Smashbomb

This collection of short stories is set on the island of Neverness. All of the stories are interconnected and characters reoccur as adults after they were in a story as children. We see how an experience in one story then becomes a cautionary tale or a fairytale in another. I loved the atmosphere in this book: menacing, dreamlike, happy, sad - like a fairytale really.
The language used was really very poetic. If you're attracted to this as a Fantasy reader, the language is weighted more on the 'Literary Fiction' side. I like both, and this didn't even occur to me until I read another review on Goodreads! There are plenty of Fantasy writers out there whose prose can be lyrical!
I also liked how the beginning and the end of the book were connected. Very clever, original writing, this is a short story collection that didn't feel to me as though they were short stories. Well worth a read!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this gorgeous book!

Kudos

Marylegs (44 KP) rated After Alice in Books

Aug 14, 2019

After Alice

Gregory Maguire | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry

4.8

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

At this point I honestly don’t know what to write about ‘After Alice’. This SHOULD be a book I enjoy. This is an author I have read other books from and have enjoyed. But in all honesty this book is dire. I am 15%+ into the book, and I can’t honestly tell you what is happening.

The language feels like someone has vomited out a thesaurus. It doesn’t flow and the language doesn’t even feel like it is being used to enhance the descriptive tones. Instead it feels like alternative words are being used for the sake it. Possibly to mask the fact that even though I am over 15% in NOTHING has happened.

I have no bond with the characters. It isn’t even that I dislike them. There has been barely any character building what so ever. I very rarely leave a book unfinished. But I feel like I am reading for the sake of finishing it. And having a toddler I don’t have the time to read a book I am not enjoying.

Very disappointing. I feel like I should have loved it.