Beautiful short stories. 11 and all. Mostly focusing on motherhood. Most of the stories are sad.or about loss and grief. Thank you NetGalley, and publisher for providing this advanced copy to me.

Wednesday's Child presents heavy stories dealing with grief, suicide, and motherhood. I loved Li's ability to show nuance in grief in general and the grief from losing a child. Li certainly has a talent for portraying sad situations with compassion.
I didn't love the audiobook. I usually love when an author reads their own work, but I think a more professional narrator would have worked better.

Grief, particularly due to the fracturing of families, is your comfortable companion throughout these stories. Like Death in The Book Thief, Grief's presence doesn't turn any of these stories overly melancholy. Rather, Grief is like an old companion that you walk side-by-side with down a path. As a fellow parent who has lost a child, I know that it takes the most delicate of touches to accomplish this. I am in awe of Yiyun Li's skill. Always reverential but never maudlin, the stories in Wednesday's Child: Stories also don't offer any easy closure. They are literary short stories, after all. It was an additional treat to hear Yiyun Li read her own work. She writes because she gets it, she has been there, and, for whatever reason, kept putting one foot in front of the other. Suicide is a theme, too. It's all difficult to explain. I think you understand because you know. For those who do, I highly recommend Wednesday's Child: Stories. I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

These subtle stories of grief and loneliness simmer with all that’s left unsaid. While the stories all stand along, minor details echo from one vignette to the next, creating a cohesive thematic thread and reminding readers of the interconnectedness of our lives. I included this title in my fall reading guide.

All of these stories are different and unrelated, but on theme they repeat several of the same motifs, namely, the strangeness of everyday life, alienation, the absurdity of relationships, and a general lack of normalcy that feels just out of reach. Li has shown to be a master of this discomfort, a slightly off-kiltering of her narratives that leads to more truth and realism; much like she did in the Book of Goose. The stories have a remarkable ability to add in random details that feel unnecessary in a short form, while expertly wrapping them into the final package to further whatever alienation the author is trying to get across at that moment.

WEDNESDAY'S CHILD by Yiyun Li is a collection of eleven short stories. Li takes on provocative topics, with motherhood and the female experience especially front and center. What does it mean to be a mother? What does failure or success look like? How do we protect ourselves, or must we be vulnerable, with all that entails? What does life consist of, after loss?

I was drawn into the worlds that Li created, invested in the characters and feeling the range of emotions. She has great skill in her muted word choices and scenarios. She isn't flashy or distracting as she paints these worlds, all the more showing her skill and imagination.

Yiyun Li has a captivating writing style, and I cannot wait to read her earlier works. 4.5 stars.

The author narrates the audiobook, adding another dynamic of interest and insight to the experience.

(I received a digital ALC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

I am a big fan of Yiyun Li’s writing and I’m happy to say that this is another excellent entry to her list of books. As per usual, her writing is lovely and descriptive. The themes of grief, loss, and aging that are explored in the stores are deftly handled. The book has a very poetic and almost meditative effect. If you enjoy a short story collection and literary fiction, you will likely enjoy this one!

* The audiobook was well done. I found it very easy to follow.

An excellent story collection by Yiyun Li. I loved her last novel, The Book of Goose, and these stories did not disappoint. There was a focus on motherhood and child suicide that was deeply moving and well explored. I also always love audiobooks that are read by the authors, as I appreciate the opportunity to hear the books in their voices.

I just read The Book of Goose earlier this year and really enjoyed it and I love short stories so I was really excited to read WEDNESDAY’S CHILD by Yiyun Li and I loved these stories! These stories focus on family life, motherhood, kids, and loss. I loved the perspectives from Asian American immigrants and their interactions in western culture and everyday life. I enjoyed all eleven stories and my faves were Wednesday’s Child and Such Common Life. Wednesday’s Child is about a writer who lost her daughter. Such Common Life is about a caregiver telling stories. Many of the stories are very sad and I was on the verge of tears at once point. There’s also some heartfelt moments and excellent writing. I listened to some of the stories and I enjoyed that the audiobook is narrated by the author.

WEDNESDAY'S CHILD is a compelling short story collection that delves into the lives of women, offering a poignant exploration of marriage, longing, motherhood, and aging. The stories are suffused with a sense of melancholy and an undercurrent of grief & loss, all delivered quietly and contemplatively.

Li's writing style offers a slice-of-life perspective, allowing readers to connect with characters at different stages of their lives, and there's an absence of clear-cut endings, which adds to the stories' realism. One of the standout aspects of this collection is the seamless interweaving of Chinese heritage and American cultures, creating a rich tapestry of identity and experiences.

The titular story, Wednesday's Child, stands out as a heartbreaking exploration of child loss, reminiscent of WHERE REASONS END. Li approaches this sensitive topic with exceptional care and tenderness, making it a truly moving read.

While the other stories in the collection are equally beautiful, it's natural to feel that none quite match the emotional impact of Wednesday's Child, likely attributed to the high bar set by the first story.

