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When Giraffes Flew
Do you have a taste for the bizarre, abstract, and peculiar? This eclectic collection of short stories will tantalize your imagination and your sense of propriety.
Here you will find exploding chickens, flying giraffes, and one very ugly monkey. Barbers sick with love and school spirit. A mailman with a vendetta against junk mail. Mayhem. Love gone wrong. Lost souls of all stripes. Join Jeff Weddle—Eudora Welty Prize winning author—for twenty-nine excursions into the dark heart of contemporary American letters. When Giraffes Flew is sure to grab you and not let go.
Here you will find exploding chickens, flying giraffes, and one very ugly monkey. Barbers sick with love and school spirit. A mailman with a vendetta against junk mail. Mayhem. Love gone wrong. Lost souls of all stripes. Join Jeff Weddle—Eudora Welty Prize winning author—for twenty-nine excursions into the dark heart of contemporary American letters. When Giraffes Flew is sure to grab you and not let go.
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
182 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2015
1 person is currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Weddle
36 books31 followersJeff Weddle grew up in Prestonsburg, a small town in the hill country of Eastern Kentucky. He has worked as a public library director, disc jockey, newspaper reporter, Tae Kwon Do teacher, and fry cook, among other things. His first book, Bohemian New Orleans: The Story of the Outsider and Loujon Press (University Press of Mississippi, 2007), won the Eudora Welty Prize and helped inspire Wayne Ewing's documentary, The Outsiders of New Orleans: Loujon Press (Wayne Ewing Films, 2007), for which Weddle served as associate producer. His poems, stories, and essays have appeared in dozens of venues, including the anthologies Mondo Barbie (St. Martin, 1993) and Stovepiper Book One (Stovepiper Books, 1994). Weddle is the author of a poetry collection, Betray the Invisible (OEOCO, 2010), a limited-edition, fine press book handcrafted by master book artist Mary Ann Sampson, and a chapbook of Barbie poems, Not Another Blonde Joke (Implosion Press, 1991). Jeff Weddle is an associate professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 8, 2016
A nice collection of short stories.
They are a bit bizar, dark, bordering on the absurd, yet quite delightful. How could they not, as the first story already begins with "You're ten years old the day the chickens explode".
Starting out as an everyday scenario, things quickly take a turn for the worse...a father fighting for custody of his children, male neighbours checking out the females next door, a car thief stealing more than intended, a disgruntled mailman tired of having to lug junk mail every single day.
Some made me shout "See, I knew it!", but most left a smile on my face.
Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.
They are a bit bizar, dark, bordering on the absurd, yet quite delightful. How could they not, as the first story already begins with "You're ten years old the day the chickens explode".
Starting out as an everyday scenario, things quickly take a turn for the worse...a father fighting for custody of his children, male neighbours checking out the females next door, a car thief stealing more than intended, a disgruntled mailman tired of having to lug junk mail every single day.
Some made me shout "See, I knew it!", but most left a smile on my face.
Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.
January 16, 2016
4★
I love short stories, and some of these are just the kind of thing I enjoy. A brief step into and out of the middle of someone’s life. Some are a fly-on-the-wall scenario where a couple is battling it out over old or imagined hurts, while others are brief musings about How did I get here, or How do I get out of here?
They vary from a paragraph of just over 100 words (which is a favourite) to 15 pages.
Most are about small town America, people living and working in trying circumstances—son is coming home from jail, trailer needs repairs, only job available is as a stripper, kids have been stolen by the ex.
Some are simply outrageous, but then, so are some people. The title story, “When Giraffes Flew”, is the last--complete fantasy and silly fun. You think bird droppings are bad?
My personal favourite, “Jeanie Leanie Shoots the Sewers”, is only a few pages long. It’s told as a series of separate paragraphs, each headed by the name of the relevant character. We gradually discover how these disconnected people are connected.
The first sentence: “Orville. The day Jeanie Leanie died I had to take the bus downtown to see the chiropractor because my neck got all twisted and the pain was terrible.”
Part way through another story: “ ‘A fine looking woman, ‘ Marcus thought to himself. ‘And she shot me.’ Marge stood over Marcus, her mouth moving but no words coming out.”
