This Cake is for the Party: Stories by Sarah Selecky

by Sarah Selecky

Finalist for the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize Longlisted for the 2010 Frank O'Connor AwardSarah Selecky’s first book takes dead aim at a young generation of men and women who often set out with the best of intentions, only to have plans thwarted or hopes betrayed.These are stories about friendships and relationships confused by unsettling tensions bubbling beneath the surface. A woman who plans to conceive ends up in the arms of her husband’s best friend; a man who baby-sits a neglected four-year-old ends up questioning his own dysfunctional relationship; a chance encounter at a gala event causes a woman to remember when she volunteered for a nightmarish drug-testing clinic; another woman discovers that her best friend who is about to get married has just had an affair; a young teenager tries to escape from her controlling father and finds an unexpected lover on a bus ride home; a wife tries to overcome her dying mother-in-law’s resistance to her marriage by revealing to her own strange aural stigmata; a friend tries to talk another friend out of dating her cheating ex-boyfriend; and a superstitious candle-maker confesses to a tempestuous relationship that implodes spectacularly.Sarah Selecky is a talented young writer who evokes a generation teetering on the shoals of consumerism and ambiguous mores. Reminiscent of early Atwood, with echoes of Lisa Moore and Barbara Gowdy, these absorbing stories are about love and longing, stories that touch us in a myriad of subtle and affecting ways.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Canada, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Anthologies, Canadian Literature

Paperback

First published October 31, 2003

About the author

Sarah is the author of Story Is a State of Mind, Radiant Shimmering Light, This Cake Is for the Party, and the founder of the Sarah Selecky Writing School, est. 2011, which is now a creative community of thousands of writers from around the world. She is alumna of Hedgebrook, the Humber School for Writers and The Banff Centre, and graduated from the University of British Columbia with an MFA in Creative Writing.
This Cake was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Commonwealth Prize for Best First Book in Canada and the Caribbean, and it was longlisted for the Frank O'Connor Prize. Kirkus Reviews calls Radiant Shimmering Light "A killer satire . . . [and] a funny, tender, gimlet-eyed dive into the cult of self-improvement." The novel has been optioned for television and published in countries around the world.
Sarah is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, and currently lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario, where she writes, runs a school, and mentors other writers in her online and in-person classes.

Reviews

[Ruth Seeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selecky is a 21st Century Canadian Ann Beattie. This is a remarkably consistently strong collection that should, in my view, have won the 2010 Giller Prize.

Her characters lead complicated lives. Sometimes the complications are of their own making - the 'ironic bride' who can't resist having an affair immediately before her wedding, the teenage girl whose rebellion coincides with her widowed father's descent into abject misery, the woman who's finally ready to have a child but isn't, really.... Other times the complications have mysterious, external causes - an ear that weeps tears, a next-door neighbour who is a better father to the neighbour's child than he is to his own.

The writing is clean, spare, and visceral. Here's an example: "Even through the closed door she could hear his misery: the spoon tapping against the side of the pot over and over, the sound of steel scraping steel ringing down her spine."

As a special treat, the title story, omitted from the collection, is now available online: http://www.walrusmagazine.com/article...

This cake is for the party. And this chair is not for sale.

[Barbara McVeigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these stories, but would like to read them in print. This collection was one of my early forays on an e-reader. Short stories are hard to read on a device because a human reader needs to be able to quickly flip back and forth and re-read significant parts to understand how the writer led him or her to the a-ha moment.

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never was into short stories. I thought they were a waste of time. I guess I just thought the novel was the better, "higher" format of the written word. But then I realized that, reading short stories is what made me fall in love with reading. After all, it was in grammar school where I read all of those short stories in whatever anthology textbook we were required to read in class.

I came across Sarah Selecky because of Twitter. I follow the Canadian writer Margaret Attwood. She recommended reading Selecky's short story collection. So I gave it a try. I'm glad I did.

All the stories about relationships, romantic, platonic and familial. I'll admit the stories are not very uplifting, but Selecky really knows how to describe characters through their habits, appearance and actions. You definitely come away feeling for most of her characters.

I felt the strongest stories were "Throwing Cotton," "Go-Manchura," "Standing Up for Janey," "Where are you Coming from, Sweetheart?" and "One Thousand Wax Buddhas."

If you don't like reading about people that are unhappy in their relationships, lost loves, missed chances, I would say stay away. But if you like a young, fresh voice, then you must read this.

