Status Updates From High Lonesome: New and Sele...

Where are you going: 4/5 I think I’ll like it and appreciate it more on a reread

How I contemplated the world: 3/5 the structure is interesting, but I found it very disjointed

Every time I read a story about marriage, whether that marriage is portrayed as good or bad, I have the overwhelming urge to get shot. Surely there is no worse fate than marriage. And I am right because I have learned everything. Institutional SCAM.

Your daughter is killed and then you liken her to a fish? Yeah, I’m familiar with this technique. Classic case of Faulkner theft, we’ve all been there done that.

In the region of ice: 5/5 too real and the last sentence really hit

At the seminary: 5/5 interesting framing to the theme

Upon the sweeping flood: 2/5 same problem as the lost brother

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear: 2/5. Very short and I understand what it was saying but idk. Wish it had more time to cook

Fat man my love: 5/5 blonde but shorter

BD 11 1 87: 5/5 basically get out except sadder. I like seeing Oates get weird.

High lonesome: 5/5. Thought the switch up was corny at first but then it connected and it hit

In Hot May: 4/5 I appreciate the way this one is written

The lost brother: unsure how I feel about this one. I like the build up but it felt too long by the payoff

The gathering squall: 3/5. Very interesting post traumatic event short, it felt a little jumbled though while reading

Soft core: 2/5. Not a bad story, but compared to the ones before it, this one is a lot less interesting because the deeper meaning is spelled out at the beginning

The cousins 4/5: Loneliness is a hell of a thing

The cousins 4/5: I read a post on Reddit that was basically what this is. I loved seeing the flip.

The Fish Factory: 5/5. The reason I love Oates is how intimate her writing is and this story is a perfect example of it

Spider boy: 4/5. Way too real

ok