There are a few I’ll remember and several I didn’t find as satisfying. The author has plenty of talent, and I’d like to see more of the stories that have a bit of meat on their bones. Not length, just interest. It’s nice to feel we can relate to a character or their situation, even if it’s just a general sense of sympathy.
The 100-word story, “The Night Before” is the kind of thing I mean. A woman shakes some photos from an envelope buried in a desk drawer and remembers the last time she saw “him”, while upstairs her husband is watching TV and the kids are screaming. It’s short but beautifully done.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy for review. I do love a good short story.
I love short stories, and some of these are just the kind of thing I enjoy. A brief step into and out of the middle of someone’s life. Some are a fly-on-the-wall scenario where a couple is battling it out over old or imagined hurts, while others are brief musings about How did I get here, or How do I get out of here?
They vary from a paragraph of just over 100 words (which is a favourite) to 15 pages.
Most are about small town America, people living and working in trying circumstances—son is coming home from jail, trailer needs repairs, only job available is as a stripper, kids have been stolen by the ex.
Some are simply outrageous, but then, so are some people. The title story, “When Giraffes Flew”, is the last--complete fantasy and silly fun. You think bird droppings are bad?
My personal favourite, “Jeanie Leanie Shoots the Sewers”, is only a few pages long. It’s told as a series of separate paragraphs, each headed by the name of the relevant character. We gradually discover how these disconnected people are connected.
The first sentence: “Orville. The day Jeanie Leanie died I had to take the bus downtown to see the chiropractor because my neck got all twisted and the pain was terrible.”
Part way through another story: “ ‘A fine looking woman, ‘ Marcus thought to himself. ‘And she shot me.’ Marge stood over Marcus, her mouth moving but no words coming out.”
There are a few I’ll remember and several I didn’t find as satisfying. The author has plenty of talent, and I’d like to see more of the stories that have a bit of meat on their bones. Not length, just interest. It’s nice to feel we can relate to a character or their situation, even if it’s just a general sense of sympathy.
The 100-word story, “The Night Before” is the kind of thing I mean. A woman shakes some photos from an envelope buried in a desk drawer and remembers the last time she saw “him”, while upstairs her husband is watching TV and the kids are screaming. It’s short but beautifully done.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy for review. I do love a good short story.
December 29, 2015
If the brilliant Israeli short story writer Etgar Keret and Bonnie Jo Campell had had a love child, it would likely have been Jeff Weddle.
Jeff Weddle harnesses the sense of absurdity and sheer magic that is a hallmark of Etgar Keret’s fiction with the often gritty and down-and-out characters that populate a Bonnie Jo Campbell collection. That is not to say he doesn’t have a unique voice of his own. I took a chance on these stories, published by a small press, and I was amply rewarded.
Want an example? Then look no further than the eponymous story, which happens to be last in the collection. “After the giraffes acquired flight, all bets were off. They were silent fliers, not even the beating of wings, of course, as giraffes are not so equipped…The young were more of a nuisance. Their trajectories were often decidedly terrestrial, and it was common to see them soaring overhead in majestic herds, like human teenagers cruising the main drag after dark, except the giraffes didn’t seem to care if it were ay or night.”
I quoted at length to showcase the extent of Mr. Weddle’s dark and rich imaginative prose. And that’s just a small and delicious taste of the companion stories. There is a Feast of Feathers (“You’re ten years old the day the chickens explode.”) There’s a loser of a father who tries to win over his children with a new puppy…with dark consequences. There’s a man who steals a car and finds eight German shepherds wrapped in garbage bags loaded in the trunk. There are people on the brink, on the edge, or simply having a really bad day. And oh yes, there’s the ugliest monkey anyone has ever seen who may be teaching a few lessons about being human.
I must admit: the childlike cover almost turned me off because it seemed targeted to a YA (or younger) audience. But these are not just playful fairy tales; they are spot-on glimpses into the universal human condition. There’s humor, yes, but there’s also pathos and even moments of revelation. This is good stuff!
Jeff Weddle harnesses the sense of absurdity and sheer magic that is a hallmark of Etgar Keret’s fiction with the often gritty and down-and-out characters that populate a Bonnie Jo Campbell collection. That is not to say he doesn’t have a unique voice of his own. I took a chance on these stories, published by a small press, and I was amply rewarded.