Side note: I realized that I don't read many things written by women.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

A compilation of short stories from Sarah Selecky filled with angst-ridden, desperate characters. Some stories are descriptive with no focus, whereas some are purely random and did not capture any emotion or connection for me. It fell sorely short of all the reviews I had read and I was hoping for greater vividness of character and imagination on the author's part.

In comparison to Jhumpa Lahiri's incredible short stories, these plots and characters failed to resonate with me. Lahiri's prose and well-crafted descriptions, despite the short length, are far more absorbing and enticing than these disappointing stories.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed. The author's voice is incredibly confident. I was immediately drawn in to every single story. I just felt like they ended too soon....every time. It felt like a cop-out - like the author was trying too hard to be post-postmodern. Maybe I feel that way because I got so caught up in the few pages of each story that I felt betrayed when they ended so abruptly just when things would have gotten really interesting!

[Jennifer Louden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adore Sarah's writing and her blog. She is going to be a great, great writer and I could not finish these stories because they depressed me. Her characters - at least in the first 5 stories - felt so aimless and unaware, and their lives rather bleak. I couldn't bear reading anymore. But again, the writing is near perfection.

[Ti · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Short of It:

Never has such an unassuming collection of stories held my attention from beginning to end.

The Rest of It:

I love quiet stories and if they center around relationships, even better. From the very first page, I found myself falling right into this book. You know that feeling? That feeling where everything around you stands still and all you can focus on is the book in front of you? That is the feeling I had while reading these stories. When this book was in my hands, nothing else seemed to matter.

There are ten stories in this collection, all ranging in tone but clearly the party in question is nowhere to be found. In Throwing Cotton, we meet Anna and Sanderson and their friends Flip and Shona as they meet-up at a lake cottage for a little holiday. As Anna and Sanderson head into the next phase of their marriage, that of children, it becomes apparent that Anna has doubts. What should be a glorious time, now suddenly becomes something else. In Standing Up for Janey, Bonnie throws a dinner party to celebrate the engagement of her best friend Janey. Shortly before the party, Janey admits to Bonnie that she’s recently cheated on Milt. With this knowledge, Bonnie is forced to host as if nothing is amiss. What should be tragic tale, somehow ends up being funny in Selecky’s hands.

What these stories have in common is that these people are normal, functioning adults dealing with everyday problems. Selecky’s ability to take everyday objects or situations and make them unique is inspiring to say the least. She writes, like my brain thinks. Quiet observations not always spoken or shared out loud.

I savored each and every story in the collection and when I reached the end, I felt compelled to go right back and read them again.

An interesting little tidbit for you. The story that gives this collection its name was not included in the collection itself! This Cake is for the Party was a story that Selecky had written before this collection even came to be. It was short, only five pages long. It was actually the basis for another story which happens to be in the book. However, when this collection was put together, including it would have meant that it was the only linked story in the collection and Selecky felt that it put too much pressure on one of the characters so it was left out. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the story and although I loved it, I see why it was not included. Interesting, huh?

Because I was so impressed with the writing as a whole and totally fell head over heels for the collection, I went to Selecky’s website and signed up for her Little Bird writing prompts. These prompts are offered in conjunction with her Little Bird Writing Contest. Each day, a writing prompt arrives in my inbox and I take ten minutes of every morning to write a response. I’m not sure I will ever submit anything to the contest, but for now I am enjoying the prompts. If you find yourself struggling to write creatively and just don’t have the time, you might want to try these prompts. Ten minutes a day. That’s it. Even I can do that and who knows? Maybe one day I will have a story as good as one of the ones in the book!

As you can probably guess, I am still thinking about these stories and can’t seem to stop talking about them. If you get the opportunity to pick up a copy, you won’t be sorry.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.

[Anabelle Bernard Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man with a hard decision to make about the neighbour’s boy. A woman who tries to sell health products to her friends. Two couples entangled in infidelity. A woman writing a letter to her estranged husband’s mother. A young woman in love with a man… and his ex-girlfriend. A fire in the candle factory.

These are a few of the stories in Sarah Selecky’s This Cake Is for the Party, nominated for the Giller prize in 2010.

I read this book because I’m currently taking Sarah’s Story is a State of Mind e-course, and I wanted to know where she came from as an author.

