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58th out of 1,012 books
—
3,193 voters
Fragile Things
by
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author)
The Barnes & Noble Review
In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than t...more
In the introduction to Neil Gaiman's short story collection -- a wildly diverse assortment of horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, poetry, and speculative fiction -- he explains the book's title: "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than t...more
Hardcover, 360 pages
Published
September 26th 2006
by William Morrow
(first published 2006)
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Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
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3,000)
Jan 30, 2012
s.penkevich
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Young and old and inbetween
Recommended to s.penkevich by:
practically everyone
Shelves:
short-story,
jeepers_creepers
’We owe it to each other to tell stories’
For years I’ve heard the name Neil Gaiman passed about, weighted with heavy praise, and have always promised myself to read him. Earlier this fall, after hearing him speak on NPR, I sat down with a copy of Coraline, and hungrily read it in one sitting. Despite the novel being intended for an audience much greener than I, I couldn’t help but be hypnotized by the charismatic voice and magical delivery and I renewed my promise to return to this author as soo...more
For years I’ve heard the name Neil Gaiman passed about, weighted with heavy praise, and have always promised myself to read him. Earlier this fall, after hearing him speak on NPR, I sat down with a copy of Coraline, and hungrily read it in one sitting. Despite the novel being intended for an audience much greener than I, I couldn’t help but be hypnotized by the charismatic voice and magical delivery and I renewed my promise to return to this author as soo...more
Aug 06, 2011
Monique
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Monique by:
Tintin
Shelves:
2011,
absolute-favorite,
award-winners,
bestsellers,
compilations,
fantasy,
mystery,
occult,
retellings,
short-story,
thrillers
I love Neil Gaiman. He is brilliant, imaginative, and abso-friggin-lutely weird, and I love him for it. And this book of short stories and prose,
Fragile Things
, is by far my most favorite compendium of his.
Fragile Things is a collection of oddities, retellings, poetry, spin-offs, and queer creations of Neil Gaiman's colorful imagination. Some of the stories have been published elsewhere, like Sunbird and October In The Chair , which were included in his M Is For Magic compilation, and some...more
Fragile Things is a collection of oddities, retellings, poetry, spin-offs, and queer creations of Neil Gaiman's colorful imagination. Some of the stories have been published elsewhere, like Sunbird and October In The Chair , which were included in his M Is For Magic compilation, and some...more
It seems wrong and somewhat sad that my favorite Gaiman book is not one of his many heralded novels, but a collection of short stories. Mind you, Fragile Things is a great collection of short stories!
Some of the content herein is much more "adult" than a good deal of his other work, which can tend towards the childlike and fanciful. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the fantastical stuff with its focus on the magic of youth and mystery of the unknown. But I think I prefer his short story work because...more
Some of the content herein is much more "adult" than a good deal of his other work, which can tend towards the childlike and fanciful. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the fantastical stuff with its focus on the magic of youth and mystery of the unknown. But I think I prefer his short story work because...more
The two stars was a compromise. This book is a mixed bag of short stories and poems. In the Harry Potter books, there is a kind of sweet called Bertie Potts Every Flavour Jelly Beans. Sometimes you get something yummy like Raspberry Cream Chocolate or Honey Lemon Lime with a hint of Ginger or Vodka Tonic with Mentholated Cigarette Chaser. Other times you get Snot or Cat's Vomit. This book was like that. Unfortunately, this assortment contained more of the Warthog's Spyhillated Rectum or Seal Poo...more
Jan 19, 2009
Sandi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Sandi by:
Beyond Reality February Fantasy BOM
I finished "Fragile Things" by Neil Gaiman while I was waiting for the anesthesiologist at UCLA Medical Center. Two days later, while visiting me in the hospital, my daughter announced that she "stole" the book from me. So, I don't have it to refer back to while doing this review.