Want an example? Then look no further than the eponymous story, which happens to be last in the collection. “After the giraffes acquired flight, all bets were off. They were silent fliers, not even the beating of wings, of course, as giraffes are not so equipped…The young were more of a nuisance. Their trajectories were often decidedly terrestrial, and it was common to see them soaring overhead in majestic herds, like human teenagers cruising the main drag after dark, except the giraffes didn’t seem to care if it were ay or night.”
I quoted at length to showcase the extent of Mr. Weddle’s dark and rich imaginative prose. And that’s just a small and delicious taste of the companion stories. There is a Feast of Feathers (“You’re ten years old the day the chickens explode.”) There’s a loser of a father who tries to win over his children with a new puppy…with dark consequences. There’s a man who steals a car and finds eight German shepherds wrapped in garbage bags loaded in the trunk. There are people on the brink, on the edge, or simply having a really bad day. And oh yes, there’s the ugliest monkey anyone has ever seen who may be teaching a few lessons about being human.
I must admit: the childlike cover almost turned me off because it seemed targeted to a YA (or younger) audience. But these are not just playful fairy tales; they are spot-on glimpses into the universal human condition. There’s humor, yes, but there’s also pathos and even moments of revelation. This is good stuff!
November 1, 2015
Jeff Weddle's stories are like the best of the Russian and Soviet absurdists. There is something about the inherent doom of life in each of these stories that is funny and terrifying. This is an excellent collection.
November 17, 2015
Jeff Weddle’s WHEN GIRAFFES FLEW
is a well-written collection of slice of life stories that remind this reader of Appalachian culture. Having roots in Appalachia, I see these stories as part of my heritage. My stories would be different, but the feelings and memories dredged up from a past, which consisted of family stories told on a front porch overlooking the Kanawha River, are the same. Stories such as that of a relative, who took to her bed for ten years over an argument with her husband, and then repeated somewhat differently two generations later. Stories where every family has at least one ne’er-do-well that makes for good storytelling. After all, isn’t that what stories do? Remind us of our ancestors? I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Appalachian and southern cultures or interested in the dynamics of marriage and friendships in small communities over time.
NOTE; I was given an advanced copy for an honest review.
is a well-written collection of slice of life stories that remind this reader of Appalachian culture. Having roots in Appalachia, I see these stories as part of my heritage. My stories would be different, but the feelings and memories dredged up from a past, which consisted of family stories told on a front porch overlooking the Kanawha River, are the same. Stories such as that of a relative, who took to her bed for ten years over an argument with her husband, and then repeated somewhat differently two generations later. Stories where every family has at least one ne’er-do-well that makes for good storytelling. After all, isn’t that what stories do? Remind us of our ancestors? I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Appalachian and southern cultures or interested in the dynamics of marriage and friendships in small communities over time.
NOTE; I was given an advanced copy for an honest review.
March 1, 2016
Following the example of Irish Novelist Jan Carson (Malcolm Orange Disappears and Childrens’ Children both by Liberties Press) I spent the shortest month reading short story collections, and there were few that I enjoyed as much as Jeff Weddle’s When Giraffes Flew.
Don’t judge this short and immensely powerful book by its cover — there is nothing simplistic or childlike about the writing behind that brightly coloured image of giraffes cavorting through a cloudy sky. Rather the writing is intense, mature and occasionally brutal in the heart-stopping inevitability of some of the stories. In several stories I found myself racing ahead in hope that the catastrophe could be averted, and in some cases it was… or merely postponed… several stories leave a little to the imagination at the end, which is always to be admired.
The stories are contemporary tales but set in a rural, southern landscape that seems to have changed little in recent decades. The locale is beautifully but sparingly evoked, a word or phrase, here and there, hinting at a wealth of wordy description that could so easily have sneaked in, but doesn’t.
I am an Irish reader who has visited the USA half a dozen times in twenty years and thus could hardly claim any expertise, but several scenes in the book made me stop and say “Yes, I remember that!” and “Yes, I had forgotten that!” The repeated references to drink-driving and drinking-while-driving allowed me to recall nearly being arrested for walking home from a bar late at night through a wealthy, rural area, and being wholly unable to make the Police officer understand that in Ireland, no-one would drive home while slightly drunk. (You’d have to be completely hammered to be able to convince yourself that it’s acceptable behaviour.) Eventually he drove off counselling, “Make sure you drive next time, and don’t be upsetting the good people here by walking round in the dark!” Every time Weddle’s southern, hard-living characters lift a bottle to their lips in a speeding vehicle, I think of that night. Perhaps I am lucky he didn’t shoot me.
