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Kissing Game
United under the banner of flash fiction, this is a collection of stories, or little 'cells', complete in themselves but connected by the overarching themes of betrayal and revenge. All featuring teenagers and often with an unexpected twist, these frighteningly realistic stories will take you to the very edge and beyond.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
17 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Aidan Chambers
101 books303 followersAidan Chambers was a British author of children's and young-adult novels. He won both the British Carnegie Medal and the American Printz Award for Postcards from No Man's Land (1999). For his "lasting contribution to children's literature" he won the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
September 10, 2016
Videorecensione: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVC9b...
December 11, 2023
Zestien heel uiteenlopende verhalen, hopelijk vallen ze in de smaak bij mijn leerlingen.
January 26, 2025
3.5⭐ sommige kort verhalen waren super leuk en andere wat minder. Voor elk wat wils dus.
July 1, 2013
I decided to read The Kissing Game, by Aidan Chambers because the synopsis and cover looked and sounded really interesting. I refer long novels rather than short stories, so the way this book was presented grabbed my attention and i felt i would enjoy this book.
This book is for the short stories catagory on the bingo board. I find short stories quite frustrating, because as you read them, you find out a lot about a character, and build a connection with them. But then the story ends rather abruptly. and you are left wanting more from the story, but the story will neer be continued. in my opinion, i find this very frustrating. The stroies though, even though were short, still were amusing and interesting, with life lessons winded in to them and a resolution was always there.
The book the Kissing Game fits into the category of short stories from one anthology. With a selection of different stories in the book, we can see a variety of themes that all relate to each other, and we can see how they each reflect the same message. I found this category interesting as it had lots of exciting adventures. I like short stories because even though they are not narratives, and are finished within 20 pages, you still feel a connection with the characters and feel the need to know more about what happens to them. This was a fun and enjoyable bingo board category to choose from, and is good for a Sunday read.
Something i learned from this book is how being yourself, and staying true to who you are is the best thing that you can do. While making friends, going for jobs, meeting new people, or being put in sticky situations, the best thing you can do is be yourself to help you get through it. In one of the short stories, a girl pretended to be someone else for a day, sick of being treated as a nobody. When she got into some trouble in the town, she could not think for herself and no one could help her because of how she was acting and what she had become. If she had stayed her kind, smart self, she could of avoided the incident, and saved a lot of terror for herself. Through this, i can see that being myself in front of other people, will benefit me, and it is the right thing to do.
A character or setting that interested me was a boy who, no matter how hard he tried, could not meet his fathers high standards of his son, and he always felt like a disappointment. When an opportunity came for him to prove he was a good son, his father payed no attention and called him a liar. We could read how crushed and heart broken the boy was, but we watched him not give up. he had faith in himself, and that was all that mattered. The situation he was faced with, he completed. His father then realised what a great son he had. Even though we read all of this in 20 pages, we could see just how self belief can change an entire relationship. This was one of my favourite changes visible in this book.
This book is for the short stories catagory on the bingo board. I find short stories quite frustrating, because as you read them, you find out a lot about a character, and build a connection with them. But then the story ends rather abruptly. and you are left wanting more from the story, but the story will neer be continued. in my opinion, i find this very frustrating. The stroies though, even though were short, still were amusing and interesting, with life lessons winded in to them and a resolution was always there.
The book the Kissing Game fits into the category of short stories from one anthology. With a selection of different stories in the book, we can see a variety of themes that all relate to each other, and we can see how they each reflect the same message. I found this category interesting as it had lots of exciting adventures. I like short stories because even though they are not narratives, and are finished within 20 pages, you still feel a connection with the characters and feel the need to know more about what happens to them. This was a fun and enjoyable bingo board category to choose from, and is good for a Sunday read.
Something i learned from this book is how being yourself, and staying true to who you are is the best thing that you can do. While making friends, going for jobs, meeting new people, or being put in sticky situations, the best thing you can do is be yourself to help you get through it. In one of the short stories, a girl pretended to be someone else for a day, sick of being treated as a nobody. When she got into some trouble in the town, she could not think for herself and no one could help her because of how she was acting and what she had become. If she had stayed her kind, smart self, she could of avoided the incident, and saved a lot of terror for herself. Through this, i can see that being myself in front of other people, will benefit me, and it is the right thing to do.
A character or setting that interested me was a boy who, no matter how hard he tried, could not meet his fathers high standards of his son, and he always felt like a disappointment. When an opportunity came for him to prove he was a good son, his father payed no attention and called him a liar. We could read how crushed and heart broken the boy was, but we watched him not give up. he had faith in himself, and that was all that mattered. The situation he was faced with, he completed. His father then realised what a great son he had. Even though we read all of this in 20 pages, we could see just how self belief can change an entire relationship. This was one of my favourite changes visible in this book.
February 18, 2025
Deze bundel bevat een grote verscheidenheid aan verhalen over verschillende lengtes, genres en personages heen. Wat ze met elkaar gemeen hebben, is dat ik na elk van deze verhalen een moment nodig had voor ik naar de volgende ging. In minder dan 1000 woorden wist Aidan Chambers steeds weer een prachtige schets uit iemands leven neer te zetten: zelden gelukkig, maar altijd aanzettend tot nadenken.
