Women in Bed

by Jessica Keener

Jessica Keener’s extraordinary debut novel, Night Swim captivated readers with its eloquence, insight, and humanity. “This gripping first novel announces the arrival of a strong, distinct and fully evolved new voice,” said Jennifer Egan, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of A Visit from the Goon Squad. Sara Gruen, New York Times bestselling author of Water for Elephants called Keener, “An amazing new literary voice.”

Now Jessica Keener returns with this collection of nine stories that thematically address variations of love – love of self, family, and sexual relationships – from loneliness and isolation, desperation and rejection – to need and passion, forgiveness and, finally, to love found.

“Secrets” follows a young woman that gets involved with a female friend who pushes her boundaries around sex, love, and intimacy.

In “Papier Mache,” a college student who loses brother to suicide is grieving and gets entangled with a professor who is a critic and over-intellectualizes everything. The student challenges the professor and vice versa in a strange power dance with emotional fallout.

“Boarders” tells the story of a young college student who drops out to be with her narcissistic lover. She lives in grim boarding house with desolate, lonely men until she realizes that she must flee to find something better, healthier, more nurturing and loving.

“Woman with Birds in her Chest” involves a woman who leaves her social worker job and realizes she has never truly nurtured herself. Her ensuing breakdown puts her loving marriage to the test.

“Recovery” tells of a young woman in a hospital room who witnesses death, escapes her own, and comes to terms with life’s uncertainties and the unexpected power of sibling love.

In “Shoreline,” a woman leaves her husband, goes to a cottage on the beach, and has a flirtation with a client. She soon discovers that she must end her marriage before she can move on to find a new love.

In “Bird of Grief,” a grad student recovering from a broken relationship projects her anger and grief onto a new man, eventually coming to terms with letting go.

“Forgiveness” is a spare, stark story of two sisters, family violence, and the quest for forgiveness.

In “Heart,” a woman meets her lover in a Paris hotel room and goes through a cycle of anxiety, worry, and the expectation that things will not work out, only to be surprised by the goodness that emerges.

Poignant, surprising, funny and profound, and always perceptive and gorgeously written, Women in Bed is a rich collection of moving tales that will engage you from the first page.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Womens Fiction, Slice Of Life

154 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Her newest novel, Strangers In Budapest, was published November 2017 by Algonquin Books and named Best Book in November by Entertainment Weekly, Simple.com, and Chicago Review of Books, and selected as an Indie Next Pick for December. Keener is also a national bestselling author of Night Swim, a coming of age debut novel that deals with a family tragedy, set in Boston, 1970; and a collection of short stories, Women In Bed, whose nine, emotionally raw tales address love, separation, break ups, divorce, forgiveness, and the evolution of self within the context of relationships

Reviews

[Samadrita · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something morosely pleasant and tranquil about this collection of short stories, yet I cannot exactly put my finger on it. It could be in the writing which may not be very impressive or intact but flows wonderfully, nonetheless, and matches the general mood of the stories. Or it could be in the honest depiction of very true-to-life emotions and the noticeable absence of cliches. As standalones, none of the short stories (some of which are interlinked) may hold up to a closer scrutiny by a reviewer and may even bring to light certain glaring flaws. But as a whole, the collection works quite well as a commentary on the woes of the new-age woman.

I won't proceed to expound on the merits and demerits of the individual stories but the recurrent themes are that of alienation, isolation, love, family bonding, failed relationships, coping with loss, sexuality, independence and so on. A sense of incompletion is palpable in each one of the stories which merely symbolizes the quotidian tragedies of our mundane lives - the broken dreams and unfulfilled wishes that stir up some transient feelings of discontent every now and then but disappear somewhere in the vortex of routine-bound existence. Jessica Keener's women protagonists seem to be navigating the many challenges that life presents before them with courage yet an unobvious vulnerability and this is what makes the stories so easy to relate to.
One can also perceive a distinct Raymond Carver-ish feel in the stories, particularly in the dialogue which is sparse but tends to obfuscate more than it reveals.

All in all, definitely recommended. I look forward to reading more Jessica Keener in the future.

**I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

[John Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

After thoroughly enjoying Night Swim by Ms Keener, I had been long looking forward to reading these short stories. I like her writing style, she wastes few words to get her story across. There were some diverse and interesting stories, but in the end all were depressing. A pall hung over each story where mostly unhappy women were having a tough time finding anything resembling happiness or content in their lives. Maybe the last story just crossed the line, but it was a long time coming.

