Come Up and See Me Sometime : Stories

Rating:
Summary: My Wife Won't Let Me Read Erika Krouse
Review: After reading Erika Krouse's "The Husbands" in the New York Times Summer Fiction issue, I knew I was in trouble. My wife may never look at me the same way again. In a story about a woman adicted to adultery, Krouse goes for the throat with her prose and sinks her teeth into sex, relationships, men, and mangoes with delectable one-liners and fleshy panache. Her book of short stories is equally as dangerous. All about women who want a little more than what they've got, this book of short stories is great for a "mental health" night, on a plane, or anywhere else you can laugh aloud and curse your old lovers freely. Krouse is an all-consuming sexual force who threatens any man, woman, anywhere. Even more than Mae West, whose quotes tie "See Me Sometime" together, Krouse is single because she was born that way, and we love her for it. Buy one, or two, and keep Krouse away from your spouse, she's addictive.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Contrary to the critics' reviews, I didn't find this to be an ultimately hopeful collection of stories and did not find myself sympathizing with the characters at all. The short stories are certainly entertaining and often witty; many of them are page-turners and the writing is sharp and punchy. But the stories themselves are pretty grim. This is not a book you walk away from feeling all warm and fuzzy - which is ordinarily fine. If you a single woman looking for a beacon of hope, look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, eloquent, funny, heartbreaking
Review: Erika Krouse is a major new talent. This collection of stories will pull you through the book as though it were a novel, yet each story is new and different with a fresh voice and unique perspective.

After reading her stories the ideas beneath them keep surfacing in my thoughts. She makes me think, and her characters live in my memory like newly met friends.

Don't miss this one.

Rating:
Summary: "It's Not What You Do - It's How You Do It." - Mae West
Review: Erika Krouse just may have something here. With all the splashy appeal of this month's Cosmo, "Come Up and See Me Sometime" reads like waiting room fodder tossed aside after piquing the interest, preoccuping the mind. Peruse this title with a Diet Coke while waiting for the bus, kicking gravel and smiling at the profound nothingness of nameless characters; there is no alterior meaning, no depth, no message. Shallow? Quite possibly. Well written? In a way. The method - dare I say art - of writing easily, fluidly, smoothly is enough somehow. This collection of short stories manages to squeeze by on one liners and the premise of single women enjoying themselves with no strings attached. Women whose next dilemma is who to sleep with next and how to leave that dull husband before he leaves you. Who's zooming who over cappuccino and scones with a nervously chatty girlfriend. A woman who doesn't want a baby but the perfect family photo. Women and the men who love them or at least convince themselves they do. This is the stuff super model laden magazines are made of, without the self-esteem drain. When inbetween issues of Glamour and Vanity Fair, "Come Up and See Me Sometime" promises glossy amusement if not genuine literature.

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for Amy Hempel fans
Review: Erika Krouse's charming and substantive stories describe the lives of slightly eccentric young women whose concerns are so sympathetically portrayed that a reader almost has to identify with them. There are lots of relationships and the women are struggling to find someone to love -- despite this, Krouse manages to surprise. The men are not all insensitive and the endings are not predictable. They are satisfying, however. I loved the fact that the heroines found happiness or insight or something else worthwhile without ever experiencing that trite happy ending of 'true love with Mr. Right'.

Rating:
Summary: excellent collection of stories!
Review: For the most part, I am not a big fan of short story collections, but this book was highly recommended to me so i gave it a shot. I absolutely loved it. Most of the stories left such an impression on me that it was difficult to move on to the next one without closing the book and taking a deep breath. I hope Krause writes a novel one day (sooner rather than later!) I would love to experience her characters for more than the fifteen to twenty minutes it takes to read one these stories...

Rating:
Summary: A funny and thought-provoking collection of short stories!
Review: Having noticed that Erika Kraus uses passages from Mae West for her collection of short stories, I knew I had to buy this book. I love the stories! Kraus introduces the reader to thirteen women whose stories are poignant, funny and thought-provoking. The stories are rather profound -- reading between the lines and finding hidden messages are called for. There are various elements of magical realism in some of the stories. I loved "Drugs and You," "Mercy," "No Universe," and, my personal favorite, "Husbands." Darkly funny and thought-provoking, Come Up and See Me Sometime is one of the best collection of short stories I have read in quite some time. If you love Mae West's dark humor, then you will certainly enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: It's always a bad sign if a writer can't even come up with an original title. Krouse goes through the motions of addressing current "women's issues" like infertility, marriage, codependency, blah blah blah without any new insights. Her writing style is awkward and she fails to create any memorable characters. this book is not only ineptly written but depressing as hell. If Mae West were alive, she'd would punch Erika Krouse in the stomach for maligning her name. Krouse is nowhere near as ballsy, witty or perceptive as West. Citing famous Mae West one-liners as "inspiration" Krouse shows herself to be sadly lacking in comparison.

Rating:
Summary: Controversial stuff
Review: Love this book or hate it, it's great literature. I love it. These inspired stories are crystal-clear and snap with wit. But they're not for the faint of heart. You won't find bubble-gum-Oprah-chick-lit-heartwarming pablum between these covers. These characters struggle with controversial issues like abortion, risk, domestic violence, drugs, and family, and they do it in a way that reminds me of me. I like these characters -- I read this book twice in a row. If you're looking for easy answers, read The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing -- if you want to relate to (fictional, but) real women and their struggles, read this book.

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious, with backbone
Review: These stories had me laughing out loud, then later on I'd find myself pondering the issues they raised. I think this book is written for women like me -- intelligent women who work and try to make some sense out of their strange lives. Plus, Krouse is FUNNY. Her humor is smart and quirky, and you feel like she's telling you stories over a beer. I, for one, am thrilled. I've found a new favorite author.