October 11, 2025
Van mn moeder gekregen toen ik 16 was, zijn allemaal korte verhalen over pubers en hun problematiek. Ondanks dat ik er nu misschien te oud voor ben, hadden de meeste verhalen mij in mijn tienerjaren ook niet gegrepen. Ik heb het boek tenslotte toen ook niet gelezen. Wel leuk om weer eens terug te denken aan toen door middel van dit boek haha
January 2, 2013
I don't really know what to think about this book. I don't know whether to think that I completely missed the point of it, and that I've just not picked up on a fundamental theme within the book, or whether there just is no point. There were a whole bunch of short stories, flash fiction, that seemed to have nothing in common with each other, and I don't quite know what to make of them.
Having never read any kind of flash fiction before, I was intrigued as to what they would be like. And I don't think they're for me. I can't decide whether it's because the stories in The Kissing Game were either extremely weird or just uninteresting, or whether it's the format of the stories that I didn't like. (As you can tell, I'm very indecisive about everything about this book... ;P ) For example, there was one story in which a kid finds a tower, but his dad can't see it. He goes to find the tower, and then the kid's parents find him, floating in the air, because he's in the tower but they can't see it... It was very strange, and I didn't understand what the story was trying to tell me.
There were a couple of other stories like that, and then there were ones that just bored me out of my brain... I can't even remember half of them, unfortunately, so I won't say anymore on that.
And then some of them were just a little bit depressing and strange. In one of the *minor spoilers ahead* it ends after a girl stabs a boy while kissing him over a fence. I finished that story just thinking why on earth did Chambers write it that way? Have I missed something, again? Eurgh, it is SO frustrating when you don't understand things.
Perhaps the only story I really remember very clearly is the first story, about Ursula. She didn't like who everyone thought she was so she felt she had to change herself. So she changes her clothes and gets a makeover, and goes out into the world. It doesn't take her long to realise she doesn't like faking who she is, and it sends a much needed message to the reader to let them know that it's better to just be yourself.
Overall, I didn't really enjoy The Kissing Game all that much. It was a bit hit and miss, if I'm honest. I think it'd be good for people who want a book that will make them think, and people who like to analyse and find hidden meanings within the stories they read. I have a feeling it'd be great for an English teacher, but if you've had enough of studying books in school like me and just want something light and readable, then this one is probably not for you.
*Thanks to Random House for sending me this in exchange for an honest review. In no way has this affected my opinion of the book.
July 28, 2014
Me parece interesante que le den el nombre de "minificciones" a lo que yo conocía como drabbles.
Es un libro que se lee bastante rápido y que cada una de las minificciones tiene algo que te mantiene con ellas. Mis favoritas fueron:
-El día libre de Ceni: Creo que nunca había leído algo similar. Es muy simple pero al mismo tiempo bastante entretenido. Y el chico del hotel era un amor.
-Expulsión: Me agrada que un adulto escriba sobre los incongruentes que pueden ser los argumentos que usan los adultos en ocasiones.
-La torre: No sé si no comprendí bien lo que leí pero me dejó muchas dudas. Aún así fue muy agradable.
-El juego de los besos: La minificción que le da título al libro de verdad que fue lo mejor del mundo. El final te saca tanto de onda y te hace aventar el libro y abrir los ojos porque en serio nunca me vi eso venir.
-Toská: Me sentí conectada con esta, porque describe como me siento en ocasiones.
-Santurio: Ojalá hubiera sido más larga. Creo que tiene bastante potencial y quiero saber qué sigue pasando.
-Algo que decirte: Esta pequeña obra de teatro me hizo reír aunque creo que esa no era su finalidad.
No es un libro que diga que me encantó por completo, pero si te hace pasar un rato entretenido.
Y sigo flipando por la minificción de El Juego de los Besos. Es que ¿¡CÓMO PASÓ ESO!? ¿Qué demonios?
Es un libro que se lee bastante rápido y que cada una de las minificciones tiene algo que te mantiene con ellas. Mis favoritas fueron:
-El día libre de Ceni: Creo que nunca había leído algo similar. Es muy simple pero al mismo tiempo bastante entretenido. Y el chico del hotel era un amor.
-Expulsión: Me agrada que un adulto escriba sobre los incongruentes que pueden ser los argumentos que usan los adultos en ocasiones.
-La torre: No sé si no comprendí bien lo que leí pero me dejó muchas dudas. Aún así fue muy agradable.
-El juego de los besos: La minificción que le da título al libro de verdad que fue lo mejor del mundo. El final te saca tanto de onda y te hace aventar el libro y abrir los ojos porque en serio nunca me vi eso venir.
-Toská: Me sentí conectada con esta, porque describe como me siento en ocasiones.
-Santurio: Ojalá hubiera sido más larga. Creo que tiene bastante potencial y quiero saber qué sigue pasando.
-Algo que decirte: Esta pequeña obra de teatro me hizo reír aunque creo que esa no era su finalidad.
No es un libro que diga que me encantó por completo, pero si te hace pasar un rato entretenido.
Y sigo flipando por la minificción de El Juego de los Besos. Es que ¿¡CÓMO PASÓ ESO!? ¿Qué demonios?