For me, the highlight of this collection of short stories and poems was the novella "Monarch of the Glen" that featured Shadow from "American Gods" re-interpreting the Beowulf legend. It was extremely good. I thought t...more
For me, the highlight of this collection of short stories and poems was the novella "Monarch of the Glen" that featured Shadow from "American Gods" re-interpreting the Beowulf legend. It was extremely good. I thought t...more
Mar 06, 2009
W.B.
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to W.B. by:
the library. it dropped at my feet quite mysteriously!
I'm digging this book.
Because it is an book of incidentals as well as short fiction, it's rather uneven.
But I still give it five stars, because I love updatings of the fairy tale, and Gaiman is clearly one of the most gifted writers on the planet when it comes to doing this.
I also loved The End of the World by Kate Atkinson for the same reason--and reviewed that at length on my blog. Okay, hers were more updatings of Greek and Roman myths, but you get the idea!
He includes poems too, and there's...more
Because it is an book of incidentals as well as short fiction, it's rather uneven.
But I still give it five stars, because I love updatings of the fairy tale, and Gaiman is clearly one of the most gifted writers on the planet when it comes to doing this.
I also loved The End of the World by Kate Atkinson for the same reason--and reviewed that at length on my blog. Okay, hers were more updatings of Greek and Roman myths, but you get the idea!
He includes poems too, and there's...more
This was my first Gaiman experience, and it was a worthwhile one. The collection is composed of short stories, poems, and a long story/novella at the end. There are spooks and creeps and cranks and, every once in a while, a hero, or at least someone who at the end of the story is not a monster. A few highlights are: Sunbird, a tale of Epicureans on a quest to eat a phoenix; How to Talk to Girls at Parties, which outlines just that considering how the girls are a little, um, alien; Goliath, a tri...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I have not read Neil Gaiman's novels but I've heard good things about them. This collection is obviously not a good place to start reading his work. First off, the intro was irritating. The self-satisfied aren't-I-wonderful? name dropping tone was kind of overbearing, and probably put me in an extra-critical mood.
The short story is unforgiving; you don't have time for slow bits, or parts that sound like you've read them already somewhere before. And paying homage is tricky too--it can't be mere...more
The short story is unforgiving; you don't have time for slow bits, or parts that sound like you've read them already somewhere before. And paying homage is tricky too--it can't be mere...more
This is one of the hardest books to review that I've come across. A few of these stories are really good, examples being October in the Chair and Sunbird. However, there are several that are just not very well thought out, and several that disturbed me enough to make me wonder if I want to read any more of Gaiman's work. If you believe that God is evil, then you will love The Problem of Susan. If you don't, then this story will seriously make you nauseous--it's one of the most truly perverted th...more
Jan 26, 2011
Anadeathduarte
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4359959-barbara-bell-morais
Recommended to Anadeathduarte by:
Me, because I love NG writings, and friends.
{spoiler-free review}
I don't need to say that I love pratically 99% of this book. Only one short story did not make my heart beat faster. Neil Gaiman > God!
First of all, the Brazilian edition is different from the American one, starting with the fact that it was divided into 2, and I have to check that, but I've heard that there are different stories/poems in them as well.
From the start. I liked the Brazilian translation a lot, and not only because I am a translator myself, but also because I...more
I don't need to say that I love pratically 99% of this book. Only one short story did not make my heart beat faster. Neil Gaiman > God!
First of all, the Brazilian edition is different from the American one, starting with the fact that it was divided into 2, and I have to check that, but I've heard that there are different stories/poems in them as well.
From the start. I liked the Brazilian translation a lot, and not only because I am a translator myself, but also because I...more
Three stars for this one because I really liked some of the stories, I really disliked others, and while the prose is well-written, I just don't think Gaiman is a poet.
