“Record of a Night Too Brief” is an extremely quirky collection of stories by Japanese author Hiromi Kawakami. For the most part I enjoyed the writing of these stories, but really they were just a little too strange for me to enjoy fully - 2 stars.
Tag: Short Stories
Book Review: Three Japanese Short Stories by Akutagawa and Others
"Three Japanese Short Stories" is a tiny collection of short stories that won't take you long to read. For me they were just okay and nothing to shout home about - 2 stars for now.
Book Review: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
I’m not sure I understand the hype surrounding Elizabeth Strout‘s “Olive Kitteridge” but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Some stories I loved but some not so much and I’m beginning to feel that I may need to give it a second chance down the line. For now it’s 3 stars, but I’m not ruling this one out for a re-read at some point.
Book Review: Syrian Brides by Anna Halabi
"Syrian Brides" is an entertaining peek into what life is like for women in Syria. Through 11 short stories, the author covers a range of marital problems while also highlighting the warmth and compassion a relationship can bring. It's 4 stars from me.
Book Review: A Snow Garden and Other Stories by Rachel Joyce
A lovely collection of quaint short stories set over the Christmas period. Beautifully written and easy to read, these stories have put me in a festive mood. It wasn't perfect, but still a very good 4 stars.
Book Review: The Diving Pool by Yōko Ogawa
It's clear that I've found my new favourite author. This is the third book I've read by Yoko Ogawa and I've enjoyed everyone. Ogawa is a beautifully simplistic story teller and these three short stories are dark but certainly worth a read - 4 stars.
Book Review: Revenge by Yōko Ogawa
I'd recommended these short stories for someone looking to read something a little dark. Yōko Ogawa writes simply without over-complicating things to tell 11 stories of revenge. They may be odd or strange to some but I have really enjoyed spending a few days engrossed in these little stories and give "Revenge" 5 stars.
Book Review: What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
I didn't enjoy this collection of short stories. Each story felt unfinished and underwhelming and I found that I couldn't connect with anything I was reading. Like joining a conversation somewhere in the middle where you're not 100% what's going on, these stories seemed more like snippets from a wider story and this lack of connection meant I couldn't get into most of the stories. I didn't hate it, some stories were good, so it's 2 stars for "What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky".
Book Review: The Man Who Wouldn’t Get Up and Other Stories by David Lodge
A collection of well written, quick and easy to read stories which are bound to make you smile - from a man who one day decides he doesn't ever want to get out of bed to a child who meticulously cares for his collection of fireworks only to be left disappointed. David Lodge has pieced together 8 intriguing stories set over different times and in different locations all of which kept me entertained and engaged. It's 5 stars for "The Man Who Wouldn't Get Up and Other Short Stories".
