One characteristic is variety. Since each short story is its own entity, there can be a wide range of themes, tones, and characters. For example, in 'Interpreter of Maladies', some stories are about love and family, while others deal with cultural identity. Another characteristic is that they can be more accessible. If you don't have a lot of time, you can read a short story at a time. Also, they often showcase an author's versatility. An author like J.D. Salinger in 'Nine Stories' can explore different voices and perspectives in each short piece.
One characteristic is variety. For example, in 'The Decameron', different narrators tell different types of stories, including love stories, tragic tales, and comical ones. This gives readers a diverse reading experience.
They usually have a diverse range of horror elements. For example, in a single book, you might find stories about vampires, witches, and haunted forests. This variety keeps the reader engaged as they never know what kind of horror is coming next.
I'd recommend 'The Best American Short Stories' anthology. It features a diverse range of excellent short stories from various authors.
One characteristic is their brevity. They usually focus on a single event or a short period in the characters' lives. For example, in Hemingway's short stories, he can convey a lot with just a few words.
Well, they typically have a lot of sub - plots. For instance, in 'Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood', there are sub - plots about the military, the homunculi, and the various characters' pasts. They also allow for more exploration of different genres within one anime. 'Black Lagoon' combines action, crime, and some elements of drama in its different stories. And they can create a sense of a larger universe. In 'xxxHolic', the multiple stories build up a world full of magic and mystery, with each story adding a new layer to this world.
They usually have well - developed characters despite their short length. In 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens, even though it's a short story, Scrooge is a very complex and memorable character. Also, classic short stories often use vivid language to create a strong atmosphere. In Poe's stories, the language he uses makes the spooky and eerie settings really come to life.
Books of related short stories usually have a certain unity. This could be in terms of the characters. Maybe there are recurring characters in different stories, or characters that are related in some way. The mood can also be a characteristic. If the book has a dark mood in one story, other stories might also have elements of that. Additionally, the time period can be a unifying factor. If the stories are set in the 1950s, for instance, they'll all give a view of that era through different lenses.
Books that are novels often have a large word count. This allows for a more elaborate narrative. There can be a lot of description, dialogue, and internal monologue. They can be divided into chapters, which helps in structuring the story. Short stories in book form are much shorter in length. They need to be more focused. They might start right in the middle of the action and end quickly, leaving a strong impression. For example, a short story might be about a chance meeting between two strangers and how that one encounter changes their perspectives, while a novel could be about an entire family's history over generations.
Books that are a collection of short stories often showcase an author's versatility. They can explore different genres within one book. For instance, an author might have a mystery short story and then a love - themed one in the same collection. They also tend to be more accessible in a way. You can pick and choose which story to read based on your mood. Take 'Unaccustomed Earth' by Jhumpa Lahiri. You can start with any story and still enjoy the overall collection. Moreover, these books can give a snapshot of different aspects of a society or culture, as seen in 'The Street of Crocodiles' by Bruno Schulz.
Often, naughty short stories use humor to deal with the naughtiness. The characters' naughty deeds are presented in a way that makes the reader laugh. For instance, in some Roald Dahl short stories, the naughty characters have their own unique and funny ways of causing chaos, but in the end, there is usually some sort of resolution or learning experience for them.