I was pleasantly surprised. I’m not especially fond of short stories; I’m more of a sprawling multiple story lines kind of person. I like expansive, complex books that reflect the complexity of human life.

These short stories, in a way, achieve that. Sure, it’s about a certain type of people–working-class, sometimes entrepreneurs and people who make a living out of their garage. They are about moments in time or short periods of time (an evening, a weekend, an hour). But the variety of emotions and situations represented really made me feel like I was plunging in an unknown world.

From “A Thousand Wax Buddhas”, my favourite of the collection:

I wish I’d just asked her about the mileage. I could have just said it: What do the numbers mean? Why is ten o’clock important? I could have asked her. She would have let me in. But I was too afraid.

These stories are exquisitely crafted. They are fragile like insect wings and yet strong like reeds. They were mostly sad, it’s true, but sadness is not something we should shy away from. Life is full of it. I felt strangely invigorated after reading them.

Each story is about 20 pages, a nice pace if you’re reading in the bath or during your commute. They are perfect little nibbles of stories, a set of 10 cupcakes to be relished slowly, not devoured in one sitting. There is both wit and wisdom in them–a sign that both can go together.

I especially admire Selecky’s control of her craft. Each word is there for a purpose; there is nothing superfluous. The descriptions are exquisitely evocative and there is not a single image that won’t strongly impress itself on your mind. I could easily see, feel, hear and smell each of the tiny little worlds she constructed.

If I am even half the writer she is, I will feel proud of my work.

[Miz Moffatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Selecky dazzles with ten taut, smartly searing stories in her first published collection, This Cake Is for the Party. Selecky levels her gaze upon a younger generation whose best intentions unravel in the face of hidden truths, betrayal, and unsettling tensions riding just below the surface.

Stand out pieces include "Go-Manchura," in which a lonesome introvert embroils herself in a health food pyramid scheme, and the heartbreaking "Where Are You Coming From, Sweetheart?", in which a young girl struggles to free herself from her father's religion and finds an unexpected lover on a Greyhound bus. Additional accolades go to "Prognosis," written as a rather biting letter to a dying mother-in-law in which the writer is gifted with a certain aural oddity. Selecky shines in her first-person prose, and creates characters with distinct, relatable voices that are sure to startle and delight.

Ideal for: Short story junkies; Readers in the twenty- to thirty-something age bracket; Commuters prepared to shed a tear or two in public.

[Robin Spano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Cake is so depressing. But the writing is amazing. I kept flipping and flipping and stayed up late reading. There aren't enough stars in the rating system to express how impressed I am with this book.

Sarah Selecky makes me think of a younger, hipper Alice Munro. The writing is that clear, and that deep. The book is filled with juicy details that make every character distinct - hard to do with ten short stories where new people are introduced every few pages.

Like with Alice Munro's writing, I find the commentary about human nature in This Cake depressing - relationships generally fail, or should - people aren't inherently kind to each other. My world view is more optimistic. But the fact that I'm debating world views (in my head, while I'm flipping pages) is a solid testament, to me, of the seamless way Selecky takes us across pages, and the vividness with which she paints each scene.

I want more from this writer. More and more.

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this collection of 10 short stories by Sarah Selecky. This Cake is for the Party is full of unexpected enjoyment. I admire how this collection is like a snack cake...something I crave! I would highly suggest this to anyone looking for a unique new writer. I am giving it a 5 star and sharing it with my college literature professors.

My rating system is as follows:

5 stars - Excellent, Worth Every Penny, Made It Into My Personal Library!
4 stars - Great book, but not a classic.
3 stars - Good overall, generally well written.
2 stars - Would not recommend based on personal criteria.
1 star - Difficult to read, hard to finish, or didn't finish. Wouldn't recommend purchasing or reading.

In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book I review was provided to me by the publisher, media group or the author for free and no financial payments were received, unless specified otherwise.

[Breanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of my summer book club. It’s not a book I would normally have read, which in my opinion is never a bad thing. There were some stories I liked and some that I didn’t. I did see once discussing it with some pretty smart ladies that each story could lead to a lot of different conclusions, depending on your perspective. I think maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t felt rushed to finish for a deadline and had spent more time reflecting as I read.
It’s nice when the characters in a novel aren’t perfect but these characters were so full of flaws, it was hard not to hate them. My friends and I couldn’t actually decide if this book was meant as a glimpse into different people’s lives or as a critique of the flaws presented. The answer to that question sort of changes my understanding and opinion of the book.

[tinabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant collection of short fiction from highly perceptive debut author, Sarah Selecky. Wry, clever, complex, and beautifully crafted, it's no wonder This Cake Is for the Party was shortlisted for the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Whether self-deprecating or self-entitled, Selecky's characters are vivid, intense, and realistic—most unable to overcome their all-too-human foibles. Hesitant, lonely, guarded, and sometimes outright suspicious, nearly all of them are unhappy in their relationships (or lack thereof), unsure of their life choices, and searching for meaning.

You'd think this would make for a depressing read, however, it was just the opposite. The stories' truth and realism in the face of banality—not to mention that each was a fascinating character study, burgeoning writers take note—was utterly refreshing.

[Ann Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I've purchased a book because it made on of the "big" lists (in this case, The 2010 Giller Prize list). I was drawn to the book for a couple of reasons: because the title is so intriguing, because the cover is so eye-catching, and because I am addicted to short stories.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It covers interesting turf. The characters struggle with relationships (some more than others) and they live in a world that is familiar to me geographically and, in some cases, thematically.

The writing is very good, but at times it felt like Selecky was trying too hard. Some expressions seemed more forced than natural, which took me out of the story. But given that this is her debut collection -- wow.

[Crackedspine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong collection without any weak entries added to fill out the book (a frequent problem with short story collections, imho).

Most of the stories seem just long enough. They develop satisfying characters and give you some real meat to dig into. Surprising but believable shifts are a delight throughout.

My only complaint is that I'd like a wider scope of topics, characters and settings. There's much to explore in the dissatisfied lives of (relatively) privileged young adults, but sometimes I was a bit impatient with their "first world problems."

Great writer. Will definitely read whatever she comes up with next.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first foray into the short story genre and I was not let down. They're clever and wicked. Just slightly mysterious until the last line, without giving the complete story away. Just enough to make you go "Hmmm...". On a side note, I also got the suspicion that I found out a lot about the author herself. I got the sense she writes about what she actually knows, what she has actually experienced in life; dinner parties with other creative types... and slowly their secret lives coming out after one two many glasses of wine. Anyway, though I wasn't too crazy about her style of writing, I do hope to read more from this author in the future.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at the library because I'm thinking of taking an online class from this writer. Because I had a lot of trouble with insomnia this week, I had extra time to read (always look on the bright side). I tore through the entire collection in no time flat and was impressed overall. The stories were very well-observed slices of life that were just indirect enough that I could put the pieces together myself but not so open-ended that I wondered what the point was. These stories left me intrigued, both by the characters and their lives, and by the craft that had gone into the making of them.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of quiet, meaningful stories centered around relationships, human imperfection, and the sharing of food. As is always the case with such collections, some of the stories impacted me more than others, but each is a gem of its own accord. Sarah Selecky's writing is exquisite and graceful, not at all flashy or obtrusive. Possibly the best short story collection I've ever read, and I'm greatly looking forward to eventually reading the novel she's currently writing on one of the characters from this book.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a good short story compilation and Sarah Selecky knocks it out of the park with these little slice of love narratives from people who seem all too real. These are stories about our friends, our lovers, ourselves. I was really impressed with the way she was able to latch on to all these different stories but only leading us to one central conflict or story in each of them. That takes a strong writer with a lot of trust in her characters.

[Magdelanye · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters in these diffident, deceptively casual slices of life are all pretty much in denial despite their quirky attempts to smooth over the chasms lurking just below their awareness.
unfortunately, the feeling of unease that is an undercurrent in most of the stories, has translated itself to me so that I felt a bit like the broken plate on the cover, left with crumbs.
and how weird that the title story for this collection is not included.
.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was refreshing to read a book of short stories. I'm currently using Sarah's daily writing prompts from her blog and I was curious to read her work. Her descriptions inspire and she got me thinking about writing short stories or essays instead of thinking of the overwhelming task of writing a book. Sarah is a true talent.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of character-driven stories is full of vivid details that range from achingly ordinary to quirky to meaningful and even sublime. I love how much Selecky trusts her readers to become as deeply involved in her stories as she and her characters are. Every story does a masterful job of fulfilling Joy Williams’ essential attributes of the short story, particularly #1: “There should be a clean clear surface with much disturbance below.”

