No One Belongs Here More Than You: Stories

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It's a hit!

This is the most unique, strange, and beautiful book I have ever read. It was like reading exquisite performance art. Not the meaningless kind with... (show more)

This is the most unique, strange, and beautiful book I have ever read. It was like reading exquisite performance art. Not the meaningless kind with women wearing Egyptian masks and using power sanders, but the breath-taking, bittersweet kind that gives a whole new meaning to the word "poignant." Each story is so deeply sad but somehow you want them to be that way in the end because it makes them so very real. Her writing voice is so striking and bold, but so natural in a way that makes you wish you could be that unique and startling.

If you want something different and rewarding, I very highly recommend this book. I would also recommend reading the stories separately or two at a time to give yourself time to absorb them. If you are the type of person who thinks performance art is ridiculous then this is probably not the book for you. (show less)

 

 

by Catherine Hayashi

No, it's a flop!

When I click on this title, it says "79%, you could do worse". My sentiments exactly, except I'd probably say, oh 70%. Whatever that means. This ... (show more)

When I click on this title, it says "79%, you could do worse". My sentiments exactly, except I'd probably say, oh 70%. Whatever that means. This book has also brought to light this application's need for an "abandoned" option, a book status far more tangible than "want to read" and more realistic than "already read". (Already? Is this a required list?)

July has a cute knack for subtlety, and one in every 60 observations is original, thoughtful and easy to relate to. I'm reminded of a female-perspective "Demons in the Springtime", and just a little less masterful. Trade in Meno's penchant for the surreal and in its stead add some sex, which isn't as sexy as it sounds. Meno's grasp of intimacy blows her out of the water, though her odd spins may strike closer to home for some. As i was plugging along, the stories got better, but then I realized my proximity to a bookshelf housing masters like Rushdie, and did what any sensible reader would do: ABANDONED. (show less)

 

 

by Tony Gilbert-Davis

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  Normally I don't like short stories but this collection was fantastic. Each story brings you into the lives of quirky characters that are part yourself and part everyone you want to know and everyone you have ever known. July manages to write in a way which is so different but you know exactly what she is talking about. She says things in a way that no one has ever said them but everyone understands.

  Short stories are convenient since you can read them quickly and put your book down, bu... (show more)

  Normally I don't like short stories but this collection was fantastic. Each story brings you into the lives of quirky characters that are part yourself and part everyone you want to know and everyone you have ever known. July manages to write in a way which is so different but you know exactly what she is talking about. She says things in a way that no one has ever said them but everyone understands.

  Short stories are convenient since you can read them quickly and put your book down, but with this collection I didn't want to stop. As with any collection, some stories were better than others. My personal favorites were 'How to Tell Stories to Children' and 'Something That Needs Nothing" because the characters were so desperate yet so familiar. If you are looking for a type of book where there is tons of action and a happy ending, this is definitely not it. But trust me when I say reading it is so worth it. (show less)

   

   

  by Melissa Kuhta on Mar 17, 2009 at 06:50PM

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  The collection is diverse in its subjects but not nearly as much in its actions. July frequently writes her characters dealing with sexual identity and meaning. The minds of the characters are very subjective, and some seem childlike in their perceptions of the world around them.

  This was not an easy read for me, mostly because it's outside of my literary "home turf" (archaic literature and its modern line). A few of the stories that were sexually explicit felt so for no higher re... (show more)

  The collection is diverse in its subjects but not nearly as much in its actions. July frequently writes her characters dealing with sexual identity and meaning. The minds of the characters are very subjective, and some seem childlike in their perceptions of the world around them.

  This was not an easy read for me, mostly because it's outside of my literary "home turf" (archaic literature and its modern line). A few of the stories that were sexually explicit felt so for no higher reason than July seemed to be trying to push her readers' comfort buttons. In that she certainly succeeded. Her voice is very fresh and direct, and yet she achieves passages of lyricism. I would consider reading another collection of hers, possibly later in her life when she's tried to work in a few genres outside of the sexually explicit/dysfunctional. I think sexual identity is important, but she seems to have gone from understanding its importance to glorifying it.

  My four stars indicates my satisfaction with her writing style—she obvious knows what she's doing. Her choice of subjects, while not seeing eye-to-eye with my own, are a matter of taste, which I cannot dispute. (show less)

   

   

  by Kathleen McGowan on Sep 17, 2009 at 05:45AM

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