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aaronj21's Reviews (912)
I received an early copy of this book from Net Galley, this has not influenced my review.
This book was the best possible version of a short story collection and really shows off the strengths of the genre. If a six star option existed, I would give this book all of them without a moment’s hesitation.
Like a really great box of chocolates, each story in this collection was fantastic, distinct, and memorable, no coconut clusters or teeth-shattering slabs of caramel in here! (Sorry if those are your favorites). I could have easily read whole books based on each individual tale.
The stories were enormously diverse and each affected me a different way, but each left their mark and each was a joy to read. This author blends horror, fantasy, mystery, and magic seemingly effortlessly, the way professional athletes or dancers are able to do incredible things that just seem like showing off until you remember the years of work that went into reaching that level.
The author’s range is astounding. From a story where King Kong really walked the earth and died at the foot of the Empire State Building to a retelling of the night of the Stonewall Riot, where oppressed, queer, New Yorkers discover a potent and deadly form of group pyrokenesis, I found myself completely immersed in each new tale from the beginning.
This author is one I’ve heard about for a while but have never read until now. After this truly stunning book I plan on reading his other works and keeping a careful eye on his upcoming projects.
This book was the best possible version of a short story collection and really shows off the strengths of the genre. If a six star option existed, I would give this book all of them without a moment’s hesitation.
Like a really great box of chocolates, each story in this collection was fantastic, distinct, and memorable, no coconut clusters or teeth-shattering slabs of caramel in here! (Sorry if those are your favorites). I could have easily read whole books based on each individual tale.
The stories were enormously diverse and each affected me a different way, but each left their mark and each was a joy to read. This author blends horror, fantasy, mystery, and magic seemingly effortlessly, the way professional athletes or dancers are able to do incredible things that just seem like showing off until you remember the years of work that went into reaching that level.
The author’s range is astounding. From a story where King Kong really walked the earth and died at the foot of the Empire State Building to a retelling of the night of the Stonewall Riot, where oppressed, queer, New Yorkers discover a potent and deadly form of group pyrokenesis, I found myself completely immersed in each new tale from the beginning.
This author is one I’ve heard about for a while but have never read until now. After this truly stunning book I plan on reading his other works and keeping a careful eye on his upcoming projects.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley; this has not influenced my review.
I often find myself reading too many heavy or depressing books. I tend to go in for that sort of thing but still, every now and then I need a palate cleanser before I go back to horror or non-fiction about disasters. That’s what initially drew me to this title, it seemed like something light and humorous.
And it was. But it was also incredibly honest and at times scathing and dark. With all the wit and humor of your favorite YouTube series and all the messiness of real life, this book strikes a delicate balance between humor, emotional honesty, and heavy topics like relationships, addiction, and living in a world not designed for you.
This was a delightful read from an author with a lot to say and a talent for wrapping razor sharp barbs of insight in clever one liners.
I often find myself reading too many heavy or depressing books. I tend to go in for that sort of thing but still, every now and then I need a palate cleanser before I go back to horror or non-fiction about disasters. That’s what initially drew me to this title, it seemed like something light and humorous.
And it was. But it was also incredibly honest and at times scathing and dark. With all the wit and humor of your favorite YouTube series and all the messiness of real life, this book strikes a delicate balance between humor, emotional honesty, and heavy topics like relationships, addiction, and living in a world not designed for you.
This was a delightful read from an author with a lot to say and a talent for wrapping razor sharp barbs of insight in clever one liners.
A remarkable collection. The best poems here will make you want to re-read them again and again. Every single entry is a searing, visceral mental image.
I received an advance copy of this title from Net galley, this has not influenced my review.
True crime cases, particularly murders, and particularly gruesome murders committed under odd circumstances, regularly tend to be exaggerated and become overblown with lurid and morbid retellings. The Leopold and Loeb case is a textbook example of this fact. A hundred years on and the events surrounding their shocking and brutal crime are still fixed, if somewhat vaguely, in the public imagination. This continued fascination has spawned movies, documentaries, and fiction and non-fiction titles alike, to this day.
In the crowded field that is historical true crime (to say nothing of the crowded field of Leopold & Loeb writings) the authors of this title distinguish themselves and achieve an engaging, deeply informative book. A volume, I think, that will become a requisite for anyone wanting to know the full history of this case. In addition to excellent pacing, a compelling writing style, and relevant historical context, the authors avoid veering into sensationalism. The murder of Bobby Franks is placed squarely in the center of the story as nothing less than a heinous and outrageous crime, all the background and context we get about the perpetrators never goes so far as to imply anything close to exoneration. The authors also treat the whole case with professionalism and rigor, background, the crime itself, and the trial and aftermath all have their allotted space and each is covered well.
This was a lively and compelling book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in this particular case or in historical true crime in general.
True crime cases, particularly murders, and particularly gruesome murders committed under odd circumstances, regularly tend to be exaggerated and become overblown with lurid and morbid retellings. The Leopold and Loeb case is a textbook example of this fact. A hundred years on and the events surrounding their shocking and brutal crime are still fixed, if somewhat vaguely, in the public imagination. This continued fascination has spawned movies, documentaries, and fiction and non-fiction titles alike, to this day.
In the crowded field that is historical true crime (to say nothing of the crowded field of Leopold & Loeb writings) the authors of this title distinguish themselves and achieve an engaging, deeply informative book. A volume, I think, that will become a requisite for anyone wanting to know the full history of this case. In addition to excellent pacing, a compelling writing style, and relevant historical context, the authors avoid veering into sensationalism. The murder of Bobby Franks is placed squarely in the center of the story as nothing less than a heinous and outrageous crime, all the background and context we get about the perpetrators never goes so far as to imply anything close to exoneration. The authors also treat the whole case with professionalism and rigor, background, the crime itself, and the trial and aftermath all have their allotted space and each is covered well.
This was a lively and compelling book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in this particular case or in historical true crime in general.
