long time that I actually enjoyed. I went into Nothing is Strange with high expectations and I was not disappointed. Thank you to the Strange Books team forsending me this title!
Mike Russell has a brain similar to Douglas Adams’. His stories make almost no sense at all, which actually makes them sort of make sense. He begins each short storyin a world with at least one strange concept and then builds off of that with seemingly random events and characters. Reading his work is almost like riding a roller coaster, except you can’t see and don’t know where all the curves and drops are. Although, I don’t like roller coasters, but I liked Nothing is Strange.
My favorite thing about these short stories is that most of them don’t make any sense until the last paragraph or last sentence. Or in some cases, the stories don’t make any sense and the last sentence makes even less sense. For example, “Lesley Visits the Barber” ends with “thus beginning the universe”. While reading the story, I had no idea where I would end up, but the beginning of the universe was not it. I haven’t read a book that blindsided me so many times since finishing the “Dirk Gently” series a few years ago. That’s truly saying something about Mike Russell’s writing technique.
I also want to comment on the story length, as I think it says a lot. The stories range from 3 to 9 pages. That is not very much room to develop a made-up world and characters. The fact that Mike Russell can give enough detail and context for a reader to imagine the setting of each story is amazing. While reading Nothing is Strange, I never felt confused due to the short length of the book.
It’s clear to me that it takes quite a bit of talent to successfully write a collection of short stories such as Nothing is Strange. I’m so honored that Strange Books sent me a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. It was such an enjoyable read for me, as I love science fiction. If you’re a fan of Douglas Adams, you’ll love this book.
bookswithemily's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading this collection of short stories. They are all so unique and magical. Some of my favourites were The Living Crown, The Meeting and Lesley Visits the Barbers. These short stories were so easy to read, and with most of them, they could be made into a book length book. I would love to learn more about some of my favourite stories as the world built were so interesting.
I find it incredible how the author made the world seem so real and characters so interesting within such a short amount of time. I finished this collection of short stories a few days ago and I can still remember the stories told in the collection.
Mike has such a unique way of story telling and it is so easy to read and understand. These short stories are only a few pages long but they flowed very well and I feel like we as readers got a good insight of those characters lives.
I find it incredible how the author made the world seem so real and characters so interesting within such a short amount of time. I finished this collection of short stories a few days ago and I can still remember the stories told in the collection.
Mike has such a unique way of story telling and it is so easy to read and understand. These short stories are only a few pages long but they flowed very well and I feel like we as readers got a good insight of those characters lives.
grimondgalgmod's review against another edition
2.0
One star for the cover, one star for the dude who confused his penis with an umbrella.
strangebookssecretary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
strangebookssecretary's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
inkdrinkers's review
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"I think that maybe we only cry because we don't understand what is going on. Maybe if we understood what is really going on we wouldn't cry at all, ever."
Nothing Is Strange has everything strange in it. In the span of the twenty short stories (short fictions? blurbs?) topics like gender, free will, judgement, grief, and more are touched upon in increasingly surreal ways.
I, truly, don't know how to review this. This was a random recommendation and I feel like most of the people who pick this up would think I've lost my mind for my rating, but this edges on a cliff of total unhinged prose that I really love? Kelly Link is the first author that sprung to mind when I started this book, though her stories are definitely more steeped in folkloric levels of bonkers, this is full blown tab of acid levels of absurd.
Out of all the stories, the ones I made note of that were my favorites were: The Miracle (about the first man to cry), Extraordinary Elsie (about subverting performative expectations), Mask Man (about masculine pain), The Unnameable Made Flesh (about the world living unaware of their right hands - I LOVED this one, I feel like I could write a thesis on the layers in this), Harry's Quest (about humanity and it's connection), and The Living Crown (about free will). All of them are equally weird, but these feel the most succinct and pointed in a way, they also left the most impressions on me.
The quote at the start of this review is from Dunce, which, while not a favorite, I really enjoyed for its almost immediate cementing that Russell was fully aware these stories are bizarre and eerie, but that was the point of writing them. My only real issue with this collection is that some of them felt a little too ludicrous to me, but I feel like I might get different things from each story if I did multiple rereads. I certainly won't be forgetting about any of these pieces for the near future, this is the kind of book that you think about at 3am when you're laying in bed contemplating life.
Content warnings: car accident (a character is run over in a story and killed), panic attacks/disorders (a character has a breakdown over life not being the same), transphobia (the word "hermaphrodite" is used to denote a genderless character)
Nothing Is Strange has everything strange in it. In the span of the twenty short stories (short fictions? blurbs?) topics like gender, free will, judgement, grief, and more are touched upon in increasingly surreal ways.
I, truly, don't know how to review this. This was a random recommendation and I feel like most of the people who pick this up would think I've lost my mind for my rating, but this edges on a cliff of total unhinged prose that I really love? Kelly Link is the first author that sprung to mind when I started this book, though her stories are definitely more steeped in folkloric levels of bonkers, this is full blown tab of acid levels of absurd.
Out of all the stories, the ones I made note of that were my favorites were: The Miracle (about the first man to cry), Extraordinary Elsie (about subverting performative expectations), Mask Man (about masculine pain), The Unnameable Made Flesh (about the world living unaware of their right hands - I LOVED this one, I feel like I could write a thesis on the layers in this), Harry's Quest (about humanity and it's connection), and The Living Crown (about free will). All of them are equally weird, but these feel the most succinct and pointed in a way, they also left the most impressions on me.
The quote at the start of this review is from Dunce, which, while not a favorite, I really enjoyed for its almost immediate cementing that Russell was fully aware these stories are bizarre and eerie, but that was the point of writing them. My only real issue with this collection is that some of them felt a little too ludicrous to me, but I feel like I might get different things from each story if I did multiple rereads. I certainly won't be forgetting about any of these pieces for the near future, this is the kind of book that you think about at 3am when you're laying in bed contemplating life.
Content warnings: car accident (a character is run over in a story and killed), panic attacks/disorders (a character has a breakdown over life not being the same), transphobia (the word "hermaphrodite" is used to denote a genderless character)
Content Warnings
Minor: Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, and Transphobia
oneironaut's review against another edition
5.0
what a wonderful book! i loved so many of the stories, they were very short and sweet and to the point. i'll definitely be sharing some of my favorites with friends. such a fun way to concisely throw some speculative weirdness on a page but keep it from drawing out too long. 4.5/5, but giving it 5 because i read it so fast and it was so charming.
narisawahlang's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0