September 4, 2015
L'ho letto in corriera, mentre dal mio adorato Friuli andavo a Milano per andare all'Expo. In quattro ore si legge e avanza tempo anche per cominciare qualcos'altro. ^__^
L'Expo?! Sì, merita, mi son divertita, ho camminato tanto, ho mangiato cose buonissime e ho completato il mio passaporto con tanti, tanti timbrini...
Il libro? No. Fortuna che è della biblio.
Allora. Da piccolina adoravo le antologie di racconti brevi. Quelle di fantasmi pubblicate dalla Junior Mondadori erano le mie preferite, ma anche la raccolta delle storie di Roald Dahl non scherzava. Poi, un giorno, in treno (la prima volta sugli Eurostar di Trenitalia) mi misi a leggere una raccolta di Joe R. Lansdale - che al tempo era il mio scrittore favorito - e ci rimasi malissimo. Del romanziere sopraffino che conoscevo non era rimasto nulla. Maneggiare con cura. Antologia di racconti non mi è piaciuto per nulla. Avevo l'impressione di non capire le storie: come se mi mancassero le informazioni necessario per poterle apprezzare in pieno.
Qui, la stessa cosa. Tante storie, ben sedici in meno di 200 pagine; alcune brevi, altre meno brevi. A distanza di un giorno, ne ho dimenticate la maggior parte. Ce ne sono un paio scritte come testi teatrali, altre con protagonisti proprio antipatici, altre ancora che lasciano un po' di amare in bocca. Altre che sembrano piantarsi lì.
Nella postfazione, l'autore spiega che le flash fiction, nuovo genere letterario cui queste storie appartengono, «spesso lasciano al lettore il compito di ricostruire la storia e il suo "senso", proprio come fa l'autore». Forse questo è quello che mi lascia perplessa: non sono un cima per queste cose e avrei sempre paura di non seguire lo stesso filo di pensieri che ha seguito l'autore al momento della composizione. E poi, magari, arrivo a conclusioni opposte a quelle intese dall'autore.
Cosa dire altro. Le storie scritte come testi teatrali non mi sono piaciute. La prima Una giornata tutta per sé presenta una protagonista che mi sta decisamente antipatica, anche se la fine mi è piaciuta abbastanza. Il canguro mi ha fatto prudere le manine. La torre, che era partita bene, si chiude all'improvviso e io sono rimasta con un palmo di naso. Il rifugio è forse quella migliore, anche se un po' mi ricorda Candy di Kevin Brooks
[Nota: le stelline nere sono stelline piene, quelle bianche equivalgono a mezzo voto]
✔ Una giornata tutta per me: ★★☆
Alcuni dei ragionamenti che fa Ursula durante il racconto non stanno né in cielo, né in terra. Però con l'ingresso di Jack la storia diventa più interessante e mi piace l'idea che Ursula si proponga come perché ha finalmente accettato se stessa.
✔ Il metodo scientifico: ★☆
Ma... la ragazza... è gay, vero? Io molto perplessa.
✔ Il canguro: ★
Che la gente stia lì, a guardare un bulletto che prende a calci e pugni un canguro con dentro una persona pensando che sia parte dello spettacolo... Beh, un branco di cretini.
✔ Espulsione: ★★
Questa è composta di qualche lettera tra uno studente, il suo professore e il direttore della scuola. Meh.
✔ La torre: ★★★
Questa assomiglia ad una storia di fantasmi. E sarebbe stata molto bella come storia di fantasmi. Ma la reazione della madre del protagonista mi ha confuso e non so più cosa pensare del racconto intero.
✔ Una che ci sta: ★
Ragazzi che sparlano di ragazze in formato dramma teatrale.
✔ Il dibattito su Dio: ★
Meh. Due ragazzi che parlano dei massimi sistemi e poi arrivano troppo tardi a pranzo.
✔ Il gioco dei baci - The Kissing Game: ★★★
La fine mi ha sconvolta. Anche se probabilmente non c'erano altri finali possibili. Ma la fine che fa il povero protagonista... Non se lo meritava proprio, il cucciolotto.
✔ Rifiuti: ★
Un tipo che prega il comune di non distruggere la sua casetta abusiva, costruita con tutti materiali di riciclo. Ma il comune non ha anima.
✔ Toskà: ★
Ragazzina rompiballe che riflette sul mondo.
✔ Come vivere: ★☆ (Scusate, il titolo italiano non l'ho segnato e non sono sicura sia proprio questo)
OK, questo drammino è una palla ma la fine merita la mezza stella in più...
✔ Il rifugio: ★★★★
Il racconto migliore. Un ragazzo che non sopporta gli spazi aperti capita a Londra e, per evitare un attacco di panico, si rifugia in un bar, dove incontra una ragazza straniera che gli si avvicina. La ragazza è una prostituta e i due vivranno insieme una drammatica fuga. Sì, forse il migliore tra tutti i racconti. Anche il finale chiude in modo perfetto il discorso.
✔ Il tempo previsto: ★
Testo teatrale. Lei e lui che s'incontrano sull'autobus e parlano del tempo. Molto british e molto noioso.
