MixedThe Independent (UK)His debut collection of short stories is undeniably accomplished and sometimes moving, but their quality is uneven and there is a repetitiveness of subject matter that detracts from, rather than enhances, their resonant power ... There are echoes of the motifs that have concerned Roth and Updike over their long careers ... Nadler proves himself adept at creating tension through oblique dialogue, and the lack of communication between characters is a theme that runs throughout the book ... He doesn\'t seem sure how to end a narrative ... When Nadler gives the reader a reason to feel optimism, his writing seems to shine, as if that\'s where his own feelings really lie. The more downbeat stories are less convincing.
