Tag: Short Stories Reviews

Join Brooklyn on her adventures through New York City. A tough little kitty with extra toes, Brooklyn doesn’t let her uniqueness get in the way of the challenges she faces. Her story shows us that it’s okay to be different and make mistakes. Just don’t give up, and you’ll always find your way.

I gotta admit here that I expected this short story to be very bad, but after reading it I need to admit that it has surprised me in a good way. It wasn’t a good story but it was okay story which is still a much more than I expected this story to be. 

This story in a way captures the essence of urban life through the eyes of a resilient cat which is a unique and fun approach to writing a story about which have made me give this story some points for doing.

The story takes place in the bustling streets of Brooklyn, where a stray cat navigates the challenges of city life. This story has in a way vivid picture of urban landscape, using it as a backdrop to explore themes of survival, community, and compassion. The setting is well-realized, with the vibrant energy of Brooklyn contributing to the narrative’s charm. Which made me enjoy this story much more than I expected I would do.

The character development in this story is okay for the most part. The protagonist, a stray cat affectionately known as “Brooklyn Kitty,” is portrayed with warmth and personality, making her journey both engaging and relatable. It is very easy to get drawn into her world, experiencing her struggles and triumphs as she encounters various characters along her path. These interactions highlight the bonds that form between animals and humans, emphasizing themes of kindness and empathy.

The writing style in this story is pretty easygoing and straightforward, making the story easy to follow. The descriptions in this story bring the scenes to life without overwhelming us as readers but also it is creating a balance that appeals to a wide audience. The narrative is peppered with moments of humor and tenderness, adding depth to the overall experience.

But still this story has some shortcomings. The plot, while heartwarming, can feel somewhat predictable. The story follows a familiar trajectory of adversity and eventual redemption, which might not surprise frequent readers as myself. However, the simplicity of the plot does not detract entirely from the book’s appeal, as its emotional resonance remains intact.

Additionally the main character of this story which is the cat is well-developed, some of the human characters could benefit from more depth. Their roles often feel secondary, serving primarily to advance the cat’s story rather than standing out as individuals in their own right. This can lead to a lack of complexity in certain interactions, limiting the narrative’s overall impact.

The pacing of this story is generally steady, though there are moments where the story could benefit from more tension or conflict to drive the narrative forward. These instances of slower pacing have caused me personally to lose interest and enjoyment while reading this story. 

But it is very clear to see from this story that it was meant for younger readers rather than adults as myself. So I cant be too harsh on this story.

I Give This Book 3 / 5

This one is my second short story by Ellis Parker Butler, and I gotta admit that I start to think that his work isn’t for me. Because when I read his work I end up not liking it and giving it a one star rating.

The plot in this short story is very flat and boring throughout the entire of this short story. Which really made it tedious for me to read it. 

The narrative of this short story felt disjointed and like it lacked a coherent flow which would make me engaged in the short story.

The characters in this short story were poorly developed which really did only help me with disliking this short story even more than I already did from the plot of it. The characters in this short story felt very one-dimensional and very flat. 

The author attempted to give us humor in this short story, which really felt very forced and made me cringe a lot instead of laugh at the humor. 

The writing itself was a struggle at times. Because it is very outdated and just failed to capture my attention and paint the plot in a interesting way.

This short story also drags a lot for the majority of this short story, which really made me skim through paragraphs, hoping for a turning point that simply didn’t arrive.

I Give This Book 1 / 5

A short story that appears in Eugene Thwing’s “The World’s Best 100 Detective Stories”

I gotta say that I didn’t have a lot of hope for this short story but I’ve read it anyways. 

The plot here revolves around a quirky take on a simple object which of course is as the title say Hard Boiled Egg. Which really made this short story very ridiculous for me which is one of the reasons for the low rating from my part.

The author attempts to give us some humor in this short story but in my opinion the humor felt very forced which only made me cringe instead of laugh. 

There were a lot of moments during me reading this short story I felt that the story was often tedious, with a lot of drawn-out scenarios and a predictable plot.