Which leads me to another point. I know that Weddle is horrified by the gun culture of his country and advocates gun control. In so many of the stories I found myself thinking, “If only he didn’t have a gun…”, “Oh God, don’t pull out that gun…” A host of misunderstandings and misconceptions (and down-right criminality) that in other countries would lead to a punch-up and a prosecution, here lead to the morgue. It’s a fascinating insight into a culture that outwardly seems so similar and yet is so incredibly different from Europe. Can’t afford your eye-operation? Tough shit; go blind. (That story doesn’t end well, I promise you.) Haven’t studied for your Math exam? That’s the least of your worries.
The stand-out story for me? The Kafkaesque horror of A Simple Enquiry, which brought to mind Martin McDonagh’s wonderful dark and horrifically funny play The Pillowman.
If I were forced to complain about this book, I would say that the cover didn’t reflect (for me) the complexity and strength of the characters and the lives of quiet desperation revealed within the pages. And secondly, I wanted more of some of the stories; the short glimpse I had into these fascinating lives made me wish that some of the micro-fictions had been worked into longer pieces. (But wishing for more is hardly a complaint, right?)
Highly recommended.
Don’t judge this short and immensely powerful book by its cover — there is nothing simplistic or childlike about the writing behind that brightly coloured image of giraffes cavorting through a cloudy sky. Rather the writing is intense, mature and occasionally brutal in the heart-stopping inevitability of some of the stories. In several stories I found myself racing ahead in hope that the catastrophe could be averted, and in some cases it was… or merely postponed… several stories leave a little to the imagination at the end, which is always to be admired.
The stories are contemporary tales but set in a rural, southern landscape that seems to have changed little in recent decades. The locale is beautifully but sparingly evoked, a word or phrase, here and there, hinting at a wealth of wordy description that could so easily have sneaked in, but doesn’t.
I am an Irish reader who has visited the USA half a dozen times in twenty years and thus could hardly claim any expertise, but several scenes in the book made me stop and say “Yes, I remember that!” and “Yes, I had forgotten that!” The repeated references to drink-driving and drinking-while-driving allowed me to recall nearly being arrested for walking home from a bar late at night through a wealthy, rural area, and being wholly unable to make the Police officer understand that in Ireland, no-one would drive home while slightly drunk. (You’d have to be completely hammered to be able to convince yourself that it’s acceptable behaviour.) Eventually he drove off counselling, “Make sure you drive next time, and don’t be upsetting the good people here by walking round in the dark!” Every time Weddle’s southern, hard-living characters lift a bottle to their lips in a speeding vehicle, I think of that night. Perhaps I am lucky he didn’t shoot me.
Which leads me to another point. I know that Weddle is horrified by the gun culture of his country and advocates gun control. In so many of the stories I found myself thinking, “If only he didn’t have a gun…”, “Oh God, don’t pull out that gun…” A host of misunderstandings and misconceptions (and down-right criminality) that in other countries would lead to a punch-up and a prosecution, here lead to the morgue. It’s a fascinating insight into a culture that outwardly seems so similar and yet is so incredibly different from Europe. Can’t afford your eye-operation? Tough shit; go blind. (That story doesn’t end well, I promise you.) Haven’t studied for your Math exam? That’s the least of your worries.
The stand-out story for me? The Kafkaesque horror of A Simple Enquiry, which brought to mind Martin McDonagh’s wonderful dark and horrifically funny play The Pillowman.
If I were forced to complain about this book, I would say that the cover didn’t reflect (for me) the complexity and strength of the characters and the lives of quiet desperation revealed within the pages. And secondly, I wanted more of some of the stories; the short glimpse I had into these fascinating lives made me wish that some of the micro-fictions had been worked into longer pieces. (But wishing for more is hardly a complaint, right?)
Highly recommended.
