Unforgettable images, scenes. The young aviator and his family nights of imaginary flights. ( )

This could be a good intro to Winterson for those who are not familiar with her writing style and storytelling. I am not sure if I would recommend it to hardcore Winterson fans. Many of the shorts have elements, characters, and great lines from her novels. The stories span a good portion of her writing career. They are certainly mini-marvels with well-told stories in a language that is very much her signature. A good collection and a must-have for short story fans. ( )

It's hard to know what to say about this collection of Winterson's short stories. The stories themselves are such unconventional, unexpected flights of realistic-seeming fancy, but her work is so much more than that. It's very possible to lose the rhythm of the story by being caught up in the language.

As with any collection, there are some pieces here I enjoyed more than others, but even the less inspired plots were still beautifully written, so I can't really complain. ( )

Each story could be a novel in itself: Winterson's fiction is compelling because she teaches a little bit about the physical world while at the same time leading the reader on a spectacular emotional journey. She is like a naturalist of the inner life, pointing out highlights along the way. Her writing is so beautiful it may make you cry.

An uneven collection of short stories that often border on 'clever, clever' ideas, striving for the timelessness of a fable by Borges.
However, there are a few that work well, such as the simplicity of The 24-hour Dog, with its well placed metaphors and images, or have an emotional pull, such as The Green Man.
The language is always beautiful, but the stories usually try too hard. Worth trying for the imagery. ( )