I don't doubt that those critics hailing the author as “essential” and “authentic” are right, because I can recognise his unique and bold storytelling voice. However, that doesn't mean I like it. I can look at a beautifully rendered painting and not feel moved by it.
And many of these stories left me baffled, or just disinterested in the squalid lives he was describing. “Time and Again” stands out with a clever narrative, but the rest are unmemorable.
Perhaps most damning is the fact it took me 5 months to get through the book, as I could never manage more than two stories at a time, and never felt inclined to pick it up for a while afterwards....