✔ Ti devo dire una cosa: ★
Lei e lui che chiacchierano. Lui ha detto che le vuole parlare. Lei dà di matto e non capisce più niente. Lui si scusa perché è stato un po' assente negli ultimi tempi per via della madre malata di cancro. La risposta di lei: «Grazie a Dio! Credevo che volessi lasciarmi. [...] Non avrei saputo cosa fare. Sinceramente, Ben, mi avrebbe distrutta.» L'unica cosa di cui si preoccupa è se stessa. Che il suo fidanzato abbia avuto problemi seri in famiglia non gliene importa nulla. E lui, ovviamente, la pianta. Donne di questo tipo rovinano l'interno genere.
✔ Puoi essere tutto: ★
Un ragazzo vittima di un incidente si mette a filosofeggiare sulla frase «puoi fare tutto».
✔ Una manciata di grano: ★
Scritto dall'autore da giovane. Un ragazzino va a casa del nonno a salutarlo il giorno dopo la sua morte. Parla, riflette. Sigh.
L'Expo?! Sì, merita, mi son divertita, ho camminato tanto, ho mangiato cose buonissime e ho completato il mio passaporto con tanti, tanti timbrini...
Il libro? No. Fortuna che è della biblio.
Allora. Da piccolina adoravo le antologie di racconti brevi. Quelle di fantasmi pubblicate dalla Junior Mondadori erano le mie preferite, ma anche la raccolta delle storie di Roald Dahl non scherzava. Poi, un giorno, in treno (la prima volta sugli Eurostar di Trenitalia) mi misi a leggere una raccolta di Joe R. Lansdale - che al tempo era il mio scrittore favorito - e ci rimasi malissimo. Del romanziere sopraffino che conoscevo non era rimasto nulla. Maneggiare con cura. Antologia di racconti non mi è piaciuto per nulla. Avevo l'impressione di non capire le storie: come se mi mancassero le informazioni necessario per poterle apprezzare in pieno.
Qui, la stessa cosa. Tante storie, ben sedici in meno di 200 pagine; alcune brevi, altre meno brevi. A distanza di un giorno, ne ho dimenticate la maggior parte. Ce ne sono un paio scritte come testi teatrali, altre con protagonisti proprio antipatici, altre ancora che lasciano un po' di amare in bocca. Altre che sembrano piantarsi lì.
Nella postfazione, l'autore spiega che le flash fiction, nuovo genere letterario cui queste storie appartengono, «spesso lasciano al lettore il compito di ricostruire la storia e il suo "senso", proprio come fa l'autore». Forse questo è quello che mi lascia perplessa: non sono un cima per queste cose e avrei sempre paura di non seguire lo stesso filo di pensieri che ha seguito l'autore al momento della composizione. E poi, magari, arrivo a conclusioni opposte a quelle intese dall'autore.
Cosa dire altro. Le storie scritte come testi teatrali non mi sono piaciute. La prima Una giornata tutta per sé presenta una protagonista che mi sta decisamente antipatica, anche se la fine mi è piaciuta abbastanza. Il canguro mi ha fatto prudere le manine. La torre, che era partita bene, si chiude all'improvviso e io sono rimasta con un palmo di naso. Il rifugio è forse quella migliore, anche se un po' mi ricorda Candy di Kevin Brooks
[Nota: le stelline nere sono stelline piene, quelle bianche equivalgono a mezzo voto]
✔ Una giornata tutta per me: ★★☆
Alcuni dei ragionamenti che fa Ursula durante il racconto non stanno né in cielo, né in terra. Però con l'ingresso di Jack la storia diventa più interessante e mi piace l'idea che Ursula si proponga come perché ha finalmente accettato se stessa.
✔ Il metodo scientifico: ★☆
Ma... la ragazza... è gay, vero? Io molto perplessa.
✔ Il canguro: ★
Che la gente stia lì, a guardare un bulletto che prende a calci e pugni un canguro con dentro una persona pensando che sia parte dello spettacolo... Beh, un branco di cretini.
✔ Espulsione: ★★
Questa è composta di qualche lettera tra uno studente, il suo professore e il direttore della scuola. Meh.
✔ La torre: ★★★
Questa assomiglia ad una storia di fantasmi. E sarebbe stata molto bella come storia di fantasmi. Ma la reazione della madre del protagonista mi ha confuso e non so più cosa pensare del racconto intero.
✔ Una che ci sta: ★
Ragazzi che sparlano di ragazze in formato dramma teatrale.
✔ Il dibattito su Dio: ★
Meh. Due ragazzi che parlano dei massimi sistemi e poi arrivano troppo tardi a pranzo.
✔ Il gioco dei baci - The Kissing Game: ★★★
La fine mi ha sconvolta. Anche se probabilmente non c'erano altri finali possibili. Ma la fine che fa il povero protagonista... Non se lo meritava proprio, il cucciolotto.
✔ Rifiuti: ★
Un tipo che prega il comune di non distruggere la sua casetta abusiva, costruita con tutti materiali di riciclo. Ma il comune non ha anima.
✔ Toskà: ★
Ragazzina rompiballe che riflette sul mondo.
