Collection of short storiesAn excellent writer, a mixed bag.
After finishing 1Q84, I needed a bit of a palate cleanser and this did the trick. The writing was tight, the subject matter was confronting, the stories were polished.
As with all anthologies, some appealed more than others but they were all worthwhile to various degrees. They tended to be acerbic, bittersweet, tragi-comedies that showcased empty lives with a cynical bite.
There is a skill to presenting sharp characterisation in a small slice-of-life and this author pulls it off with a well crafted collection. (But, for me, it is not in the same category as my favourite by her, The Writing Class)
