Fragile Things

Short Fictions and Wonders

by Neil Gaiman

MP3 CD

English language

Published Oct. 11, 2006 by Sound Library.

ISBN:: 978-0-7927-4561-7
OCLC Number:: 72443828

View on OpenLibrary

(110 reviews)

This is a duplicate. Please update your lists. See openlibrary.org/works/OL679359W.

35 editions

franksbooks reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

As collections go, it’s an interesting set of insights into Gaiman’s creative endeavours. Some work better than others, and the cross references are intriguing. Sunbird, The problem with Susan and one or two others are stunning examples of the form, but Harlequin Valentine is an example of the problematic in ways I’d rather not go into here. And to finish with a revisit to Shadow Moon and glimpses of Mr Wednesday - plus Mr Alice, was like getting to end of a well constructed record.

Sharyl reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This is a captivating collection of short stories, verse, and excerpts, which I enjoyed very much.

Leading the way is A Study in Emerald, a creative revision of a classic Sherlock Holmes story that impressed me with its inventiveness. Indeed, there is not a boring story in this collection. There is another narrative that is an homage to an earlier fantasy called The Problem of Susan, which raises a good question about The Narnian Chronicles. Another tale titled, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, is memorable for being hilarious, in my opinion. It's basically about a young teenager who is nervous around girls before going to a party. His more experienced friend assures him that girls are not so different, not aliens. We'll see about that...This story was new to me. Evidently, it's been made into a film. On the other end of the spectrum, a narrative called Other …

Bill Bucclan reviewed Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

While there were bits of this anthology that were uneven, there were moments of sublime brilliance, from the haunting story of a childhood adventure gone horribly wrong to a fanciful romantic gesture involving a stolen heart, there are many, many pieces worth chewing over in this book.

Of course, it also hosts a novella about Shadow from American Gods, so that also raises its value in my eyes. Nice to see what happened to him after his initial outing.

pnutbutterprincess reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Storygraph'

3 stars

I really enjoy Gaiman's writing, even if this particular collection wasn't my cup of tea so much. I really enjoyed the stories 'Goliath' and 'The Monarch of the Glen,' though. This means I will now have to read American Gods, which is perfectly alright with me. I feel drawn to Gaiman's writing as I am drawn to Ray Bradbury's work: not because I have read a lot of it or am an expert in it, but because something about not only the stories, but the men behind them as well, rings with something deep inside me, some wildly human exposed part of my soul, and I feel that I am of the same mettle. Crazy rambling, I know, for a book review, but short stories have a tendency to make me unpredictable and contemplatively gregarious.

windchime reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I don't always get on too well with short stories, but I normally love everything written by Neil Gaiman, whatever the length. For some reason, though, this particular collection largely fell flat for me. I love Study in Emerald, and I enjoyed Sunbird, Monarch of the Glen (the American Gods novella), and Harlequin Valentine, but the rest did little for me.

Curtis reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Neil Gaiman continues to amaze me with his stories. Overall, I very much enjoyed this collection of "fragile things." I particularly enjoyed "A Study in Emerald," "October in the Chair" (notwithstanding my birthmonth), "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless," "Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox" (reminded me in a way of Stephen King's "All That You Love Will Be Carried Away"), "Sunbird" and "The Monarch of the Glen" (a sequel to [b:American Gods|4407|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1258417001s/4407.jpg|1970226]).

I would've rated it a five based on those stories alone, but there were a few other stories that didn't quite work for me. "The Problem of Susan" is, well, problematic, not in the idea (which I think is a worthy one) but the execution. There was an awkwardness to the grit of "Keepsakes and Treasures." Some of the poems, like "The Day the Saucers Came," seemed a bit throwaway.

But overall, a good …

Thomas Gaffney reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Goodreads'

TowerOfTheArchmage reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Neil Gaiman is an amazing storyteller, and this collection of short stories highlights some of his most interesting work. Unfortunately it wasn’t all his strongest. Like most collections of short works it had its good and its bad. I’d hoped for less bad from Gaiman.

The Good
The poem “The Day the Saucers Came” seems to have become an instant classic, and for good reason.
Sunbird was a really interesting phoenix story.
A Study in Emerald was my personal favorite of the whole volume. It was a great start to the book...
Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox Left in a Greyhound Bus Somewhere Between Tulsa, Oklahoma and Louisville, Kentucky was interesting and I think hit the mark just right.
The Problem of Susan was wonderfully meta!

The So-So
Monarch of the Glens was good, but long. I know that Gaiman sometimes takes a while to get where he’s going, but it just didn’t do it for me, at least not as part of this collection, and not as the last story in the book!
How to Talk to Girls at Parties was cute, and I liked the idea... but it just didn’t work for me.

The Bad
Fifteen Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot
October in the Chair
The poems

I think the biggest issue with this collection is that is isn’t coherent. It never comes together, which is a shame. Another reviewer described it as a mix tape rather than an album, and I think that is a perfect analogy.

Bean reviewed Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders' on 'Goodreads'

No rating

Recommended by @wilw as a good intro to Neil Gaiman

willhopkins reviewed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Review of 'Fragile Things' on 'Storygraph'

4 stars

Fragile Things is one of the first full-length offerings from Neil Gaiman that I managed to read. Very enjoyable and fully of magic to be found in the real world.