A vivid, thoughtful and nuanced collection of essays ... The collection stands out not just for its elegant, unadorned writing but also for the way she effortlessly pivots between personal history and spot-on cultural criticism.
Dancyger’s ode to female friendship is affectionate, frank, circumspective, and passionate. Despite the traumatic nature of many of the memories she recalls, the author manages to infuse each page with an undercurrent of quiet, grateful joy. While the collection sometimes lacks cohesion—most notably in a chapter that focuses on a collaborative photography project that feels disconnected from the rest of the narrative—overall, this is a well-written and -paced read.
In these essays, love is inextricably bound with pain, a duality the author renders with a lyrical and affecting rawness. Cathartic and intense, this leaves a mark.
