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"An alchemical mix of Borges, Raymond Chandler and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
The New York Times Book Review
She embraces fantasy in its fullest sense and in doing so transcends all considerations of genre.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The ghost story is one of my favourite genres, so I was looking forward to reading Kelly Link's collection 'Stranger Things Happen', especially 'The Specialist's Hat', which I had heard so much about. I haven't actually finished the book, but I believe I have read enough of the stories to have some idea of the prevailing atmospheres and stylistic quirks, the kind of fantasy, or strangeness, Kelly Link engages with. The worlds she creates are quite unique, curious and sometimes very disturbing. The first story, 'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose', contains possibly the most unsettling vision of hell I have come across, and I have come across quite a few. That's not to say I like the story or am looking forward to rereading it, because it was also rather depressing. 'The Specialist's Hat' is not depressing, and I initially found it very gripping; it built the atmosphere gradually, the characters were believable and the world created within the story settled around me with a satisfying completeness. Then things started to go awry (and not in a good way; the atmosphere became less, rather than more, disturbing). I won't spoil the story for those who haven't read it, and it is certainly worth reading. But I have a problem with ghost stories whose worlds are too erratic; stories that have too many of the characteristics of a dream or nightmare. In such a story, as in a certain kind of fairytale, it soon becomes evident that practically anything can happen, provided it is quirky or startling enough. This, for me, dissipates the density of the atmosphere; the pressure eases, the laws of the universe become all too clear and genuine surprises (nasty or otherwise) become almost impossible. But the story is engaging, there are some wonderful touches and the scraps of poetry (always risky in any story) are properly, perfectly creepy.
Format:Paperback
The only reason I finished this book is because I read Magic for beginners first and I liked that one slightly more than this collection.
In the end, I guess Link just isn't for me. I like my stories to make sense, to have some internal logic and structure I can follow and, possibly, an ending or a hint of an explanation my mind can work upon.
Link's stories instead feel to me more like a dream - scenes, images, moments where time slows down like molasses or jumps all over the place, where strange things happen without reason beyond 'odd is cool'. The characters felt just as dreamlike, devoid of life and motivations, and I couldn't really sympathize with them. I finished every segment asking myself what actually happened, and why, and why should I care.
If you like when people tell you their latest weird dreams, Kelly Link's books are definitely up your alley. If you're looking for stories, well, they're not.
In the end, I guess Link just isn't for me. I like my stories to make sense, to have some internal logic and structure I can follow and, possibly, an ending or a hint of an explanation my mind can work upon.
Link's stories instead feel to me more like a dream - scenes, images, moments where time slows down like molasses or jumps all over the place, where strange things happen without reason beyond 'odd is cool'. The characters felt just as dreamlike, devoid of life and motivations, and I couldn't really sympathize with them. I finished every segment asking myself what actually happened, and why, and why should I care.
If you like when people tell you their latest weird dreams, Kelly Link's books are definitely up your alley. If you're looking for stories, well, they're not.
7 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Kelly Link's stories have a playful aproach to genre, structure and plot but to center in this is utterly missleading. They are worth reading because of a stunnig gift for character. They touch a nerve, some basic human concerns we all share : love, lust, loneliness you pick your choice.
On the other hand, stories in this collection has won all the major awards in genre fiction.
So these tales feature both the human heart and all its contradiction and some of the best gosth stories you are ever going to read.
On the other hand, stories in this collection has won all the major awards in genre fiction.
So these tales feature both the human heart and all its contradiction and some of the best gosth stories you are ever going to read.
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You were going to travel for love, without shoes, or cloak, or common sense. This is one of the things a woman can do when her lover leaves her. It's hard on the feet perhaps, but staying at home is hard on the heart,
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