Heartbreaking ... Side characters can lean on tropes, like an ex-military gun lover and a violent cop, but the After the Parade author uses these blunt tools to craft otherwise sensitive, introspective stories that sometimes contort themselves to see both sides ... [A] tendency to over-explain detracts from what is so clearly well-intentioned storytelling ... Regardless of your approach, you’ll certainly find something here that makes you happy.
Ostlund proves herself a master of the form ... These nine startling stories capture the subtleties of feeling—and being made to feel—out of place ... The disgust and fear these characters feel when confronted with unsettling moments or direct threats to their wellbeing is leavened by world-weary humor, materializing as the author lays bare the absurdity of everyday interactions. These stories are not comfortable worlds to inhabit, but they are precise and endlessly fascinating ones.
