This Week’s Topic: Do You Enjoy Anthologies?
Anthologies can be a wonderful thing. With them, you get a collection of stories with a common thread. So, if you are looking for stories about A, B, or C, BOOM! Here's a whole book of them. They also tend to feature quite a few authors, which gives me the opportunity to sample their work. A short story seems like a great way to "try" an author, who I have been interested in. It's a lot shorter time commitment, than a full length book. I also tend to want to read EVERYTHING an author writes, when I love and adore them. I may have read an anthology for one author, but what a great bonus if I find a new author to love.
However, my experience with anthologies has been hit or miss. I never find myself adoring every story I read, even when they are from authors I love. I can never decide if it's the short story format, or that maybe it came between two amazing stories, which made it seem lackluster.
One of the most successful anthologies for me was Feral Youth. Did I love every story? No, but there was a narrative in-between, which tied them all together so well. I guess I like having an overarching storyline to follow?
If I'm being honest, because my experience is not stellar with anthologies, I tend to not read them, but I have read a few.
Though, I have yet to read an anthology that has blown me away, there are still a few I am thinking about.
Now it's your turn!
Do you enjoy anthologies?
Let us know in the comments!
I'm not a fan of the anthology! I don't like having to plough through poor stories to get to the odd good one. As you say, even an author you love might write a few lacklustre short stories in his or her anthology. I have a handful that have been lurking on my e-reader for years-I grabbed them cheap or free but never felt the urge to read them! I do need to deal with them soon to get them off the e-readers!
ReplyDeleteSame. I have gotten lucky a few times, but I guess it's impossible to love every story. I know I have read some free ones, but I got lucky with those, because they were contemporary romance, my favorite genre.
DeleteI'm also not a huge fan of anthologies. I'm like you, there's generally only 1 or 2 of the stories that I will actually really enjoy, and the rest are just ok.
ReplyDeleteI will admit, it's be years since I read one, though, the last one I read was Feral Youth, which I liked overall
DeleteI agree with you Sam. I'm read It's A Whole Spiel and Don't Call Me Crazy at the moment. Both are pretty good.
ReplyDeleteGood to know. I like the theme of the anthologies, and am curious.
DeleteI have actually given up on anthologies. I just always end up finding them mediocre or rating them three stars because there are always some stories I like and then some stories I don't. I have just switched to reading short story collections all by the same author instead :/ But I am glad there are some you like...
ReplyDeleteThe last one I read was years ago (Feral Youth), and I have found my experience to be similar to yours. I don't think I really like short stories, except, well, fairytales.
DeleteI read anthologies! I’ve never given one 5 stars, though. There are always a few stories that are really bad.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Every time, right? I think I would read more of them, if I could get myself to skip a story I don't like, and still feel like I can mark the book read. It feels like cheating to me
Deletei do read anthologies, usually by authors that are familiar to me. i have been happy with most of them
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Which are the ones I have picked up in the past and still have on my TBR. I just think that sometimes, their talent does not translate in the short story form.
DeleteIt honestly isn't a one-size-fits-all for me. I HAVE enjoyed anthologies in the past, but I also haven't. I find that it all depends on the authors involved and the subject matter. :)
ReplyDeleteDo you remember which anthologies you have enjoyed?
DeleteMy experience has been hit and miss with them, too. But, it's always worth it when I come across a short story that packs a serious punch. Then I know I'm going to be on to something good when I get my hands on that author's full-size novels!
ReplyDeleteI can say Rainbow Rowell's Almost Midnight from My True Love Gave to Me has stuck with me. But then again, she released it on its own too. So, it seems everyone knew it was a great short story
DeleteI quite like anthologies, I like that they introduce you to new authors and you get a bunch of quick reads without having to commit to reading them all, but I'm wondering if they've had their moment... Years ago (before the explosion of ebooks) they used to be super useful for trying new people or for authors to keep interest in their "worlds" up in between big releases but now authors can publish short novellas themselves. They can post free stories to entice new readers. They can cross-promote themselves by teaming up with other authors via newsletters etc... I feel like the original purpose of an anthology has passed?
ReplyDeleteWhich is a fantastic reason to pick them up. I can say that has been my experience with contemporary romance anthologies. I have had the most success with those, and used to read them all the time. I have not had as much luck with the YA anthologies I have read.
DeleteI don’t read a lot of anthologies and the ones I’ve read in the past were a hit or miss. I wouldn’t mind checking our Enthralled though.
ReplyDeleteI remember liking many of the stories in that one. I read it back when I was all about the PNR
DeleteI've never had much luck with anthologies either. They always sound so good but then I always seem to end up disappointed. Don't Call Me Crazy still appeals to me though because of its focus on mental health.
ReplyDeleteUsually the subject matter is what attracts me along with the authors involved, but I guess expecting every story to work for me is asking a lot.
DeleteOh gosh, I really did not like Let It Snow, but I enjoyed a lot from My True Love Gave to Me! I haven't read many other anthologies, but I do think they can be done well - especially when they have an overarching plot that connects them (I've now added Feral Youth to my TBR, thanks!).
ReplyDeleteI think my biggest issue with short stories is when an author tries to tell a story that really needs to be of novel length.
- Sabrina @ Wordy and Whimsical
I do feel like, perhaps, the story the author wants to tell cannot be told in so few pages. Even novellas usually leave me wanting, but I have to say, a short that amazed me by how complete it felt, was Rainbow Rowell's Almost Midnight from My True Love Gave to Me. I read that book years ago, yet still remember this story.
DeleteI think I don't mind anthologies while I am reading them, but they usually aren't too memorable? OR one or two stories really stand out, while the rest I promptly forget about. But sometimes they're nice for a change of pace! I really do want to read Feral Youth! Also I see your comment response above and YES ALmost Midnight is one of those that fits the "stories that stuck with me" thing!
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be the general experience for most readers. A few standouts, but never a solid, 100% hit. It's amazing how much Almost Midnight stuck with me. It was so well crafted, and felt complete in a way most shorts and novellas never do for me.
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