RaveIn the VoidLike much of Millhauser’s fiction, the work contained within this collection is both approachable and elusive, with narratives often opening in familiar settings before utilizing extremes as a means of delving into Millhauser’s preferred matrix of philosophical quandaries. Though the tales presented are diverse in style and content, most are firmly grounded in explorations of potent and often contradictory passions ... An amorphous sense of ennui permeates across many of Millhauser’s plots, but this is frequently counterbalanced by humor, perversion, mania, vanity, and desire ... In each of these stories Millhauser’s tone manages to fluctuate between absurdity, anger, dread, and contemplative thought without ever breaking the flow or mystique of the narrative ... Some of Millhauser’s most potent writing can be found in his humanistic retellings of popular mythologies and legends ... The collection is not only an enjoyable and thought-provoking addition to Millhauser’s oeuvre, but also a lesson on the flexibility of short stories.