I'd rather not dwell on the negatives, so briefly, here are the stories I didn't like: "Other People" and "The Problem of Susan." "Other People" is a sickening description of one man's hell--literally hell, as in the afterlife. Of course, a description of hell should be sickening and disturbing, but that doesn't mean I have to lik...more
I'd rather not dwell on the negatives, so briefly, here are the stories I didn't like: "Other People" and "The Problem of Susan." "Other People" is a sickening description of one man's hell--literally hell, as in the afterlife. Of course, a description of hell should be sickening and disturbing, but that doesn't mean I have to lik...more
Apr 24, 2008
Kristen Boers
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who ever wanted to be seen as gothic and mysterious, just once in their lives.
I owe Neil Gaiman a huge debt.
Not only for his exceptional contribution to literature, and the arts in general, over the last few years.
But for this reason: Reading "Fragile Things" has confirmed one of my greatest fears.
I don't like short story compilations.
It all started with Alice Munroe's "Hateship Loveship Friendship Courtship" or whatever it's called. I could not get through that book no matter how hard I tried. And I tried. Ever since then I have blamed my dislike of story compliations of...more
Not only for his exceptional contribution to literature, and the arts in general, over the last few years.
But for this reason: Reading "Fragile Things" has confirmed one of my greatest fears.
I don't like short story compilations.
It all started with Alice Munroe's "Hateship Loveship Friendship Courtship" or whatever it's called. I could not get through that book no matter how hard I tried. And I tried. Ever since then I have blamed my dislike of story compliations of...more
Well, of course it's good- it's Gaiman. Although some of the stories are not his greatest, still, his throw-aways are better than many writer's best.
"October in the Chair" is downright spooky, with one of the most unnerving endings, ever. And of course, "The Monarch of the Glens" ( a story featuring the character Shadow from "American Gods") is a welcome "next chapter" of that novel. I hope there will be more of him from Gaiman in the future.
"October in the Chair" is downright spooky, with one of the most unnerving endings, ever. And of course, "The Monarch of the Glens" ( a story featuring the character Shadow from "American Gods") is a welcome "next chapter" of that novel. I hope there will be more of him from Gaiman in the future.
There are original flights of the imagination in this collection as in "Sunbird" in which an eccentric eater's club meets their match or "A Study in Emerald" which re-imagines Sherlock Holmes and Watson's meeting. One story "The Problem of Susan" is downright tragic as it argues against the act of sanitizing children's literature. In it, Susan from the C.S. Lewis Narnia series is alive as an accomplished elderly professor who is forced by an interviewer to think about her dead siblings who she w...more
Neil Gaiman's short stories are light-years ahead in brilliance than his long novels. As an aficionado of horror stories that leave quite a bit of detail to the reader's imagination (not explicit.), I truly enjoyed every single piece of writing in this book. Perhaps the foremost exception would be 'The Problem of Susan'- I liked where the plot was going but not how the story was concluded. I didn't think the gory, graphic ending was necessary for Gaiman to make his point clear. Leaving that part...more
This is a collection of short stories and poems by Neil Gaiman. Mr Gaiman has mentioned that he does not like to write novel length horror stories because he does not want to live anywhere that dark for the length of time it would be necessary to write a novel. Reading all these stories at once is bit like living in a very dark place for much too long. So I recommend reading them slowly over time. They are too good to pass up altogether. [return][return]"A Study in Emerald" is a cross between Sh...more
Another satisfying read from Mr. Gaiman. The man never fails to impress and I was very happy when my book club voted to read this wonderful collection of poems, short stories, and novellas for our October selection. All the stories in this collection were enjoyable and none of them were disappointing to me. There were a few that stood out to me though:[return][return]A Study in Emerald: I have never read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but I have read some Lovecraft. This mixture of the two had me laugh...more
A collection of widely varied short stories, the first of which is a superb alternate universe version of Sherlock Holmes involved in a Cthulhu Mythos murder case - brilliantly written. The Runt's story is powerful and hidden amongst stories from months of the year.