The characters in this short story are very bad and boring. Because are very one-dimensional and at the same time the characters are lacking depth and relatability. Which really doesn’t add to me liking the short story more. It does the opposite of that actually.

There were a lot of times where the short story drags for far too long and focuses on some jokes which would have worked at the time when the short story was published and not in 2020s.

I Give This Book 1 / 5

In my opinion this short story lacks a lot of charm and depth to it to be considered a good short story.

The characters in this short story feel very simplistic and overly reliant on stereotypes. Which doesn’t help me liking the story nor the characters that much as the author may have hoped to achieve here. 

The pacing of this short story is very uneven since at times it goes fast and other times it drags for far too long which really makes this entire short story very boring and uninteresting.

I Give This Book 2 / 5

This short story attempts to to blend historical fact with storytelling, which it doesn’t succeed to do so. But rather what it succeed at is giving us the reader a feeling of disjointed storytelling. 

At times this short story goes into bombarding us too much details which aren’t that much needed which really doesn’t help me personally to like this short story more.

The pacing of this short story is very uneven since at times it goes fast and other times it drags for far too long which really makes this entire short story very boring and uninteresting.

The characters in this short story lack any form for having a personality. And at the same time the characters are very flat and dull which really doesn’t help the reader like this short story. 

I Give This Book 2 / 5

The premise of this short story is somehow good but again the way the author presents the short story to us isn’t that good as he may have wanted it to be.

The narrative of this short story often drags for far too long without going anywhere which really in the long run turns out to be very boring and uninteresting.

The pacing of this short story is very uneven since at times it goes fast and other times it drags for far too long which really makes this entire short story very boring and uninteresting.

The characters in this short story lack any form for having a personality. And at the same time the characters are very flat and dull which really doesn’t help the reader like this short story. 

I Give This Book 2 / 5

The descriptions in this short story feel very extensive and like they don’t particularly are that important. 

The characters in this short story lack any form for having a personality. And at the same time the characters are very flat and dull which really doesn’t help the reader like this short story. 

The pacing of this short story is very uneven since at times it goes fast and other times it drags for far too long which really makes this entire short story very boring and uninteresting.

I Give This Book 2 / 5

I gotta say that this short story isn’t good as the majority of short stories written by Washington Irving I’ve read so far. 

The descriptions in this short story are good at times but for the most part they are very tedious, boring and at times feel like they are dragging for far too long than they needed to.

The characters in this short story lack any form for having a personality. And at the same time the characters are very flat and dull which really doesn’t help the reader like this short story. 

The pacing of this short story is very uneven since at times it goes fast and other times it drags for far too long which really makes this entire short story very boring and uninteresting.

I Give This Book 2 / 5

In the centre of the great city of London lies a small neighbourhood, consisting of a cluster of narrow streets and courts, of very venerable and debilitated houses, which goes by the name of LITTLE BRITAIN. Christ Church School and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital bound it on the west; Smithfield and Long Lane on the north; Aldersgate Street, like an arm of the sea, divides it from the eastern part of the city; whilst the yawning gulf of Bull-and-Mouth Street separates it from Butcher Lane, and the regions of Newgate. Over this little territory, thus bounded and designated, the great dome of St. Paul’s, swelling above the intervening houses of Paternoster Row, Amen Corner, and Ave Maria Lane, looks down with an air of motherly protection.

I gotta say that the setting of this short story is pretty good and cozy. But in my opinion thats the only good thing about this short story.

The narrative of this short story feels like it wanders through the short story without any clear direction of where it is going. Which really made it hard for me to become engaged in this short story and I was left feeling very bored and uninterested while reading this one. 

The pacing of this short story is very uneven since at times it goes fast and other times it drags for far too long which really makes this entire short story very boring and uninteresting.

The characters in this short story lack any form for having a personality. And at the same time the characters are very flat and dull which really doesn’t help the reader like this short story. 

I Give This Book 2 / 5