✔ Come vivere: ★☆ (Scusate, il titolo italiano non l'ho segnato e non sono sicura sia proprio questo)
OK, questo drammino è una palla ma la fine merita la mezza stella in più...
✔ Il rifugio: ★★★★
Il racconto migliore. Un ragazzo che non sopporta gli spazi aperti capita a Londra e, per evitare un attacco di panico, si rifugia in un bar, dove incontra una ragazza straniera che gli si avvicina. La ragazza è una prostituta e i due vivranno insieme una drammatica fuga. Sì, forse il migliore tra tutti i racconti. Anche il finale chiude in modo perfetto il discorso.
✔ Il tempo previsto: ★
Testo teatrale. Lei e lui che s'incontrano sull'autobus e parlano del tempo. Molto british e molto noioso.
✔ Ti devo dire una cosa: ★
Lei e lui che chiacchierano. Lui ha detto che le vuole parlare. Lei dà di matto e non capisce più niente. Lui si scusa perché è stato un po' assente negli ultimi tempi per via della madre malata di cancro. La risposta di lei: «Grazie a Dio! Credevo che volessi lasciarmi. [...] Non avrei saputo cosa fare. Sinceramente, Ben, mi avrebbe distrutta.» L'unica cosa di cui si preoccupa è se stessa. Che il suo fidanzato abbia avuto problemi seri in famiglia non gliene importa nulla. E lui, ovviamente, la pianta. Donne di questo tipo rovinano l'interno genere.
✔ Puoi essere tutto: ★
Un ragazzo vittima di un incidente si mette a filosofeggiare sulla frase «puoi fare tutto».
✔ Una manciata di grano: ★
Scritto dall'autore da giovane. Un ragazzino va a casa del nonno a salutarlo il giorno dopo la sua morte. Parla, riflette. Sigh.
December 18, 2021
Uno dei libri più deludenti di questo 2021.
Di Chambers ho letto moltissime pubblicazioni di non-fiction dedicate alla letteratura per l'infanzia e l'adolescenza e l'ho sempre trovato interessante, documentato, approfondito e condivisibile.
Qui Chambers si dedica alla short fiction con, a mio parere, esito incerto e non particolarmente ispirato. Ho trovato i racconti poco coinvolgenti e interessanti, i personaggi piatti e stereotipati e le storie non particolarmente innovative o inaspettate.
Di Chambers ho letto moltissime pubblicazioni di non-fiction dedicate alla letteratura per l'infanzia e l'adolescenza e l'ho sempre trovato interessante, documentato, approfondito e condivisibile.
Qui Chambers si dedica alla short fiction con, a mio parere, esito incerto e non particolarmente ispirato. Ho trovato i racconti poco coinvolgenti e interessanti, i personaggi piatti e stereotipati e le storie non particolarmente innovative o inaspettate.
January 1, 2025
Met dit boek meteen een nieuw genre leren kennen: flash fiction of ZVK (= zeer kort verhaal). De 16 gebundelde verhalen zijn ondanks het beperkte aantal woorden wel steeds zeer betekenisvol en blijven zeker nazinderen en stemmen soms zelfs tot zelfreflectie. Dit boek is vooral gericht op young adults en lijkt me op deze manier ook zeer toegankelijk voor zij die iets minder graag lezen. De onderwerpen sluiten trouwens ook kort aan bij hun leefwereld.
Voor mij dus een geslaagd boek om 2024 mee af te sluiten!! Op naar nieuwe ontdekkingen in de wondere leeswereld van 2025!!
Voor mij dus een geslaagd boek om 2024 mee af te sluiten!! Op naar nieuwe ontdekkingen in de wondere leeswereld van 2025!!
November 9, 2020
I think I just found an author I truly enjoy reading. He has the rare gift of an elegant, delicate style and also has something important to say, not in the urgent way a Pulitzer journalist would, nor in the tormented manner of a Bukowski. The substance of his writing is made of everyday events that look insignificant at first sight, only to take a universal significance in their consequences, or in the light of the characters' personality or circumstances. These insignificant moments become pivots around which entire existences turn, end, change, mature, acquire sense or lose it.
You will not find clichés here. Not even a hint. Such an original voice...
Last but not the least, this man identifies Kafka, Calvino and Kawabata (between others) as authors of flash narrative who influenced his choices... he goes as far as talking about Kawabata's Stories in the Palm of a Hand. Gotta love him. These are exactly the authors who made me understand and love the short story as a vehicle of great literary achievements. Yes, the more I think about this book, the more I think I found a new contemporary author I admire.
Edit: if, after you read the book, you think 'flash fiction', or collections of very short to short stories, may be your thing, then you may take a look at:
Kafka's short stories here: http://franzkafkastories.com/shortSto...
Kawabata Yasunari's Palm of the Hand Stories
Italo Calvino's The Cosmicomics and/or T Zero (Time and the Hunter is the same book with another title).
All masterpieces. You are welcome.
You will not find clichés here. Not even a hint. Such an original voice...
Last but not the least, this man identifies Kafka, Calvino and Kawabata (between others) as authors of flash narrative who influenced his choices... he goes as far as talking about Kawabata's Stories in the Palm of a Hand. Gotta love him. These are exactly the authors who made me understand and love the short story as a vehicle of great literary achievements. Yes, the more I think about this book, the more I think I found a new contemporary author I admire.
