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Liked It “These five stories have dark moods, creepy chills, and black humor. Byatt show an almost effortless ease at creating new voices and patterns in each story - they're carefully-crafted modern fairy tales. This is scary-good writing.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “This is very well written and possibly entertaining to the non-philistine. I found the stories to have a lot promise but boring overall. Also while I'm impartial to tidy endings, the ending to these stories seemed to border on nonsensical.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“This is very well written and possibly entertaining to the non-philistine. I found the stories to have a lot promise but boring overall. Also while I'm impartial to tidy endings, the ending to these stories seemed to border on nonsensical. ”
Rosebud P wrote this review Tuesday, October 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“YUCK! I only got through the first two stories and then I quit. The stories seemed as tough they could have been good, if they had an ending instead of just being "cut off." I think she is a talented writer, but I did not find this book enjoyable. I almost never quit a book, but I didn't want to waste anymore time on this one.”
Book-Lubber wrote this review Tuesday, January 13 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“These richly haunting tales of longing and memory are masterfully told by award-winning author Byatt. Her characters are drawn out of their normal existence by brushes with the unknown that impact their lives in a variety of far-reaching ways. A woman mourns her mother and begins turning to stone in a very literal sense. Two long estranged childhood playmates are reunited by the mystical horror they both witnessed. An evening class of novice writers, struggling with the edict “write what you know,” is introduced to that other truism: truth is stranger than fiction. This is literary fiction to be read on a stormy night, waiting for an ominous knock at the door.”
Heather B wrote this review Saturday, September 6 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
2 of 2 members found this review helpful“Interesting, macabre little book of tales....with hints of Isak Dinesen and Shirley Jackson.”
Lord Manleigh wrote this review Thursday, December 20 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“These five stories have dark moods, creepy chills, and black humor. Byatt show an almost effortless ease at creating new voices and patterns in each story - they're carefully-crafted modern fairy tales. This is scary-good writing.”
kmberger wrote this review Wednesday, December 19 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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