Interesting title as well, very little about women in bed, but sometimes they were. Not her best at all.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written with quiet emotion, Women in Bed by Jessica Keener is about women and their relationship involvements. Comprised of nine short stories, the author touches on a variety of situations and feelings that are totally relatable and realistic. I found myself attached to each story in this well-planned collection that runs the gamut of emotions, while not going over the top! Alone, each story is enjoyable, but I feel it is the “togetherness” in one book that truly brings out the flavor and quality of Ms. Keener’s smooth writing style. If you’re short on time, or ready to settle in for a while, Women in Bed is a good choice in Women’s Fiction without being overly flowery or too stark!

I received an ARC edition from The Story Plant in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: The Story Plant
ISBN: 9781611880755
Number of Pages; 160
Genre: Women's Fiction/Short Stories/Adult
Available From: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooh I'm the first ever to review! How exciting!

Honestly, this book finally feels like what I'm looking for/hoping for out of short stories. Each story feels complete. Even though there's more that could be said (and in several I wish there had been), I felt like each one gave a real snapshot into the life and head of the main character.

Each of them reads as a full length novel might, with poignant descriptions about details and thoughts and scenes, as opposed to glossing over these in favor of more flowery (and ultimately more empty) language.

But beyond that, I really felt something after reading these stories. Shoreline and Boarders in particular left me with a hollow so big it felt real.

They weren't all for me, but overall these stories left me with a sense of satisfaction I was beginning to think was simply impossible in the short story genre. Character development, reader investment, and a semblance of a plot - or, rather, actual complete stories - all in a few pages. Keener is definitely one to watch. Hands down my favorite collection of short stories to date.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided a free pre-published copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book contains nine short stories of women and their involvement in various relationships. I found it to be well written in that the stories quickly draw you in and you find yourself immersed and caring about what happens to the main character. But even more so, the characters were relatable. Keener did such a great job of describing emotions...self consciousness, love, fear, desire, jealousy...that as a reader I found myself thinking "Yep...been there". Not every story is necessarily happy but the book overall is positive and ends on a high note. I found it to be refreshingly more thought provoking and intelligent than some of the other material I have recently read that falls under the genre of women's fiction.

It's not a long read...seemed to go even faster given that they were short stories. Perfect read to take to the beach or to curl up with on a rainy day. Also works perfect in between other books when you're just not ready to get into something else longer.

I was also pleasantly surprised in the last story to find the way in which Keener drew some of the other earlier stories together with the final story. Having enjoyed this book, I do plan on reading her earlier novel Night Swim. I'm very interested to see the ways in which Keener is able to develop characters over the course of an entire book given her writing skills with these short stories.

[Mattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica Keener's ""Women In Bed" is a collection of nine beautifully written stories. If you wish to immerse yourself in stories that voice, loneliness, passion, sexuality, forgiveness, and love in its many colors, then you must put this book on your list of books to be read. Jessica has a very smooth style of writing in which you can feel yourself melding reality & fiction into a brilliant story. I was given an ARC by the publisher in return for an honest review. No compensation was received. My only disappointment was that there were not more stories to read. I highly recommend this book. I recommend "Night Swim" by Jessica Kenner.

[Suzy Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a pre-publication eARC from The Story Plant Publishers, via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.

I love compendia of short stories. I find them refreshing and neat. You know, literarily speaking, sometimes you don't want to sit down to a 4 course banquet, you want to sample a finely balanced degustation menu, complemented by fine wines and rounded off by sweet, bite-sized morsels that dance on your tongue. Well, that's what a collection of short stories is for me - a kind of High Tea for the soul.

Unfortunately, WOMEN IN BED Just didn't quite get there for me in the degustation stakes. It was good, and by that I mean more than good enough. The writing was solid and sometimes whimsical. However, the collection seemed rather directionless and empty to me.

A collection of nine short stories, about women, I was expecting depth and substance. However, what I principally felt from this collection was loneliness. I didn't connect particularly with any of the central protagonists, and I can barely remember any of the tales. There was no single character or circumstance that resonated with or for me.

I don't want to be too negative. The collection is solid and seems complete. There were enough stories in the collection - but, to keep my somewhat gastronomic theme alive - it was kind of like a Chinese meal. It's ok while you're eating it ... And it feels pretty satisfying at the time ... but you kind of feel empty an hour or two after you've finished and you want something more substantive and filling.