Edit: if, after you read the book, you think 'flash fiction', or collections of very short to short stories, may be your thing, then you may take a look at:
Kafka's short stories here: http://franzkafkastories.com/shortSto...
Kawabata Yasunari's Palm of the Hand Stories
Italo Calvino's The Cosmicomics and/or T Zero (Time and the Hunter is the same book with another title).
All masterpieces. You are welcome.
January 15, 2024
I have not read anything like this before but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Some stories were a bit odd but they did get a reaction out of me while reading them and that rarely happens with me.
April 6, 2026
Por fin después de tanto tiempo me gusta muchísimo un libro, ya tenia rato que esto no me sucedía.
Mi único problema con este libro ha sido que las historia o relatos no continuan, me hubiera gustado que se desarrollaran más por que son muy buenos.
Mi único problema con este libro ha sido que las historia o relatos no continuan, me hubiera gustado que se desarrollaran más por que son muy buenos.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2018
A neat little collection of short stories.
Though the conversation-only pieces left me a little cold, the stories were enjoyable and one or two riveting.
Though the conversation-only pieces left me a little cold, the stories were enjoyable and one or two riveting.
March 6, 2018
2.5 star
April 5, 2020
Short stories, some leave you wanting for more and other are just enough
Shows love relationships between teenagers in such a simple and real way
Shows love relationships between teenagers in such a simple and real way
August 5, 2020
Me divertí mucho, es un libro con humor tierno y sorprendente, me hizo pasar un buen rato y me gustaron mucho los capítulos que eras obras
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2021
Leuke verhalen voor tieners.
May 25, 2022
Nope...not for me
August 8, 2023
merita tantissimo
September 17, 2023
Raccolta di brevi racconti (flash fiction) mettono in scena scontri e incontri tra personaggi, spesso in forma dialogica. Alcuni meritevoli di una seconda lettura più approfondita!
November 5, 2023
Ik had gehoopt dat de verhalen op een bepaalde manier gelinkt waren. Zeker de vreemde dialogen zouden hierbij gebaat zijn geweest.
June 5, 2018
The collection of short stories called Kissing Game by Aidan Chambers would be enjoyed by people who like romance and mystery. A theme for this book is love will sometimes make you do crazy things.
July 23, 2012
I racconti non sono il mio formato letterario preferito. Mi ritengo infatti una lettrice dai gusti molto classici: adoro i romanzi! Tutto il resto (testi teatrali, saggi, manuali self-help, libri umoristici o di satira politica) ho scoperto che non fa proprio per me. Ma con i racconti devo dire che ci riprovo sempre.
"The kissing game" aveva delle grosse potenzialità, ma, nonostante sia stata una lettura piacevole, non è riuscito a convincermi del tutto. Il libro è diviso in 16 racconti, di cui però solo 5 sono stati abbastanza lunghi da riuscire ad attrarre la mia attenzione e ad appassionarmi alle vicende narrate. Sono storie molto valide, con uno stile di scrittura fluente ed accattivante, che riesce ad appassionare il lettore facendolo immedesimare completamente nella storia. Ma il mio problema sta appunto nella lunghezza. Quando una storia mi piace, vorrei che continuasse, che avesse uno svolgimento e un finale soddisfacente. Per me è estremamente irritante vederle terminare proprio sul più bello, quando vorrei saperne di più. Mi da l'impressione di un qualcosa di incompiuto, tagliato di netto senza una valida conclusione. I racconti che mi sono piaciuti di più sono stati: "Una giornata tutta per sè", "Il canguro", La torre", "Il gioco dei baci" e "Il rifugio". Però la sensazione è stata di non essere entrata davvero nel vivo della storia, di non averla assaporata completamente come mi sarebbe piaciuto, ma di averne avuto solo un piccolo assaggio, come leggere i primi capitoli di un libro e poi scoprire che capitoli successivi non ci sono... spariti nel nulla! Non ne sono rimasta soddisfatta.
Inoltre c'è da dire che i racconti più lunghi sono intervallati da alcuni mini-racconti, una sorta di esperimento letterario che (l'autore lo spiega a fine libro) si chiama "Flash Fiction". Una forma di letteratura contemporanea che non supera le 1000 parole. Vengono definiti come lampi di luce, scintille, che permettono di osservare rapidamente un'intera scena, una persona o un avvenimento. E' stato come assistere a una piccola scenetta a teatro, ma, per quando questa forma stilistica possa essere all'avanguardia, devo ammettere che non mi ha minimamente conquistata, non mi ha lasciato nulla. Per me l'esperimento di queste "Flash Fiction" non è riuscito.