I’m not going to try to fit the stories I liked best –—“Standing Up for Janey,” “Watching Atlas,” Throwing Cotton,” “How Healthy Are You?,” “Go Manchura,” “Paul Farenbacher’s Yard Sale,” and “One Thousand Wax Buddhas” — into a single category. My reasons for liking them stem mostly from the lush details, the expertly-drawn characters and the settings and circumstances. In other words, everything that makes a great story.

The situations range from mundane to poignant and the story arcs vary. Sometimes there is a dramatic turn of events, as in “Throwing Cotton” and “Watching Atlas.” You don’t yet see the fallout, but you know that upheaval lurks. People’s lives will change in wrenching and permanent ways.

Sometimes it’s a small but significant release of pent-up emotion, as in “Paul Farenbacher’s Yard Sale.” Throughout the story, the narrator Meredith holds herself above grief, aided by her memories of the man and her objectivity about the stuff of his life, now arrayed on the front lawn for any takers. I was struck by the uncanny similarity of the Lazy-Y-Boy in which Paul Farenbacher spent his last days and my own father’s last-days recliner. Here an object takes on meaning beyond itself and carries in its plush, mechanical bulk all the heartbreak of the loss of a good man—neighbor, father, mentor, friend. The significance of the chair to Meredith only hits her as she watches it being loaded onto the buyers’ truck.

“One Thousand Wax Buddhas” is possibly the most well-constructed story in the collection. I admire the way that Selecky works with time here. The narrator skips ahead and doubles back in such a natural way, as though you’re in a pub and he is telling you his true and tragic story. You know before it ends what happens, but that only adds to the impact. Again, the fallout is left to the reader’s imagination, which is just as it should be.

Food plays a central role in many of these stories. Preparation, meals, a tense meeting in a café, obsession over health, an awkward gala dinner. The scenes are so realistic and exquisitely observed, you could reverse engineer a couple of recipes from them. Always, the food serves either to bring people together or push them apart by highlighting unbridgeable differences.

Just for fun, here are a few gorgeous passages:

A cache of Chianti left behind by a boyfriend when he moved out: “the twelve dark, moody bottles.” (p. 92)

A description of Milt, soon to be married to Janey, who we’ve just learned is having an affair: “I can’t look into Milt’s open face for longer than a couple of seconds. His big eyes, his wide mouth. When he smiles, it’s like he’s throwing open a set of double doors so you can step out onto the veranda.” (p. 98-99)

“There’s a strange voice coming from the stereo. Deep and unwavering, a voice like fruit soaked in liquor.” (p. 103)

“Wait! I call after them, half running across the lawn like a lachrymose widow, my throat filled with hot and itchy clots of tears, crying now, because I remember the last thing that Paul Farenbacher said to me, Bis morgen, which wasn’t significant at the time, just a little thing he said to me before I left him for the night, tucked in to that chair, that blue chair.” (p. 173)

“The fire is still confined to the back, in the wicking station. And I see them all, lined up in rows: one thousand multicoloured Buddhas, smiling at me in enlightenment, their heads burning off.” (p. 229)

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was reaaaally satisfying to read. Almost every story gave me at least one character who I could sink my teeth into, and Selecky's decision to write about small moments as opposed to huge odysseys made it even more delightful to work through. The attention she paid to the nuances of human interaction was really enjoyable from start to finish, and overall I would say that each of these stories had something really interesting to offer. Not all of them were my favourite, but Selecky's narrative voice was really strong in each of them and very quickly had me absorbed in each and every story.

"Throwing Cotton" ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This story both went exactly where I thought it would and also nowhere close. The age difference and professor/student dynamic had me thinking one thing, and then she slides a curveball in there with that late night encounter. Solid start.

"Watching Atlas" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A very visceral, boiling-under-the-surface story about a couple who both ultimately want what's best for the vulnerable people in their lives but find themselves frustrated by the situations and relationships that got them there.

"How Healthy Are You?" ⭐⭐⭐

This is only getting a 3 from me because I honestly can't remember anything about this story. Even when I looked up a synopsis, it's not ringing any bells. That being said, I don't remember wishing this story would end faster so 3 stars feels safe.

"Go-Manchura" ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Anything to do with pyramid schemes always makes me feel sad for the characters embroiled in it, so obviously I ended this story just wanting the main character to be smarter and get better, y'know?

"Standing Up For Janey" ⭐⭐⭐

Similar to "How Healthy Are You?," I don't really remember this story. No strong reactions when I read it, so must not have been that bad.