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

No question that this author has a beautiful and unexpected way with words. "I like the surefootedness of her voice." "Even the hallway of my building, which for a moment is cool and dark, grows hot. Nothing lasts. My apartment is roasting away. My cat is too tired to greet me." I have BEEN there (haven't we all?) in the enervating heat, when what seemed cool doesn't anymore, when there a despair and depression partly born of the heat, and of other things.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for sex or erotica, based on the title - beside a few brief mentions, there isn't any here. These women are in bed with a potential friend, with themselves and many different emotions, with a tube dripping chemotherapy into their bloodstream (those scenes are VERY real and vivid, which could be either cathartic, or triggering, if the reader has or has known someone going through this).

I didn't always like the main characters, and that was okay; I sometimes felt unsettled, and that was okay; my problem, if you can call it that, is I didn't feel a sense of deeper, united purpose or a take-away message. Maybe I am too dense to "get it," but I feel like I read nine well-written short stories, and... I'm somehow unsatisfied, like eating meringue cookies.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. "Women in Bed" is a new collection of short stories by Jessica Keener, author of "Night Swim." Short stories are not my usual fare and they are still fairly new territory to me but because I really enjoyed Keener's writing in "Night Swim," I thought that I would enjoy this book because of that and I was right!

Again, the star of this book is Keener's writing. She really had a tall order in creating really memorable characters in such a small amount of space. I love what she was able to do with some of the characters; some of them feel like people that you have known or could know in the future.

There were definitely some stories that I really liked more than some of the others. "Forgiveness," which a story about families and a sister relationship specifically. Keener wrote this story in a very stark manner and it is hard to describe but it almost made the story feel more powerful. I also really liked the story, "Boarders."

Most of these stories are not happy stories but they definitely make you think about some of the more difficult issues that we have to face or may have seen others have to face. Overall, this was a good collection of stories!

[Jeremy Greenfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

While many of the images and scenes in this work are competent in execution, there is little in the way of net result for the reader. And when there is a message, until the latter few vignettes, it's that life for attractive, young, self-aware women is boring at best and depressing at worst.



Maybe I'm not the right audience for this book. Maybe it would have a different effect on someone who could better relate with the main characters. I felt myself being annoyed by them on almost every page and not believing the world they inhabited on almost every other.



Is life really so hopeless for some women? Maybe it's the setting: Boston is truly a dreary place where I imagine little in the way of love of life happens compared to cheerier locales -- like New York or Kandahar.



Either way, this is a misfire by a talented author.


DISCLAIMER: I read the book on my kindle courtesy of NetGalley.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't normally read short stories, but thought this one might be interesting. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I expected. I didn't understand most of them. My favorite was "Woman with Bird in her Chest." Most of them felt incomplete and, to be honest, a little depressing.

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully evocative cover sets the tone for this haunting collection of nine short stories. I read WOMEN IN BED slowly, to savor impossibly beautiful sentences and story echoes that lingered for days. This is a book that should be re-read multiple times. Stunning on every level.

[Priscille Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keener's short story collection, Women in Bed, unveils her talent to reveal nuance. Her writing has such a palpable and vivid quality the reader will feel as if she has lived in the narrator's shoes -- or -- slept in her bed. A wonderful read, which I highly, highly recommend!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I was going to relish this beautiful book starting with the very first tale where Ms. Keener writes:

“Her eyes are grey speckled, smooth stones lying next to the sea. Her skin is pale and her hair curls back where it is not held back with barrettes. It reminds me of grass and wooden fences.”

I immediately felt my brain go “Ah…” sensing I might just be in the hands of a master writer.

Reading Keener’s anthology brought me back to the days long ago when I was obsessed with short stories. As I gradually moved over to memoir and personal essay writing, I’d forgotten how much I once loved the short story genre. Jessica’s prose is gorgeous and accessible. She seems to have a knack for unique transitions –one of my favorites can be found in her story “Recovery” when she writes, the horizon curved fifteen years back in memory--setting this reader on a dreamy tale back to her own long-ago memories of sleepaway camp and the freedom and fleeting beauty of childhood. I highly recommend and look forward to reading more of Ms. Keener’s work.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

[Annabel Krantz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I never quite know whether I like short stories or not. In some ways, I appreciate the snapshot-like aspect of the condensed story. On the other hand, I miss the extension, the detail, the closure of a longer, more resolved novel.

