Bergman’s characters have upheld noxious traditions for so long that poison tastes like love; and the only character left standing hopes, sympathetically, that a terrible storm or raging fire will someday burn it all down.
... seven imaginative and compelling short stories, and, finally, a provocative short novel, called Indigo Run, which makes me believe she has a novel in her.
[A] new and compelling short story collection in which the past and present are in constant communication, weaving the intricate ties between families and lovers and their hopes and disappointments ... Ultimately, these are stories you want to live in, uninhabitable as they may be for the characters. In a collection perfectly suited for our moment, Bergman examines what remains of what was given to us and suggests how we might move on as the world continues to change around us.
Most of the relationships found here rely heavily on provocation; love must be proven again and again. Failing that, people choose to experiment with power ... As in Bergman's earlier works, the prose regards nature with awe and curiosity. A donkey becomes an improbable pet; the world, as seen through the filter of an Adirondack lake, becomes manageable ... At times the nod to climate change feels slightly perfunctory ... at others, it feels urgently entwined with the narrative.
[A]n alluring collection centered on women grappling with their circumstances ... Bergman emboldens her characters with wit and a shimmering sense of self-awareness. Her attention to details is often uncanny ... Bergman’s fans will savor each story.
[A] collection of quietly wrenching stories that plumb the minds of women stuck at life’s fragile crossroads ... this collection is distinct and vivid, each story burrowing inside the reader’s brain to leave an indelible mark. As singular as it is atmospheric.
