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kleonard's review against another edition
2.0
Like many others, I read Bantock's Griffin and Sabine books with some pleasure, mostly because I wasn't really thinking too hard when I was reading them. But the shine has gone off; this newest book, a collection of "drabbles," or 100-word stories, while full of references to a wide variety of other literature and beautiful language and pretty words strung together, is also full of the male gaze, objectifying women. It gets pretty gross. In addition, I don't love the conceit: the author found a manuscript, but it's out of order, Can readers figure out the intended order, and is there a hidden message? This kind of presentation is often--and certainly is, in this case--an author trying to prove how smart they are, and telling their readers that they have to work harder to figure out what the author actually means to say.
inkreads's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This book has me utterly entranced for four main reasons;
1. Wordplay: A drabble is a short piece of fiction of exactly 100 words
2. The efforts taken by the author and publisher to match the stories and icons must have taken a lot of time, and coffee. The stories and icons are so deliciously random and convoluted that there is a temptation to break each icon down to its constituent parts to try and find patterns that will allow them to be used in different combinations, making this book delightfully meditative. This may be an intention reminiscent of the era in which the author surmises that the stories were written (1960s/ 1970s)
3. The back story: It's so nice to place the endeavour in space and time, and give it a new lease of life decades later (I will not spoil the backstory as that sets the reader up for the book)
4. The Artwork: It is a delightful mix of psychedelia and cave painting/ chalk hill figure styles, perhaps drawn in ink and watercolour and I found myself turning the page and thinking of my own alternative drabbles
This is a book that is multi-faceted and you see something new every time. It is a pleasure to get lost in the stories and familiarise yourself with the images. Beautifully done
This glorious book was gratefully received from NetGalley and I leave my review voluntarily
1. Wordplay: A drabble is a short piece of fiction of exactly 100 words
2. The efforts taken by the author and publisher to match the stories and icons must have taken a lot of time, and coffee. The stories and icons are so deliciously random and convoluted that there is a temptation to break each icon down to its constituent parts to try and find patterns that will allow them to be used in different combinations, making this book delightfully meditative. This may be an intention reminiscent of the era in which the author surmises that the stories were written (1960s/ 1970s)
3. The back story: It's so nice to place the endeavour in space and time, and give it a new lease of life decades later (I will not spoil the backstory as that sets the reader up for the book)
4. The Artwork: It is a delightful mix of psychedelia and cave painting/ chalk hill figure styles, perhaps drawn in ink and watercolour and I found myself turning the page and thinking of my own alternative drabbles
This is a book that is multi-faceted and you see something new every time. It is a pleasure to get lost in the stories and familiarise yourself with the images. Beautifully done
This glorious book was gratefully received from NetGalley and I leave my review voluntarily
jrangel1's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
bluenancyhawaii's review against another edition
4.0
This collection of "drabbles" - 100-word stories - accompanied by little drawings is sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking, and always a treat for Bantock fans.
helianthus13666's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.5
Just finished reading Nick Bantock's The Corset & The Jellyfish. It's quite a short read comprising of 100 very peculiar and kind of mysterious drabbles. I liked the way it was presented with equally intriguing pictographs alongwith each drabble though many times, the pictures didn't match up with the story.
Some of my favourite ones were:
1. Permission
2. Shiva's Fire
3. The Deeds
4. Germ Warfare
Overall, it was an interesting read. I will certainly look forward to reading more from the author in the future. I would also like to thank Storygraph for giving me the opportunity to enter the giveaway for this gem of a book. Thank you to Tachyon Publications for this wonderful experience.
Some of my favourite ones were:
1. Permission
2. Shiva's Fire
3. The Deeds
4. Germ Warfare
Overall, it was an interesting read. I will certainly look forward to reading more from the author in the future. I would also like to thank Storygraph for giving me the opportunity to enter the giveaway for this gem of a book. Thank you to Tachyon Publications for this wonderful experience.
notsarahconnor's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very grateful to the Literary Review of Canada for send me The Corset & the Jellyfish to review for Bookworm! Read the review on their Substack and subscribe to find out the CanLit you're missing out on!
