Review of 'The ballad of the sad café and other stories.' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I slowed way down for this masterful collection. The titular novella overwhelmed me with its story construction and narrative control. The short stories, each of them, were brilliant little nuts to crack. Some of them are like puzzles in their construction, though no less meaningful. Carson McCullers was a shining star and it's sad she didn't live longer and give us more.
I think my favorite stories were Wunderkind, Madame Zelinsky and The King of Finland, The Sojourner, and, of course, the absolutely incredible Ballad of the Sad Cafe. Judging from mixed reviews here on GR it would seem this collection overly impresses writers more than readers. Looking at McCullers' way of using language and constructing scenes and character, looking at the way she builds a narrator (especially in her stories written in third person) she is a marvel. Reading her for story and entertainment without any appreciation for these …
I slowed way down for this masterful collection. The titular novella overwhelmed me with its story construction and narrative control. The short stories, each of them, were brilliant little nuts to crack. Some of them are like puzzles in their construction, though no less meaningful. Carson McCullers was a shining star and it's sad she didn't live longer and give us more.
I think my favorite stories were Wunderkind, Madame Zelinsky and The King of Finland, The Sojourner, and, of course, the absolutely incredible Ballad of the Sad Cafe. Judging from mixed reviews here on GR it would seem this collection overly impresses writers more than readers. Looking at McCullers' way of using language and constructing scenes and character, looking at the way she builds a narrator (especially in her stories written in third person) she is a marvel. Reading her for story and entertainment without any appreciation for these qualities seems to produce a mixed bag. What fascinates me is how decidedly bowled over I am by her genius and how far from being in a place where I could read something like Wunderkind and think this writers is just okay.
