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DEBBIE DOWNER TIME!
The foreword and the afterword cannot help but mention how underappreciated O. Henry is/was. I was convinced these smug critics were completely wrong because I read The Gift of the Magi in high school and never forgot it. I was anticipating a whole book full of The Gift of the Magis. Be careful what you wish for.
Like The Gift of the Magi, almost all of these stories are slightly sweet and slightly silly with a slight "punch" or twist at the end. It's a cute formula for one or two or even five stories. I had a hard time appreciating it for over twenty of them. The punches became a little predictable. The short tales leading up to the punches became a little ho-hum. If O. Henry were the author of my (very lengthy) reading journey, would I have been the punchline?
I'm giving this 3 Stars for having a few gems despite my collective disappointment.
DEBBIE DOWNER TIME!
The foreword and the afterword cannot help but mention how underappreciated O. Henry is/was. I was convinced these smug critics were completely wrong because I read The Gift of the Magi in high school and never forgot it. I was anticipating a whole book full of The Gift of the Magis. Be careful what you wish for.
Like The Gift of the Magi, almost all of these stories are slightly sweet and slightly silly with a slight "punch" or twist at the end. It's a cute formula for one or two or even five stories. I had a hard time appreciating it for over twenty of them. The punches became a little predictable. The short tales leading up to the punches became a little ho-hum. If O. Henry were the author of my (very lengthy) reading journey, would I have been the punchline?
I'm giving this 3 Stars for having a few gems despite my collective disappointment.
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