Some stories are wistful and fantastic, some contain dark shades of horror and the occasional poem, such as the Fairy Reel, are very clever and beautiful breaks. 'Going Wodwo' is a beautiful poem about returning to nature. The coffee...more
Some stories are wistful and fantastic, some contain dark shades of horror and the occasional poem, such as the Fairy Reel, are very clever and beautiful breaks. 'Going Wodwo' is a beautiful poem about returning to nature. The coffee...more
Fragile things is yet another compilation of Neil Gaiman’s short stories and poetry. Most of these stories have seen life in other publications, but I suppose if you don’t subscribe to every short story magazine, nor buy every short story anthology, chances are you haven’t seen many, if any, of these stories before.
Once again, reading these, it just comes back that Gaiman is our own modern myth maker. When Gaiman does a full length novel, you can feel the myth and magic simmering along, but it i...more
Once again, reading these, it just comes back that Gaiman is our own modern myth maker. When Gaiman does a full length novel, you can feel the myth and magic simmering along, but it i...more
First: I love Neil Gaiman. Seriously love Neil Gaiman. Sandman change my life, literary and for real. But Fragile Things is far from my favorite Neil Gaiman work.
The introduction was the best part. Or rather, the introduction was the second best part, as “The Monarch of the Glen” was by far the best piece. A companion to American Gods, a very enjoyable novel, Shadow is placed unwittingly in the middle of a mythic battle in Scotland. While circumstances have put him into a position that seems wit...more
The introduction was the best part. Or rather, the introduction was the second best part, as “The Monarch of the Glen” was by far the best piece. A companion to American Gods, a very enjoyable novel, Shadow is placed unwittingly in the middle of a mythic battle in Scotland. While circumstances have put him into a position that seems wit...more
"Short Fictions and Wonders" is an apt subtitle for this unique set of stories. Gaiman mixes contemporary characters into fantastic settings and situations, which is (if you've read anything else of his) kind-of his style.
Each "wonder" had a distinct impact on this reader. Out of over 30 stories included in this anthology, there was only one I didn't like--"Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire". It might've been attempted satire but came off ra...more
Each "wonder" had a distinct impact on this reader. Out of over 30 stories included in this anthology, there was only one I didn't like--"Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire". It might've been attempted satire but came off ra...more
Явно няма да стана отявлен фен на Геймън и това си е. Някои от разказите му ме разочароваха до толкова, че се чудя дали да не му пиша чрез издателя му мейл в стил „Нийл, моля те, спри да ме разочароваш. Очаквам толкова повече от теб.”
И все пак се чувствам длъжна да кажа, че той има прекрасен изказ (предполагам и превода помага доста), на който се дължи част от лекото леене на повествуванието.
Първо, имената на отделните разкази са просто ужасни. Не може един разказ да има грозно, дълго и тромаво...more
И все пак се чувствам длъжна да кажа, че той има прекрасен изказ (предполагам и превода помага доста), на който се дължи част от лекото леене на повествуванието.
Първо, имената на отделните разкази са просто ужасни. Не може един разказ да има грозно, дълго и тромаво...more
Come per Smoke and Mirrors, anche in questa raccolta di racconti non manca nulla: favole, fantasy, orrore, gotico, fantascienza e un pizzico di sesso.
Molti dei racconti hanno ricevuto premi e il più famoso è sicuramente A Study in Emerald, vincitore del premio Hugo come miglior racconto breve.
A Study in Emerald, come dice Gaiman, è una storia in cui i personaggi di Conan Doyle incontrano le creazioni da incubo di Lovecraft.
Oltre al racconto sono molto bizzarre le introduzioni ai vari capitoli...more
Molti dei racconti hanno ricevuto premi e il più famoso è sicuramente A Study in Emerald, vincitore del premio Hugo come miglior racconto breve.
A Study in Emerald, come dice Gaiman, è una storia in cui i personaggi di Conan Doyle incontrano le creazioni da incubo di Lovecraft.
