By Ava Shaffer
In this hilarious and heartfelt short story collection, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator of BoJack Horseman, catapults readers into bizarre scenarios with tender themes of love at each eccentric story’s core.
Let me start by saying this is my favorite short story collection I have read. The writing style was the perfect balance of witty and rambly, adding to the quirky nature of these stories. It was a quick read, and not once did I find myself bored or tired of a story. Each story was unique and odd, but somehow the collection was incredibly cohesive and fit under the “love is horrible but also great” umbrella theme.
In typical collage/hodgepodge fashion that matches the mood of this book, allow me to list the other things I loved about this book:
The acknowledgments! The humor and heart in this section was moving. The Knopf pronunciation joke was particularly entertaining.
The title! Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory has such a snappy ring to it and I liked how it appeared in one of the stories
The random poetic lines and sincere moments that snuck their way into such ridiculous stories!
The cover design! The copy I have is of the broken egg with a piece of tape holding it together, but I also love the cover with the president bobblehead. The pink, the font, everything about it matches the messy yet endearing tone of the stories so well.
My favorite stories from Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory were “A Most Blessed and Auspicious Occasion,” “Up-and-Comers,” and “More of the You That You Already Are.” “A Most Blessed and Auspicious Occasion” is about a young couple planning their wedding, disgruntled by the incessant opinions from their loved ones about the wedding logistics, such as how many goats to sacrifice or how much money to drop on a four-foot-tall Promise Egg. “Up-and-Comers” is a tale chronicling the typical falling apart of a band, but the members happen to have superpowers. “More of the You That You Already Are” is a story following the most important president, Chester A. Arthur, during his typical workday at the theme park Presidentland, with the added drama of a genetically-modified monster.
Comments