January 2, 2016
Jeff Weddle has been one of my favorite authors since he started submitting to Port Cities Reviews. His star is rising, and he is definitely one to watch. Weddle's stories can be quick and brutal as well as delicate, rare and breath-taking. Not many authors out there that can take readers on such a ride. His prose is solid and these stories move so seamlessly, that you find yourself fully engaged in his characters' dark times and their frailties, as well as their joy and salvation. Reminds me of how Capote always explored the tender right along with the terrible. This collection is very much like that. My two favorite stories are "She Finds Herself Dancing" and "State of Grace." Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"In another universe, a hand touches a great machine. There is a button which, when pressed, brings motion and light. With that, the world begins. Again."
"With every step, every smile, she tries to pull herself out of the moment which she now understands to be endlessly repeating."
"He studied her face, looking for an answer, but he can't pick up any clear signal. She is thinking of a cold place and water."
I also like this one from "An Ugly Monkey" Talk about killer first lines: "I was drunk when I came out of St. Mark's, but that seemed okay because I was drunk when I went in."
This is an excellent collection, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Give it a read and you"ll see how his quiet prose can end with a bang in just the right place, and how his prose in "State of Grace" will plunge you in to the coldest water you've ever felt. That's what I like most about this collection: you don't simply read these stories, you feel them.
"In another universe, a hand touches a great machine. There is a button which, when pressed, brings motion and light. With that, the world begins. Again."
"With every step, every smile, she tries to pull herself out of the moment which she now understands to be endlessly repeating."
"He studied her face, looking for an answer, but he can't pick up any clear signal. She is thinking of a cold place and water."
I also like this one from "An Ugly Monkey" Talk about killer first lines: "I was drunk when I came out of St. Mark's, but that seemed okay because I was drunk when I went in."
This is an excellent collection, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Give it a read and you"ll see how his quiet prose can end with a bang in just the right place, and how his prose in "State of Grace" will plunge you in to the coldest water you've ever felt. That's what I like most about this collection: you don't simply read these stories, you feel them.
February 29, 2016
Don't let the children's book cover fool you. This is NOT a children's book. When my mom gave it to me for Christmas, I thought "well this is odd, why would my mom get me a collection of children's stories? I mean ok, cool, her friend wrote it, but really?"
Then I set down to read it, my first book of 2016 . . . it took less than one page for me to realize that things were not as they seemed. Maybe the publishers were trying to be ironic? Maybe they missed the point and thought the whole book was really about Giraffes flying?
Whatever was going through their heads, do not be fooled. This is a book for adults. For adults with strong stomachs. It is dark and twisted at times. And I couldn't put it down.
Then I set down to read it, my first book of 2016 . . . it took less than one page for me to realize that things were not as they seemed. Maybe the publishers were trying to be ironic? Maybe they missed the point and thought the whole book was really about Giraffes flying?
Whatever was going through their heads, do not be fooled. This is a book for adults. For adults with strong stomachs. It is dark and twisted at times. And I couldn't put it down.
December 16, 2015
Jeff Weddle's collection is probably like nothing you have read before. In addition to the titular flying giraffes, there are exploding chickens, ugly monkeys, and a lot of humans caught in absurd situations. But Weddle doesn't let the novelty of these situations take precedent. His characters are very convincing and deftly presented. All the stories are short, very few exceed 10 pages, so there's a welcome immediacy to these tales. At times, some of the shorter pieces feel underdeveloped, more like ideas for stories. But the majority of the tales are inventive and entertaining.
January 12, 2016
If you like slightly disturbing story lines that are full of absurd and quirky characters, this is a book for you. Jeff's collection of stories are both dark and delightful. Some are psychedelic and magical while others are poignant in their loneliness and desperation. It was a nice balance. Flying giraffes, ugly monkeys, brother/sister lovers...it has something for everyone!
December 18, 2017
Bizarre and dark, but fun all the same
As an author with the same publisher as Jeff Weddle, I thought I'd take a look. I write short stories as well, now that my longer work is finished. I thought I'd find a kindred spirit.
Not so fast, I'd have to say. These are written as bizarre and dark, but Jeff pulls it off the same way he's pulling it over on his readers. If you read them as tongue firmly planted in cheek, you'll find them quite oddly funny. Otherwise, they are quirky for no apparent reason - I would hate to think Jeff went to all this trouble for no reason.
If I find I can't come up with my own oddball characters and need inspiration, I need look no further than this book.
Still laughing about the chickens. You'll like it.