Read the full review on Bookworm!
Read the full review on Bookworm!
sarrie's review
funny
- 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
2.0
I don’t even know where to begin with this one. The Corset & The Jellyfish is a (per the title) ‘Conundrum of Drabbles’. I will certainly agree that it’s a conundrum. I am puzzled and confused and honestly questioning… why?
The Drabbles in question of The Corset & The Jellyfish are all exceptionally short fiction pieces. I’m talking, perhaps a page or two each depending of font and setting. Some of them had a glimmer of something fascinating, a few made me uncomfortable, and I remember almost nothing about them a day later. That really says something for the book.
It was in not offensive, and it was short enough that I feel my time wasn’t wasted, but sincerely I am wondering, why? Why is this a book that exists? Was it simply published for the author name? I can’t say I’ve ever heard of Mr. Bantock but he could be very popular in other circles. The narrative ‘structure’ of the book, if you can call it that, is that the stories can be used to construct your own story or the secret story that may somehow connect them all. Frankly, based on the stories length and number of stories I call poppycock on that.
The Corset & The Jellyfish is truly one of the first books that I have to say, with the upmost respect - Why? Why does this exist? There was ultimately little to nothing to gleam from this. The doodles, while fine, definitely felt familiar to me in that ways late 80’s - early 90’s art somehow looked. I was left completely puzzled as to what I was meant to take from it. Not offended but puzzled.
2 Confused and Bewildered Stars out of 5
mariebrunelm's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.25
This curious little collection brings together 100 pieces of microfiction alongside 100 doodles by the author. Most of them range toward the absurd and the fantastical in bite-size morsels of literature.
The foreword invites the reader to select one word from each story and create a 101st piece, which I find delightful but would be more inclined to do with a physical copy than an ebook. This is a nice volume to browse and cherry-pick from, and it can no doubt inspire writers to try their hands at their own drabble, or even to expand on a situation that tickles their fancy!
The foreword invites the reader to select one word from each story and create a 101st piece, which I find delightful but would be more inclined to do with a physical copy than an ebook. This is a nice volume to browse and cherry-pick from, and it can no doubt inspire writers to try their hands at their own drabble, or even to expand on a situation that tickles their fancy!
shanaqui's review
mysterious
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
4.0
Received to review via Netgalley
I loved Nick Bantock's Griffin & Sabine trilogy, though I haven't read the follow-ups, so of course I was intrigued by the sound of this when I saw it come up in Netgalley. It's a collection of microfiction, but it offers a challenge as well: there's a link between these drabbles, if you're dedicated enough to seek it out.
I wasn't, I must confess: in ebook form, and reading on my desktop so I could see the images in colour, it just wasn't comfortable/fun to try to flick back and forth. I'll be eager to see what other people make of the mystery.
For the stories themselves, I'm not entirely certain what I think. On the one hand, I'm very picky about my microfiction, and these didn't quite grab me. On the other hand, something about them got under my skin and made me want to get back to writing some microfiction of my own -- and that usually happens when something a little bit magical is happening. I wonder if this is a collection that will grow on me -- especially when wiser heads solve the mysteries of the links between stories.
I loved Nick Bantock's Griffin & Sabine trilogy, though I haven't read the follow-ups, so of course I was intrigued by the sound of this when I saw it come up in Netgalley. It's a collection of microfiction, but it offers a challenge as well: there's a link between these drabbles, if you're dedicated enough to seek it out.
I wasn't, I must confess: in ebook form, and reading on my desktop so I could see the images in colour, it just wasn't comfortable/fun to try to flick back and forth. I'll be eager to see what other people make of the mystery.
For the stories themselves, I'm not entirely certain what I think. On the one hand, I'm very picky about my microfiction, and these didn't quite grab me. On the other hand, something about them got under my skin and made me want to get back to writing some microfiction of my own -- and that usually happens when something a little bit magical is happening. I wonder if this is a collection that will grow on me -- especially when wiser heads solve the mysteries of the links between stories.
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