Jessica Keener's Women in Bed contains nine stories about women and the relationships they have; with other women, with their families, with their peers and their superiors. Keener's writing style is distinctive throughout; much of the time the writing is almost disjointed, and gives the impression that the reader is floating through life alongside the protagonists. It's a strange experience, much like I imagine being inside the head of a character might be like, all broken thought patterns and emotion. However, the broken exposition could be frustrating, as it often wasn't clear exactly what was happening - although, perhaps that was what was intended, as a nod to how we often don't know how to make sense of our thoughts and actions.

Sometimes I wonder if there are two kinds of writers; the storytellers and the photographers. Equally talented, but both writing a different story. Storytellers are masters of expanding a narrative and giving it a life of it's own. Photographers have the ability to capture a moment, or a period, in time; describing it in detail or with such truth that it is clear in the mind of the reader. A storyteller and a photographer could tell the same story in two completely different ways. Keener definitely seems more like the photographer-type.

While I still like my short stories a little more fleshed out, so as to get to know my characters more broadly, Keener's collection was an interesting read; not just in topic but in writing style. A tribute to women, Women in Bed is a more a more existential, emotional read - if that sound like your cup of tea, definitely try it!

http://annabelandalice.com/review-wom...

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite my English degree, I have embarrassingly little experience with reading a collection of modern short stories, especially in the form of adult female fiction. So when I dove into Women in Bed by Jessica Keener, I tried to stay keenly aware of how the length of each story shaped the characters' tales and my interpretation and enjoyment. That being said, I was surprised by how quickly I latched on to the staggering reality Keener so poignantly shares in mere pages.

Arguably, I think the weakest aspect of this collection is its title: Women in Bed. When I first heard the title, I was turned off, but it certainly caught my attention--a decent marketing strategy at least. And after reading these nine stories, I understand that what links them all together is that they each share the tale of a woman who, of course, is in bed at some point. But there's so much more depth to each situation and why she ends up in bed (alone or not) which is why I feel the title is lacking. It doesn't accurately capture the beautiful honesty Keener delicately weaves together.

There are many authors who don't take the risk to explore the truth deep below the surface of human nature, especially when it comes to love. It's an ugly, confusing, and often fearful place, and most people don't like to admit that it's there. But Keener exposes it from the very beginning, highlighting the unconventional and "unpretty" relationships, thoughts, and questions from within.

Women in Bed is a collection for readers in all stages of life because every person can find themselves mirrored back in at least one aspect of the stories, whether one is prepared to look or not.

[Kathy Cowie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessica Keener’s writing sparkles in this gem of a book. The stories flowed seamlessly from one to the other, with some recurring characters; so there were no jarring moments of one story ending and another beginning. I have seen some criticism of this book, mostly relating to the fairly grim depiction of some of the women’s lives, choices, etc. For me, that was not a problem. In fact, it was the kind of book, at least for me, where you can live for a while in someone else’s shoes, and then, with great relief, take them off and move on in your own. The only real problem I had with this book was that I wanted more; and honestly, 162 pages was not nearly enough. The characters were alive, their stories expressed in vivid detail. Despite their different circumstances, their individual stories were sometimes similar, emphasizing our often common experiences.

The description of this book includes a brief summary of each story in the book, which I have not really seen before in a book of short stories. If you are the type of person who needs that much information before jumping in, you can find it in the publisher’s notes. If you are like me, you will skip all that and dive right in. You might shed a tear, or share some frustration, but in the end, you certainly will not be sorry you opened this book.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew instantly that I wanted to Women in Bed: Nine Stories, from the description of the book in the first email newsletter I received from Net Galley: "...nine stories that thematically address variations of love, love of self, family, and sexual relationships. From loneliness and isolation, desperation and rejection to need and passion, forgiveness and, finally, to love found." I was drawn to the book with my curiosity piqued on what the stories would be like. So I read it. And I loved it. I loved how each story had an unique character whose emotions were so real and raw. It featured women whose motivations weren't easy to pin down, who had layers of complexity to them and a refreshing realness. Reading the stories was an emotional roller coaster, with tales of love that swooped and swelled while others of loneliness and detachment held grace with the unforgiving and uncomfortable reality of emotional plateau. I appreciated this book on so many levels. It is very powerful and gutsy; sharing both the dark and the light of true emotions with equal honesty. I highly recommend checking it out. 5 of out 5 stars.