"The kissing game" aveva delle grosse potenzialità, ma, nonostante sia stata una lettura piacevole, non è riuscito a convincermi del tutto. Il libro è diviso in 16 racconti, di cui però solo 5 sono stati abbastanza lunghi da riuscire ad attrarre la mia attenzione e ad appassionarmi alle vicende narrate. Sono storie molto valide, con uno stile di scrittura fluente ed accattivante, che riesce ad appassionare il lettore facendolo immedesimare completamente nella storia. Ma il mio problema sta appunto nella lunghezza. Quando una storia mi piace, vorrei che continuasse, che avesse uno svolgimento e un finale soddisfacente. Per me è estremamente irritante vederle terminare proprio sul più bello, quando vorrei saperne di più. Mi da l'impressione di un qualcosa di incompiuto, tagliato di netto senza una valida conclusione. I racconti che mi sono piaciuti di più sono stati: "Una giornata tutta per sè", "Il canguro", La torre", "Il gioco dei baci" e "Il rifugio". Però la sensazione è stata di non essere entrata davvero nel vivo della storia, di non averla assaporata completamente come mi sarebbe piaciuto, ma di averne avuto solo un piccolo assaggio, come leggere i primi capitoli di un libro e poi scoprire che capitoli successivi non ci sono... spariti nel nulla! Non ne sono rimasta soddisfatta.
Inoltre c'è da dire che i racconti più lunghi sono intervallati da alcuni mini-racconti, una sorta di esperimento letterario che (l'autore lo spiega a fine libro) si chiama "Flash Fiction". Una forma di letteratura contemporanea che non supera le 1000 parole. Vengono definiti come lampi di luce, scintille, che permettono di osservare rapidamente un'intera scena, una persona o un avvenimento. E' stato come assistere a una piccola scenetta a teatro, ma, per quando questa forma stilistica possa essere all'avanguardia, devo ammettere che non mi ha minimamente conquistata, non mi ha lasciato nulla. Per me l'esperimento di queste "Flash Fiction" non è riuscito.
Read
August 29, 2011in a sentence or so: a series of short stories about teenage relationships.
sixteen short stories share the many sides of relationships. from the rush of meeting someone new to the comfort in having a trusted boyfriend stand up for you, each story brings a unique voice, both male and female, and brings a unique element to this collection of varied memories.
the title certainly made me think these would be romantic stories. perhaps even first kiss stories or first love stories or something else quaint - what with the red font and the swirlies and all.
as it turns out, the stories i read were not romantic in the sense i was expecting. in fact, they were more along the lines of the random stories that coworkers tell you. or a story that might fit in if given the right prompt. like if you're talking about going to the zoo and you say "oh man, did i ever tell you about the time i worked for the zoo and had to wear this kangaroo costume?"
unfortunately, i didn't read all of the short stories in this book. after discovering that the stories weren't what i expected at all, i tried to jump around a bit to see if any struck my fancy. it's not that any of them were bad, they just feel flat for me and didn't pack that punch i was hoping for. if i had different expectations going into this book, i think i would have enjoyed it a lot more.
for those of you who love short stories and a lot of variety, you might dig this. in fact, if you're interested in giving it a try, let me know and i'll send my copy along to you! i'd love for this to find a happy home. (this will be removed once the book is claimed)
fave quote: The Scientific Approach was my favorite of the stories i read. the ending threw me for a loop and i still don't know what to make of it, but the perspective was just this side of pathetic and it totally worked for the narrator.
fix er up: short stories are tricky - you have a lot to accomplish in a short time frame. unfortunately, i felt like the short stories in this compilation, while unique, don't form a comprehensive collection or have enough personality individually to recommend this easily.
sixteen short stories share the many sides of relationships. from the rush of meeting someone new to the comfort in having a trusted boyfriend stand up for you, each story brings a unique voice, both male and female, and brings a unique element to this collection of varied memories.
the title certainly made me think these would be romantic stories. perhaps even first kiss stories or first love stories or something else quaint - what with the red font and the swirlies and all.
as it turns out, the stories i read were not romantic in the sense i was expecting. in fact, they were more along the lines of the random stories that coworkers tell you. or a story that might fit in if given the right prompt. like if you're talking about going to the zoo and you say "oh man, did i ever tell you about the time i worked for the zoo and had to wear this kangaroo costume?"
unfortunately, i didn't read all of the short stories in this book. after discovering that the stories weren't what i expected at all, i tried to jump around a bit to see if any struck my fancy. it's not that any of them were bad, they just feel flat for me and didn't pack that punch i was hoping for. if i had different expectations going into this book, i think i would have enjoyed it a lot more.
for those of you who love short stories and a lot of variety, you might dig this. in fact, if you're interested in giving it a try, let me know and i'll send my copy along to you! i'd love for this to find a happy home. (this will be removed once the book is claimed)
fave quote: The Scientific Approach was my favorite of the stories i read. the ending threw me for a loop and i still don't know what to make of it, but the perspective was just this side of pathetic and it totally worked for the narrator.
fix er up: short stories are tricky - you have a lot to accomplish in a short time frame. unfortunately, i felt like the short stories in this compilation, while unique, don't form a comprehensive collection or have enough personality individually to recommend this easily.
February 19, 2017
Una recopilación de relatos cortos que te dejan cada uno una sensación distinta, o bien una sonrisa o bien los pelos de punta.Ademas es una lectura bastante agil y muy entretenida
entre mis favoritos estan:
-El dia libre de Ceni
-Santuario
-Toska y
-Algo que decirte
pero sin duda el mejor es la historia que le da nombre a libro.
entre mis favoritos estan:
-El dia libre de Ceni
-Santuario
-Toska y
-Algo que decirte
pero sin duda el mejor es la historia que le da nombre a libro.
