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We Have Never Lived On Earth
We Have Never Lived On Earth | Kasia Van Schaik
2 posts | 2 read
Kasia Van Schaik’s debut story collection follows the journey of Charlotte Ferrier, a child of divorce raised by a single mother in a small town in British Columbia after moving from South Africa. Mother and daughter wait out the end of a bad year in a Mexican hotel; a friendship is tested as forest fires demolish Charlotte’s town; a childhood friend disappears while travelling through Europe; and a girl on the beach examines the memories of dying jellyfish. The stories traverse the most intimate and transforming moments of female experience in a world threatened by ecological crisis.
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Kazzie
We Have Never Lived On Earth | Kasia Van Schaik
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Very good. Interconnected stories. Such a good exploration of family and place and love

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TheKidUpstairs
We Have Never Lived On Earth | Kasia Van Schaik
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A low pick. The things that didn't work for me were definitely a case of "blame the reader, not the book."

This is the story of Charlotte's life and her loneliness, at times melancholy, at others content. It travels through Canada, South Africa, and Europe. And it is told through interconnected short stories, most with a sense of almost cold realism, some with a beautiful surrealism.

Cont'd in comments

TheKidUpstairs I often have trouble connecting with short story-narrative, and I found my attention and interest waning. But Van Shaik's writing is wonderful, and some stories (especially the last two - the title story and 'An Ounce of Care') were fantastic. If you like short stories, especially interconnected stories, I'd definitely recommend this one from the #GillerLonglist. If it's not a style that works for you, I'm not sure it transcends the genre. 7mo
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