As an author with the same publisher as Jeff Weddle, I thought I'd take a look. I write short stories as well, now that my longer work is finished. I thought I'd find a kindred spirit.
Not so fast, I'd have to say. These are written as bizarre and dark, but Jeff pulls it off the same way he's pulling it over on his readers. If you read them as tongue firmly planted in cheek, you'll find them quite oddly funny. Otherwise, they are quirky for no apparent reason - I would hate to think Jeff went to all this trouble for no reason.
If I find I can't come up with my own oddball characters and need inspiration, I need look no further than this book.
Still laughing about the chickens. You'll like it.
October 21, 2019
*thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion*
I love short stories and I like weird stuff but this was truly bizarre. A lot of them I couldn't see what point the author was trying to make. There were some that featured animal abuse and made me feel very uncomfortable. I was going to rate this 1 stars but the last 3 stories made me bump it up to a 2 stars.
I love short stories and I like weird stuff but this was truly bizarre. A lot of them I couldn't see what point the author was trying to make. There were some that featured animal abuse and made me feel very uncomfortable. I was going to rate this 1 stars but the last 3 stories made me bump it up to a 2 stars.
June 10, 2020
My love the first story the best but don't stop there. He writes original quirky stories that stick with long after you lay the book down. I have the added joy of knowing the author and his intelligent view of the world. Check his poetry and historical books as well. You will thank me later.
January 16, 2016
A couple of fun short stories (namely the title story and the one about the postman, the name of which escapes me - in short, these stories were respectively about flying giraffes that swooped down and stole people, never to be seen again, and a postman who hoards junk mail to stop his recipients having to deal with it) but the rest were mundane, misogynistic and utterly forgettable.
I was so disappointed as this had been sold to me as magical realism - perhaps this was my own fault, maybe I interpreted the blurb in the wrong way - but it was anything but. There were a few stories that could be considered magical realism, such as the flying giraffes, but for the most part this collection focussed on the struggles of poor little white men with cookie cutter personalities. I could not get over the misogyny of these characters, and I'm still not sure whether it was supposed to be satirical but the recurrence of quips about women's weight, and wanting to "fuck her until she's unconscious", lead me to believe that it was just a case of poor judgement on Weddle's part. One particular line that I am still reeling over? "It's all I can do to not simply attack her, rape her." One lovely protagonist on his pregnant wife, everyone.
Another issue I had with this collection was the fact that so many of the stories established virtually no sense of setting. It felt like I had just been dropped in the middle of a situation and had to figure out what was happening, and while this can work very well in some books, the brevity of the stories and the total blandness of the characters meant that it was nigh on impossible to establish what the story was actually about and where one's sympathies should lie.
I'm so disappointed that this is the first book I've reviewed for NetGalley because I don't like giving bad reviews, especially when it's to be viewed by the publisher, but I'd rather be honest than fawn over the few minor things I liked about this book in an attempt to be "nice". Sorry, but this left a really sour taste in my mouth.
I was so disappointed as this had been sold to me as magical realism - perhaps this was my own fault, maybe I interpreted the blurb in the wrong way - but it was anything but. There were a few stories that could be considered magical realism, such as the flying giraffes, but for the most part this collection focussed on the struggles of poor little white men with cookie cutter personalities. I could not get over the misogyny of these characters, and I'm still not sure whether it was supposed to be satirical but the recurrence of quips about women's weight, and wanting to "fuck her until she's unconscious", lead me to believe that it was just a case of poor judgement on Weddle's part. One particular line that I am still reeling over? "It's all I can do to not simply attack her, rape her." One lovely protagonist on his pregnant wife, everyone.
Another issue I had with this collection was the fact that so many of the stories established virtually no sense of setting. It felt like I had just been dropped in the middle of a situation and had to figure out what was happening, and while this can work very well in some books, the brevity of the stories and the total blandness of the characters meant that it was nigh on impossible to establish what the story was actually about and where one's sympathies should lie.
I'm so disappointed that this is the first book I've reviewed for NetGalley because I don't like giving bad reviews, especially when it's to be viewed by the publisher, but I'd rather be honest than fawn over the few minor things I liked about this book in an attempt to be "nice". Sorry, but this left a really sour taste in my mouth.
May 16, 2016
Excellent collection of short stories. Well written and bizarre, just like I like it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews