Court

Loved the positive message at the end.

I didn't love the Snow White theme, nor the ending.

Read as part of a different collection, but this is a fantastic classic SF short story.

Only about a third of the book is the story, the other two thirds is the sketchbook. Nothing wrong with that, I was just expecting more story.

Even though I knew how it was going to turn out it was very enjoyable and well crafted; the characters are well constructed.
I listened to an enhanced audiobook where there were multiple voices and sound effects, which really added to the story, it's hard to imagine how the woman's cries would come across in text or read as ordinary words.

I don't recall listening to this. However I did make this comment near the beginning:

The pacing is like a familiar story told among a group who know all know it and the reader is an outsider. I can follow it, but I feel a little behind; the references feel tangential or random, like comparing someone to Tom Hanks, talk of onion sandwiches—and I'm distracted from the ‘real' story
I assume it's the speed the narrator is reading, but if it were in print I'd also be annoyed. I do love the ‘real' content.

So much good input, advice, and sharing of experiences. Thoroughly enjoyed! I am now, however, hesitant to read (listen to) her “Thinking in Pictures”, since she stated a few times that she got somethings wrong...but we'll see

I thought that it was funny, and somewhat fitting, that she herself got into ‘label-locked thinking' in the later chapters about terms like artist and scientist.

Oops, didn't realize this was the second book in a series. When I picked it up from the library it wasn't in the series section 🤷‍♀️

I had assumed that it was surreal, now I'm curious to see the first book and see if I still think that.

Many characters and voices...was difficult to understand the particulars, but the emotions were (more or less) appearant. Not my favorite style of writing and many parts were hard to listen to, but part of that is intentional.

Wish I had come away with this knowing more about PTSD...perhaps I'll look for other reading.

The pair I read it to were delighted and the little sister was immensely curious about the world.

I will be reading more to them

Delicious, descriptive writing, which kept me quite entertained and in various states of l'amusement.

It felt like diversity bingo and audience pandering/fan service, yet I finished it without much struggle.

Also felt very young, but with references to pop culture that adults/parents would appreciate.

Essentially a book of hand drawn memes. That's not bad, it just felt like I had read it all before.
Excellent art!

About a year later: Just read Alan Rabinowitz's short piece of his in Larry Smith's ‘The Moment'. So glad I could make the connection of this picture book to one of his self-defining moments.

Added to my disability shelf: stutter

Second grade teacher read this aloud to the class. It was a cute little book and provided a springboard for the concept of POV, as well as constant connection to various other lessons (use of adjectives, empathy, building vocabulary, etc.).

The kids loved the “wicked floor”.

The art was gorgeous. However, the story felt very bare, I wasn't sure of where the story was and in some places it was so ambiguous and I found myself filling in gaps to ‘see it'. The reader shouldn't be doing that much of the heavy lifting, it's risky. It was difficult for me to tell when it was flash backs/forwards – and when they did arise I was not connected enough to the characters to worry about the situations they were in...

Some of the story set up was on par with the art, but much of it feels rushed...or lazy.

Maybe I will give a physical copy a chance and in a slower pace...

It seems obvious now, but I was not aware of King speaking about Vietnam.

I greatly enjoyed the eloquence and message. I love that King presents the problem and the possible solution, as well as a message of hope, love, and determination while the solution is struggling to become reality.

This audio version is not for me.

I may still try this in print, but it's unlikely that I'll find a copy.

SNAP Lib might have a copy.

2.5, such potential.

This one surprised me.

The father's illness wasn't completely from nowhere, but was handled well without directly being spelled out until the right time in the narrative.

The emotional level surprised, and I related enough to feel along at the end.

The story...had/has potential. There's a possibility for themes to flourish and bloom, however a few things might need to be cleared, or reduced, I'm not sure...

It's problematic yet beautiful. The art outweighs the story as it stands. If I find another volume I'd give it a chance.

There are so many moments that I loved. The characters are great. I love the positivity or frequency of non heteronormative relations and the casual and everydayness that surrounded them. The setting is fantastic, as is the style.

With all this praise I waffle between the 3 and 4 star rating because, where is the story, what is the story? Perhaps that is one of the points, maybe I missed something, either way I enjoyed it. The story feels like it needs more, luckily the characters are very lovable that it's okay for the story aspect to take its time. I hope that there's more.

Highly motivating, something worthy of returning to again and again

This book is conversely essential. I could not read any more than page 44, due to the torture of Little Eddie. The fact that I cannot read through that awful horror is proof to me that such taboo can make my heart thud, and I should remember for fear that I should ever doubt my humanity.

In all honesty I had to pause and look up a word, because I didn't want to use the word ‘horror' twice in the same sentence. The only other word I could think of was ‘wrong', but it didn't feel weighty enough.

The fact that a story of a psychopath/sociopath can provoke such a rush of feeling(s) proves to me that I have the capability for empathy for an entity that is entirely created only by thoughts, mutually inspired by myself and the author.


——————————-

I added a new shelf because I hope I should only need to encounter one book that makes me feel deeply human in such a dark, twisted way.

Yes!