In these piercingly lovely and endlessly surprising stories by one of the most acclaimed current practitioners of the art of fiction, many things h...
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reviews
Nov 14, 2010
Lavecchiastrega
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Avevo molte attese per questo lavoro di Alice Munro, ma la delusione alla fine è prevalsa.</p>
L'opera è costituita da una serie di racconti, generalmente ambientati in Canada, nella prima metà del Novecento e con protagoniste donne più o meno alla ricerca di un senso alle proprie vite.
L'impressione generale dopo la lettura è di noia, perché le donne raccontate quasi sempre non "arrivano" da nessuna parte. Si perdono in ricordi o frammenti cristallizati della propria vita, che non
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Aug 25, 2011
Jennifer
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I suspect that Munro's stories are like a mood ring--the color and tone reflect a great deal who you are when you read them. That said, the stories in The Moons of Jupiter seemed to me to be lacking the luminous inner quality of many of her stories I've read, that touch of grace that illuminates the heart of so many of her stories. These felt more opaque, heavier and duller (not more boring but less bright). Perhaps that's a function of the reader, perhaps it's that these are earlier works th
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Nov 22, 2009
Bob
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Trying to summarize why I don't go in much for short stories - it feels like the effort in approaching a new piece of fiction to become familiar with a set of characters and milieu needs to be repaid by a sustained story of a certain length - sheer laziness on my part, in other words! Munro came recommended from several sources, so I decided to get over that - plus the first two stories here concern the same family and several others contain echoes of one another - the emotionally distant anthro
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Jun 12, 2011
Alan
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The first few stories in this collection were incredible: moving and vivid, just as I expect from this master of short stories. However, most of the other stories were forgettable.
The title story, Moons of Jupiter, was about an author coming to grips with her father’s heart valve transplant, 2 grown children who have gone their own, secretive ways, and her own interests in writing and fashion. This was Alice Munro at her typical and her best, taking the reader inside the life of so More...
The title story, Moons of Jupiter, was about an author coming to grips with her father’s heart valve transplant, 2 grown children who have gone their own, secretive ways, and her own interests in writing and fashion. This was Alice Munro at her typical and her best, taking the reader inside the life of so More...
Aug 30, 2009
David
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Munro's stories are a delight to read, and this collection is no exception. For me, she is one of the hardest writers to read as a writer. I mean, her technique is so seamless that it can be very hard to pick it apart to learn from. For example, when she shifts in "Chaddeleys and Flemmings"between the narrator's perspective as a child and the narrator's perspective as an adult it is almost unnoticeable. The shift is there, and for good reason, but Munro's technique sits in the backg
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Jul 24, 2011
Judith
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I love Alice Munro. Her writing is so finely crafted, simple, in a way, that it falls away from the constructions of characters...lives, really, that makes them seem like personal memories. She leaves me, not just with a description of an afternoon, but with the smells of the porch, the sounds of birds, the shattering of consciousness after the accident that didn't happen. When I get covetousness over her skill, I realize that what happens in her stories is the way her mind works, it isn't le
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Nov 30, 2011
mstan
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It just struck me that Munro gets to the heart of what I personally think family and relationships end up being about.
That didn't sound too impressive... but this is my favourite theme, the all-consuming topic of my life for the past few years, in particular. Adulthood to me is the realisation that family in particular is not to be taken for granted, and that age can be a gently wonderful and terrible beast.
Munro tackles these so well, story after story... which is why she is More...
That didn't sound too impressive... but this is my favourite theme, the all-consuming topic of my life for the past few years, in particular. Adulthood to me is the realisation that family in particular is not to be taken for granted, and that age can be a gently wonderful and terrible beast.
Munro tackles these so well, story after story... which is why she is More...
Oct 12, 2011
Jen
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This is a collection of short stories. Each story was written a little differently, which was interesting. Some switched POV quite often, so the reading was confusing at times. Also, there is much more narration than dialogue. THe endings were abrupt. Some were better overall than others, which is why I only gave it 3 stars.
Mar 08, 2009
Again, can't argue. Stories here slightly more of that first person lyrical. Why do so many short-story collections have terrible cover art? Scandal.
Jul 04, 2010
Maria
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All the stories were engrossing, and I felt like I got to know all the characters well, like I knew them my whole life. I don't know if I am just not satisfied with short stories as much as I am with novels, or that the stories weren't satisfying in some way (and I don't know what that is). In any case, Munro is a gifted story teller, as I am sure millions of readers have figured out before me. Plus, she's a canuck.
Apr 22, 2010
diana
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Absolutely lovely. I am not generally a fan of short stories, and have very little patience for short story collections, but even I devoured this book.
Jan 13, 2012
Lisa
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Okay, I liked the very first story a lot.
Then I read 5 in a row that didn't wow me. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I should have kept going.
Then I read 5 in a row that didn't wow me. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I should have kept going.
Apr 19, 2010
Kristy
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This is a collection of about 9 short stories that are all fairly interesting. I believe she is known for writing about women and their relationships. It made me want to write a short story if I could just come up with an idea.
Oct 13, 2010
Lori
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Quite possibly the most boring and pointless book ever.
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Jan 21, 2012
Janine
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This is a collection of short stories (somewhat female-centric) where several stories are inter-related - semi-autobiographical in nature, so it seemed to me. This is the first book I've read written by Alice Munro and she does have an distinctly individual way of describing people - their appearance, feelings, motives, intertwining self-doubt with behaviour. I liked it - very engaging and stops you in your tracks causing you to re-read sentences - makes you think.
May 04, 2010
Karen
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Some of the stories are pretty good, while others are just so-so. I'm really not a "short story" person; I rather like having a longer term relationship with a book!
Sep 11, 2011
Lise
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Really wanted to love this. I tried. I didn't. But I may still try other Alice Munro in the future.
Feb 28, 2011
Carrie
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My first experience with Munro, and I will never forget her. "Prue" is one of the shortest but most impactful stories I have ever read. If you haven't checked out Munro yet, you might wanna...
Apr 22, 2010
Jessie
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First Alice Munro book I didn't just love to bits. But of course still very good.
Dec 15, 2007
Steve
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What I love about Munro and the stories in this collection is how she transports me so easily into the rich mental landscape of her characters. Something about her work seems qualitatively head and shoulders above other fiction I've read. Each story feeds my brain as if it were an exquisitely prepared meal.
Nov 10, 2008
carolyn
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I like how she writes and will surely investigate more of her short stories. Some of the stories weren't so intriguing but most of them were. I love those sentences that are so perfect you stop and read them again and again and marvel at how perfect a string of words can be. Alice Munro can do that.
Mar 02, 2008
Elizabeth
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I really like Alice Munro but this short story book failed to capture my imagination as completely as the others. Thought several of the stories are brilliant others fall flat and on a second reading cause me to become impatient and skip over them.
Dec 21, 2011
I enjoyed most of what I read but didn't get as "into" this book as I do other Alice Munro books. I planned to finish it but my borrow time from the library expired before I finished. (big issue with ereaders - no renewal of books)
Sep 19, 2008
Cesar
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the last story in this book was so heart wrenching (in a good way) I just sat quietly staring at the print on the page for a long time after, contemplating how melancholy life can be. What a terrific writer.
