Z.Z. Boone

The majority of these stories were "slice of life" style stories that reflected a specific point in the characters' lives, without a nice, neat story arc. I found the stories to be true to life and relatable, if a bit cynical and depressing. The writing style is minimalist - concise and straightforward with few frills. That style complemented the content of the stories well. Though others have commented that the stories didn't seem finished, I found that the lack of conclusion in most stories contributed to the overall themes. It worked, in my opinion.… (meer)

I made it about halfway through this book and just couldn't finish it. Every story felt the same to me. It didn't feel like there was any real point to any of them. The author also seemed to put in certain things that didn't really add to the overall story just for pure shock value. I didn't get anything out of these stories except for a growing sense of frustration and confusion. They all had a sort of unfinished feel, which left me unsatisfied as a reader. If you don't like the first couple, you probably won't like the rest.… (meer)

While the plots are all that of introspective, depressed character analysis, the writing style makes up for it in my opinion. Boone is able to get the to bleak heart of all of his characters in these short stories. They feel real, though broken, as so many of us are.

If, as another reviewer has said, the first story doesn't make you want to read more, I would suggest turning to Wakefield. It was perhaps the most different of the stories, ending on action rather than depression in my opinion. While there might not be a ton of others in the collection that you might appreciate, that one has potential.… (meer)

Clearly Z.Z. Boone is a great writer. He hooks you in quickly, and ends precisely when he should. The stories themselves, however, are mediocre at best. I enjoy reading stories that have not-so-happy endings, but these just didn't cut it for me. Maybe Boone is just too cynical, or the structure too repetitive. Who knows. My lukewarm recommendation is this: read the first story. If you don't like it, put the book down - it won't get much better.

If Boone comes up with something a little better, I'll give him another shot.… (meer)