Overall, WEDNESDAY'S CHILD is a phenomenal collection, particularly resonant for mothers, as it delves into the complexities of postpartum depression and the profound influence of motherhood on a woman's identity. What adds an extra layer of authenticity to the narratives is the fact that Li narrated her own stories, providing a unique and intimate connection between the author and the reader. This collection is a must-read for those who appreciate nuanced storytelling and a deep exploration of a mother's experience.

Haunting, thought-provoking and heavy, but also just truly beautiful at times. I loved the narration as well. I'll be recommending this to other readers for sure.

Yiyun Li is such a force with words. Her collection of stories don't punch you in the face with incessant action or obvious lessons; rather, they lull you into her characters' worlds and leave you lingering on the feelings she built through their choices and experiences.

There are strong themes of love, grief, and dwelling on the past, but each story feels entirely unique. The summary of this collection gave me the impression that it could be heavy and depressing (which I honestly don't mind), but the stories felt balanced with the right amount of witty humor.

There's so much to appreciate with Li's work, and I look forward to checking out more of her backlist.

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me access to the advance listening copy of this story collection.

Yiyun Li is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Yes, she writes of sad, even tragic lives and circumstances, but she does so with such beautiful writing and emotional depth that I become caught up in the worlds she creates in an Instant.

The title story is a perfect example of her style. A mother is reflecting on the death of her teenage daughter, and in a surprise also is subject t to her own mother!s cruelty— a mother who cannot grieve with her. Truly an excellent story.

I admit I was apprehensive when I realized that the author was narrating her story collection, but she was excellent— pausing at the right moments, conveying tjr emotionality of the characters. She was quite good.

WEDNESDAY'S CHILD by Yiyun Li, is read by the author and left me feeling quite contemplative.

This is a collection of stories that thoughtfully and compassionately delves into the heavier topics.

The title was compelling, as I am a Wednesday's child, and I am not averse to a more melancholy read. This collection certainly has that aspect, but there are real moments of tenderness and insights within, that it doesn't become too much. Rather, it is a gentle, though sometimes brusque exploration of loss in various forms.

There are a lot of end of life issues inside, and one may want to prepare for those, especially surrounding suicide.

I felt this was a beautiful written book. I enjoyed the change of genre and style, and especially the perspective from a Chinese heritage. I often enjoy when the author narrates her own books, as she is able to give emphasis where she envisioned it.

Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio & @fsgbooks for sharing this ALC with me and asking for my thoughts. This will be published on September 4th, and I definitely recommend it for those looking for a deeper read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Yiyun Li is an incredible writer. This is the second book of hers that I’ve listened to.

This one is a collection of short stories about grief, love, loss, and the immigrant experience that have been written over ten years.

I found this collection to be a little melancholy for a sunny, warm August day. But still very good.
Publish date September 5, 2023

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook edition in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been slowly working my way through the stories in ‘Wednesday’s Child’ by Yiyun Li, savoring it as long as I could. It’s out, from FSG in September and you should definitely pick it up. This is easily, EASILY, one of the best collections I’ve read. In my slow consumption I saw that NetGalley and Macmillan Audio had made the audiobook available for review. I saw it was narrated by the author and actually included a bonus short story, so imagine my absolute elation when I was able to listen to it for the remainder of the book, while annotating my physical arc (provided by FSG). I’m so grateful that this collection found its way into my hands, my ears and my life. I appreciate you all so much.

What can I say, it’s a beautifully written, poignant, nuanced exploration of motherhood, womanhood, expectation, love and death and subsequent grief. The toxicity of some men runs throughout, the messaging being not that all men are toxic but rather that toxicity exists across class, age and time and can exist even in a child, even in those we deem “good”. I loved that perspective was an important part of the stories, how what we experience both culturally and individually, contributes to our ideas of right and wrong and the threshold we have for life and it’s difficulties. It’s a cohesive work that remains fresh, throughout. Some of these passages were so crystalline and others made me achingly aware of the veil, affixed to my eyes, as I move through the world. This resonated with me, as you might imagine, especially as a mother. But where I felt comfort I also felt challenged. It was just so good.

The audiobook was perfect, and the bonus story, “Call Me Ishmael’s Mother” was one of my favorites. It tackles being a “bad” mother and the layers of that. Hearing Yiyun Li tell these stories only added to the impact, for me. Aside from the bonus story I loved them all and “On the Street Where You Live” really stood out. A mother navigates raising a child who isn’t seen as “normal” and the conflict within herself and the guilt she feels, some misplaced and some warranted.

Pick this one up!!

AH! I am so thankful to Macmillan Audio, FSG/MCD, Netgalley, and Yiyun Li for granting me digital, audio, and physical access to this gem of a book. I loved Li's The Book of Goose, so I had high expectations for this one. I'm a HOE for a book of stories, and I just ate this one up. Li compiled a series of sad and inspirational tales about growth and loss all in one, breaking my heart with each turning page.

Wednesday's Child is set to hit shelves on September 5, 2023 and I'm just counting down the days until pub day!