This collection of stories was recommended to me by Netgalley based on items I read and rated before, and I am glad they did. Many have appeared previously in The New Yorker and The Paris Review. These are all stories about ordinary people, though story-universe celebrities and other people of stature occasionally wander past their lives, and their main activity is just trying to figure out how to get through their lives the best they can. There are romantic partners, siblings, parents and children, people who meet by chance, some with complicated pasts, some with uncertain futures. These might not be the kind of people I would want to read about for an entire novel but I was perfectly happy to spend time with for an hour or so. I think in each case the author provided a reasonable way for the reader to take their leave, whether or not every plot point ends up being resolved or not.

The style is the kind that will appeal to readers interested in character nuances, but don't care as much about strong suspense or drama. You have to be fine with reading while feeling uncertainty. I would personally enjoy looking at this author's previous books.

I read this book as an advance reader copy through Netgalley in exchange for sharing my review.