October 20, 2016
The Kissing Game by Aidan Chambers is unlike any book I've ever read. Instead of one long, continuous story, each chapter is a different story. I've read books that are collections of folk tales and the like, but never one like this. Aidan Chambers calls some of his stories "flash fiction". They are brief "flashes" of other people's lives or events. Needless to say, this was one interesting book that took advantage of the way it was set up.
The stories all started off relatively mundane and were like slices of life. However, many endings took surprising twists I never would have seen coming. They are extremely realistic. The stories aren't your typical realistic fiction cliché where everything works out in the end. At first, I honestly thought they would be with the way they started, but the stories stayed true to the real world. The characters all went through interesting plots, and not all of them succeeded in solving the conflict. Some endings and stories were quite twisted and dark to be perfectly honest. Yet, not all of them are dark and twisted. There are light-hearted, humorous stories that are still realistic. All these elements result in endings that leave you completely bewildered, because you will never see them coming.
The characters were all teens and young adults who had reasonable personalities. They all had their unique quirks. I would recommend this book to mature teens, as it does have adult references, jokes, and topics. As I have a lengthy commute to school, I liked that I could read at least one story per commute and wasn't left wondering what would happen next in a story. If you have a daily commute to school (and you aren't the driver, of course) or perhaps if you want to read a quick story before you sleep, I recommend this book. Overall, I rate The Kissing Game 5 stars for its unique style and realistic plots.
Amanda T., Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa
The stories all started off relatively mundane and were like slices of life. However, many endings took surprising twists I never would have seen coming. They are extremely realistic. The stories aren't your typical realistic fiction cliché where everything works out in the end. At first, I honestly thought they would be with the way they started, but the stories stayed true to the real world. The characters all went through interesting plots, and not all of them succeeded in solving the conflict. Some endings and stories were quite twisted and dark to be perfectly honest. Yet, not all of them are dark and twisted. There are light-hearted, humorous stories that are still realistic. All these elements result in endings that leave you completely bewildered, because you will never see them coming.
The characters were all teens and young adults who had reasonable personalities. They all had their unique quirks. I would recommend this book to mature teens, as it does have adult references, jokes, and topics. As I have a lengthy commute to school, I liked that I could read at least one story per commute and wasn't left wondering what would happen next in a story. If you have a daily commute to school (and you aren't the driver, of course) or perhaps if you want to read a quick story before you sleep, I recommend this book. Overall, I rate The Kissing Game 5 stars for its unique style and realistic plots.
Amanda T., Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa
March 10, 2011
The Kissing Game is a collection of 16 short stories (around 5,000 words long) and flash fiction pieces (story bites that are less than 1,000 words long). The book covers a wide range of topics and is in a variety of formats but all of the main characters are between 14 and 18 years old.
There were a few stories that I really enjoyed, one was a letter from a student to a teacher, one about an immigrant who has been tricked into the sex slave trade and the title story about a very shy boy with a stammer that had a very unexpected ending. I liked the variety of stories on offer and the fact that you didn't have a clue what topic would be covered next. Some stories were very light hearted and funny while others were thought provoking and even quite dark in places (I wouldn't recommend this for younger teens!).
This was the first time I've read any flash fiction and I have to confess that I prefer a longer story that I can sink my teeth into. I did feel that these very short stories (often just 2-3 pages) could be a good starting point for reluctant readers though - especially as it offers realistic slices of teenage life that most young adults would be able to relate to. The short conversations between teens were just the kind of thing you could imagine overhearing when you're sitting at the bus stop but I found most of them didn't hold my interest. I think I would have enjoyed them a lot more when I was a teenager as they would have been more relevant to my life experiences (I hate to say it but I think I'm too old to fully appreciate this book).
If you're a fan of short stories it would definitely be worth picking this up, with 16 very different stories included there is bound to be something to appeal to most teens but if you're like me and prefer a longer story then this might not be the best option.
There were a few stories that I really enjoyed, one was a letter from a student to a teacher, one about an immigrant who has been tricked into the sex slave trade and the title story about a very shy boy with a stammer that had a very unexpected ending. I liked the variety of stories on offer and the fact that you didn't have a clue what topic would be covered next. Some stories were very light hearted and funny while others were thought provoking and even quite dark in places (I wouldn't recommend this for younger teens!).
This was the first time I've read any flash fiction and I have to confess that I prefer a longer story that I can sink my teeth into. I did feel that these very short stories (often just 2-3 pages) could be a good starting point for reluctant readers though - especially as it offers realistic slices of teenage life that most young adults would be able to relate to. The short conversations between teens were just the kind of thing you could imagine overhearing when you're sitting at the bus stop but I found most of them didn't hold my interest. I think I would have enjoyed them a lot more when I was a teenager as they would have been more relevant to my life experiences (I hate to say it but I think I'm too old to fully appreciate this book).
If you're a fan of short stories it would definitely be worth picking this up, with 16 very different stories included there is bound to be something to appeal to most teens but if you're like me and prefer a longer story then this might not be the best option.
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