Close Range: Wyoming Stories

by Annie Proulx
Close Range: Wyoming Stories cover
Good Books rating 4.17
Technical
  • ID: 5680
  • Added: 2025-10-24
  • Updated: 2025-10-24
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
tcl-bookreviews.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
compelling 4.50

Close Range: Wyoming Stories is a collection of gritty, darkly humorous tales set in the American West. The stories are filled with vivid characters and a sense of place that is both harsh and beautiful, making it a compelling read for fans of literary fiction.

Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx is a collection that showcases her mastery of the short story form. The tales are set in the rugged landscapes of Wyoming, where the characters are as tough and unyielding as the land itself. Each story is filled with a dark humor and a deep sense of place, making it a compelling read. The characters are vividly drawn, and their struggles and triumphs are both heartbreaking and inspiring. The collection is a testament to Proulx's ability to capture the essence of the American West in all its complexity. The stories are not for the faint of heart, but for those who appreciate literary fiction with a gritty edge, Close Range is a must-read.

Quick quotes

    The stories are filled with a dark humor and a deep sense of place.

    The characters are vividly drawn, and their struggles and triumphs are both heartbreaking and inspiring.

    The collection is a testament to Proulx's ability to capture the essence of the American West in all its complexity.

sheilaomalley.com · Unknown · 2008-05-05
captivating 4.50

Like Water for Chocolate is a captivating exploration of family, obligation, desire, and food, wrapped in the dream-like genre of magical realism. The story highlights the constraints of a controlling and patriarchal system, with the protagonist Tita's emotions affecting the dishes she cooks and those who consume them.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is a beautifully written novel that delves into themes of family, obligation, desire, and the power of food. The story follows Tita, the youngest daughter who is bound by tradition to care for her mother, Mama Elena, and is denied the chance to marry the man she loves. The magical realism element adds a unique layer, as Tita's emotions influence the dishes she prepares, affecting those who eat them. This novel is not just a romance but a critique of a controlling and patriarchal system. Mama Elena's cruelty and strict dictates undermine family bonds, breeding resentment and weakening relationships. The contrast between Tita's relationships with her mother and other women in her life offers a fascinating exploration of obligation versus true affection.

Quick quotes

    The magical realism of the novel shows in concrete, undeniable ways that such cruelty is not limited to just the person directly on the receiving end.

    By dictating everyone’s roles so strictly and writing off or abusing those who stray from her dictates, Mama Elena undermines the very family bonds her rules are meant to reinforce.

    Seeing how the way Mama Elena treated her daughters — as tools to be used for her own comfort, as pawns to be played off each other to feel herself in control — and the different ways that impacted how they in turn treated those around them is a fascinating study of interpersonal relationships.

nytimes.com · Unknown · 1999-05-12
mixed 3.50

The reviewer finds Laura Esquivel's 'Like Water for Chocolate' to be a vivid and imaginative novel that blends local culture, history, and family dynamics. While the story is engaging and the use of magical realism is effective, the reviewer criticizes the weak romantic elements and the lack of character development in Pedro.

The reviewer highlights that 'Like Water for Chocolate' is a recognizable literary title that became a global sensation. The novel's strength lies in its imaginative storytelling and the incorporation of magical realism, which adds depth to the narrative. The protagonist, Tita, is well-developed, and her journey from a voiceless daughter to a woman who finds her voice is compelling. However, the reviewer notes that the romantic elements of the story are its weakest part. Pedro, Tita's love interest, lacks character development and exhibits selfish and immature behavior. The passivity of secondary characters like Rosaura and Gertrudis is also criticized. Despite these flaws, the reviewer acknowledges that Esquivel's storytelling and prose are strong, making the novel a worthwhile read.

Quick quotes

    You must take care to light the matches one at a time. If a powerful emotion should ignite them all at once, they would produce a splendor so dazzling that it would illuminate far beyond what we can normally see; and then a brilliant tunnel would appear before our eyes, revealing the path we forgot the moment we were born, and summoning us to regain the divine origins we had lost. The soul ever longs to return to the place from which it came, leaving the body lifeless.

    Those huge stars have lasted for millions of years by taking care never to absorb any of the fiery rays lovers all over the world send up at them night after night. To avoid that, the star generates so much heat inside itself that it shatters the rays into a thousand pieces. Any look it receives is immediately repulsed, reflected back onto the earth, like a trick done with mirrors. That is the reason the stars shine so brightly at night.

    It doesn’t matter to me what you did, there are some things in life that shouldn’t be given so much importance, if they don’t change what is essential. What you’ve told me hasn’t changed the way I think; I’ll say again, I would be delegated to be your companion for the rest of your life-but you must think over very carefully whether I am the man for you or not.

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