[Paul Hile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Women in Bed, a collection of nine stories from the ever-brilliant Jessica Keener, is an honest, refined testament to the power of the short form. Keener introduces us to several women of different ages who are, at the same time, strong and vulnerable. Each page is seeped in yearning, making each woman’s internal and external struggle valuable and heartbreaking. Each story is rich with hope and despair, happiness and sorrow, and the juxtaposition between each is what makes this collection so good.

Keener develops characters that stay with the reader long after the book is finished. After reading Night Swim, Keener’s debut novel, the main character Sarah, a young Jewish woman living in Boston in the 70’s returned to me often. In Women In Bed, each woman and their story, in a remarkable way, whether you are a man or woman, holds true. And there in lies the power of Keener’s writing: Jessica posses the ability to write characters that transcend gender and age and hold true for all readers. Fear not, men: this collection is for you, too.

Having now published a novel and story collection, one cannot help but wait with excitement to see what Keener will write next.

[Paula Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Women in Bed was an interesting, but depressing read for me. I got a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review. I wasn't sure what to expect with the title, but I didn't expect the sad tales riddled throughout. My favorites were Boarders, Papier-mâché and Forgiveness. Each vignette, hit a different cord in me, but I had to stop readings or a bit. Despite the depth of sadness, I felt, the author was skilled enough to paint vivid pictures with words. I was able to visualize every scene. There were also treads of hope peppered throughout each story. Recovery was extremely sad, and I felt it ended too soon. I wish that Papier mâché was a bit longer, because I wanted to know more about the professor, and what became of her life. I loved the use of art Asa means to depict life. Even though I liked thie stories in this book, I know I can't read it again. It took me to a dark, depressive place I've worked long and hard to stay out of. Such is the power of the words written by Jessica Keener.

[JG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Women in Bed: Nine Stories is a collection of short stories where the universal theme is women. More specifically, each of the nine stories tackles a point in each of the the protagonists lives when they were at there lowest or when they were about to change something. There was a palpable sense of desperation in each tale. Not just because of what was going on in their lives but more specifically of the changes each of their decision has wrought. From dealing with the aftermath of losing someone to suicide to deciding on getting married after a series of failed relationships to thinking about ending a relationship or leaving a job that's taken 15 years of your life. Jessica Keener has crafted stories that makes the readers privy into each of the women's lives, each emotion felt through the pages. Their desperation, confusion, depression and sometimes that feeling of emptiness is conveyed very well by the author.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of "Night Swim," I knew I had to read Jessica Keener's newest, "Women in Bed." That she has an overly-talented writing angel perched on her shoulder is a plus, but it's the Jessica-ness of these nine stories that held me captive -- gutsy, unpredictable, stark, oh, and totally unforgettable.
"Night Swim" told me Jessica was a gifted writer. In this newest book, the gift remains but is accentuated by some of the finest storytelling I've ever read, lifting the short story to new heights.
The imagery -- "grainy stone of the bridge wall feels like a man's cheek" and "...rolled the last paper days of the calendar into weightless balls." Wondrous gems that float throughout these stories like wayward stars.
No cluttered style of writing here. Not too much prose, but certainly, oh, certainly, just enough. Read this book once and then read it once more. Some messages in here you will only see the second time around.

Joyce Norman
Author

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to read an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley because I loved Jessica Keener's novel Night Swim so much. I don't read a lot of short stories, but I knew I would probably enjoy them if Keener wrote them. I was not disappointed.

These stories explore a number of sensitive issues and situations. The characters were wonderful, and the stories stayed with me. I found myself wishing that Keener had not stopped with a short story. Keener is such a terrific writer, and I highly recommend these short stories.

[Erin Cashman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this beautifully written and evocative collection, Keneer looks at love in all of its incantations – friendship, romantic, and love of self. The adversarial relationships – a woman and her professor, a wife with a jealous husband – are particularly gripping. Each story is like a little gem, but together they weave a tale of heartbreak, jealousy, desire and hope.

[Bree · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really intrigued by the title of this book, and was curious to see exactly what it would be about. Ultimately, though, I was let down not able to connect with the stories or the characters in them.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mix of emotions will run thick in your veins as you read the different stories. I would not recommend this book for children. The author does an amazing job of getting the prose perfect for your eye pleasures.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Story Plant

[Bill Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my full review at my blog dedicated to literary fiction by female authors, Read Her Like an Open Book. http://wp.me/p3EtWm-bV

[Patricia Geller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved her book Night Swim. Well written and enjoyable to read.