Vivid imagery, wild immaginings, and varied settings, these stories are very intriguing. You should definitely read this collection. ( )

Everything about this is really well executed - her prose, especially, is very beautiful, and she writes with a real depth of feeling. A fuller review is here.. ( )

I can't really say that I 'liked' this collection of intense YA short stories. I will say I thought they were extraordinarily original and beautifully written. And challenging. So, I liked them 3 stars, but I do believe it was a 5 star amazing book.

ETA a conversation on the GR group 'Aussie Readers.'

Jenny wrote: Cheryl, is that the book with the story, Singing My Sister Down? OMG that story has haunted me for ages!"

Yes it is. And yes, that's a haunting story. If I weren't so squeamish, I'd've read the stories one at a time, and they all would be haunting me. "Sister..." is the first one so I think that's at least partly why it makes the biggest impact. I liked the acknowledgements, wherein the author gives clues about the inspirations. If she hadn't given those, I would not have been able to stop wondering if she were alien, or possessed, or something...." ( )

very powerful collection of short stories. I am in awe of the author. These would be great for students to discuss or for a creative writing class to read and study. ( )

quirky is a good word for Lanagan's short stories. frustratingly tantalizing would represent another way of describing them.

written like incomplete Twilight Zone episodes, the truncated anecdotes in Black Juice introduce many intriguing situations and worlds that we'll probably never have fleshed out.

they introduce punishment by slowly sinking into a tar pit, a frenetic clown assassination game played with live ammo and sponsors, feral angels that smell of earthworms and fish slime, etc., etc. much of it feels post-apocalyptic or dystopian; some pure fantasy but nothing is expected.
you want to know more; you want to see the point the author is making;see what, if any, moral or ethical head-scratcher she is trying to spell out, but just when the stories get really good, more often than not, they just end. ( )