"Where Are You Coming From, Sweetheart?" ⭐⭐⭐

Any stories about daughters and dads get me because my dad is one of my absolute favourite people on the planet. While this particular father/daughter relationship does not look anything like mine with my dad, that tugged at my heart strings.

"Prognosis" ⭐⭐⭐

I didn't really care for this one but it wasn't badly written, hence a 3.

"Paul Farenbacher's Yard Sale" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This broke my heart in all the right ways, and was a really beautifully tender look at grief, how relationships evolve, and the many different ways we all process those things.

"This Is How We Grow As Humans" ⭐⭐⭐

I wasn't exactly bored by this one, but I also for sure wasn't overtly entertained. Very fine.

"One Thousand Wax Buddhas" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The perfect high note to end on, this story was the right mix of conversational and insightful as the narrator discussed his wife's mental illness, making candles, and just trying to run a small business in perfect balance.

[Gisele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories was a Christmas present from my sister who knew the author as a little girl. Let me preface this critique by saying that I am not usually a fan of short story collections. The author introduces the readers to characters and sets up their stories only to have them last but a few pages. Short stories always leave me wanting more...which for an author, I guess is not a bad thing. This collection is superbly written...most excellent excellent writing! Granted the stories are rather dark, with a lot of broken characters but they resonate! Three stories from the collection - Where
Are You Coming From, Sweetheart?, One Thousand Wax Buddhas, and Paul Farenbacher's Yard Sale were, for me, simply outstanding! I want Sarah Selecky to write a novel...so that all these perfectly imperfect characters she creates could come to life for a while longer. I will be eagerly awaiting her next endeavour!

[Rachel b00ksrmagic · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those books where I feel like I need to preface my review by saying to the author, “It’s not you, it’s me.” The book is well written and I can see the beauty of the writing, it’s just not for me. I had to read a collection of short stories for the 2023 M Judson Reading Challenge. I don’t read many short stories, so I had a hard time knowing what to pick. And obviously I chose poorly. I felt like I was back in college lit, reading books that were meant to analyzed rather than enjoyed. Every story had an ambiguous ending and had characters struggling with major life crises like death, adultery, and mental health. It was well written, but just not what I enjoy reading.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yawn. The author is technically skilled*, but it hardly seems important when each of the slice of life stories about suburban, middle-aged hippies seem to blur together in an unexciting mass. Of the ten stories, I'd say there might—and this is a strong "might"—be one that's worthy of a re-read. This book is utterly pointless unless you have the burning desire to glimpse into the life of a pyramid scheme rep, candlemaker, or widow hosting a garage sale.

*Side note: I wish authors would stop thinking it's trendy to not use quotation marks.

[Luce Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories are not really my preferred genre when I am choosing something to read. I chose this mainly because it was nominated from the Giller prize , and also because I knew her and her family as she was growing up. The quality, clarity and directness of her writing is truly outstanding. But for some reason, none of the stories seem to reach me emotionally. They are good stories, well written, and pretty well all of them revolve around characters who are somehow "broken". Most of the stories speak of loss and yet, for me, I could just now relate powerfully.

[Kathy Martens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories was my introduction to Sarah Salecky. As a writer myself, I find her style to be a delight: artfully chosen detail; full, engaging characters in quirky situations; and subtle, smart humor or should I say (humour) that is never delivered with open-mouthed winks. I've returned to these stories on multiple occasions when I'm having a hankering for quick bursts of craft that entertain and also inspire me to sharpen my observation skills and then take them to the writing desk.

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read the first story in the collection, didn't really like it or any of the characters, and then partway through the second story when I experienced the same thing, I gave up on it. I like short stories because usually you get a variety of stuff - some you like, some you don't - but sometimes, the stories have a certain sameness, and this struck me that way - a bunch of stories with unlikeable characters.

It's a Giller finalist, and I've found that I don't have a good track record with books that have been nominated or won Gillers. I often don't like them. This fits that mode.

[Judy Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't often read short stories, so this book was an unusual diversion for me.

The stories all showed a vignette of the lives of various people. Each main character was facing some sort of personal milestone or issue. I would have preferred a novel on each story. Each time I felt I was getting into the story, the story just ended. Few of the stories showed much resolution to the question the person was facing.

All in all, it's well written and deserved to be on the shortlist for the Giller prize.