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I read a lot of books and I write about them on here. Mummy Geek is sometimes a guest blogger....people seem to love her.....Oh and you can find me on Twitter.....@book_geek_says. Shortlisted for Blog of the Year by the 2015 Love Stories Awards...THANK YOU!!

Monday 2 July 2012

Review: The Guardian Review Book of Short Stories

Publisher: Guardian
Price: Came with the paper

Going to do my usual and review the stories one by one:

An Idyll in Winter - William Trevor
It was all a bit of an unrequited love story. I don't usually like things being about love, as I'm sure you've all noticed, love stories are not up my street. Yet, I actually enjoyed this one. It wasn't all hearts and flowers. It was brutal and real and honest!

Underbrush Man - Margaret Atwood
Funny and thoroughly, thoroughly entertaining. Loved it to bits especially as I bloody love a good internal monologue. It was self aware, it took the piss and it was great. Would happily read this again or even a whole length long story!

Miracle - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A snap shot of Nigeria, its corruption, religion and life. We all know that things like that happen in Nigeria but still it is shocking in most ways. Also enjoyed the stark contrast between IB and her Mum. Youth often understand and see a lot more than older generations.

Helen Simpson - Cockfosters
LOVED this one! I can see me and the bezzie ending up like this. It was a great, real, normal situation in life. It was everyday it was mundane and it was brilliant! Also, it was interesting to find out that people actually go to Cockfosters.

The Closing Door - Rose Tremain
The dramatic classical music that was playing in the cafe whilst I was reading this made the story all the more dramatic and made me think of it as a black and white film. It was cute in some ways but totally creepy in others.

Terminator: Attack of the Drone - Mohsin Hamid
A proper short and sweet short story. Well it wasn't actually sweet but it was what you want from a short story. Loved the use of spelling to denote dialect. It was great. I'm sure you all know I love this! I also love a bit of post apocalypse stuff!

Portraits - Rachel Cusk
I'm afraid that there isn't much I can say about this one. I didn't enjoy it as it was a bit pretentious and I will admit that I didn't really get it.

Trespassing - Margaret Drabble
A very modern, very up to date and very contemporary story. The energy security and nuclear debate parts made me think about work. That was a bit of a drawback in this collection. Yet, that was the only drawback. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Embedded - Hisham Matar
Bit different as actually addressing a person, not necessarily a particular person we know. It is also a bit of a character study. Tense and very contemporary but totally frustrating as it doesn't end with total satisfaction!

Moths of the New World - Audrey Niffenegger
Crazy and totally unique. A gorgeous thing to imagine that books live and breath! One defo for the book lovers and it is hopeful and uplifting!

The Man who Fell - Polly Samson
Meh. Pretentious and not me! Sorry Polly!

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