Oltre al racconto sono molto bizzarre le introduzioni ai vari capitoli...more
Short story collections tend to be pretty hit or miss for me. I adore Jhumpa Lahiri’s work, but have been disappointed by collections with numerous authors. To me, they often feel like scraps or half-baked ideas tossed together in no discernable order. But when they’re done right, each story works as a stand alone, but also flows well with the rest of the collection.
I’m a sucker for Gaiman’s work, because his stories have a way of getting under my skin, in a good way. I can’t say I loved Fragil...more
I’m a sucker for Gaiman’s work, because his stories have a way of getting under my skin, in a good way. I can’t say I loved Fragil...more
Neil Gaiman has a very active imagination. I can only imagine what he must have been like as a boy - he was probably the one responsible for making up all his grade-school games, and acting out stories from his favorite books, and maybe even an imaginary friend (or odd nightmarish phobia) or two thrown in for good measure. This creativity shows through his written works, many of which are quite unlike anything else.
However, I have a bone to pick with Neil Gaiman. He's become one of those name-br...more
However, I have a bone to pick with Neil Gaiman. He's become one of those name-br...more
Fascinating and avant-garde collection of short stories written by the best contemporary writer of fiction. This was different than anything that I've ever read because the stories broke from the traditional patterns. I felt like many of these short stories left you hanging right in the middle or right before it gets good. This was frustrating at first but I started to realize that this is much more powerful because of all that is implied and what is left up to the imagination. Often the real st...more
Some people really like Neil Gaiman. For me he is consistently a mixed bag. (The word that comes to mind is "Meh.")
I liked a few of the stories. I didn't actively hate any of the stories.
... but I did find myself wishing the book would move faster so I could just be done with it... and some of the stories felt almost incomplete...
Perhaps I would have liked this book better had I read some of his other books. I know a few of the stories take place in the same universe as "American Gods" but... I...more
I liked a few of the stories. I didn't actively hate any of the stories.
... but I did find myself wishing the book would move faster so I could just be done with it... and some of the stories felt almost incomplete...
Perhaps I would have liked this book better had I read some of his other books. I know a few of the stories take place in the same universe as "American Gods" but... I...more
Personally I find this collection of short stories by Mr. Gaiman superior to Smokes and Mirrors, if only for the fact that he actually wrote closure to most of the stories he wrote inside. Mistake not, Gaiman is an excellent writer, and his poetic writing style is one I sincerely envy, but while his plots are often thick and dark with intrigue, he often finishes off his stories in ways that left the readers utterly unsatistfied (anti-climaxes and Deus ex Machina abound).
Many of the short stories...more
Many of the short stories...more
Mar 01, 2012
Lisa M.
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
short-story-collection,
5252
This book was poorly arranged. The first story— “A Study in Emerald—” is a combination of Sherlock Holmes and H.P Lovecraft. I am not a huge fan of either stories (I lean more towards Sherlock, though,) so this wasn’t really for me— even then, it was too subtly done. A complaint I had in the earlier stories in this collection were that the basic ideas were very interesting, but the author failed to develop them fully. It was dissappointing, because I was often left wanting more, and not in a goo...more
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| who wants to talk about Neil Gaiman? | 9 | 73 | Jun 06, 2012 02:22pm | |
| ROBUST: Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman | 7 | 23 | Mar 19, 2012 02:25pm |
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“There are so many fragile things, after all. People break so easily, and so do dreams and hearts.”
—
1,817 people liked it
“She seems so cool, so focused, so quiet, yet her eyes remain fixed upon the horizon. You think you know all there is to know about her immediately upon meeting her, but everything you think you know is wrong. Passion flows through her like a river of blood.
She only looked away for a moment, and the mask slipped, and you fell. All your tomorrows start here.”
—
1,210 people liked it
More quotes…
She only looked away for a moment, and the mask slipped, and you fell. All your tomorrows start here.”
The introductions are also of great help, it can take a few pages to get into...more
Mar 30, 2013 06:32am
The introductions are also of great help, it can take a few page...more
Mar 30, 2013 10:01am