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Brawler: Stories
One of our best American writers, Lauren Groff returns with a fierce new story collection, her first since the award-winning and bestselling
Florida
.
Each story in Lauren Groff’s electric collection is an individual triumph, bold, agile, and packed with power. They hum in exhilarating resonance. Ranging from the 1950s to the present day and moving across age, class, and region -- from New England to Florida to California -- these nine stories reflect and expand upon a shared the ceaseless battle between humans’ dark and light angels.
“In every human there is both an animal and a god wrestling unto death,“ one character tells us. Among those we see caught in this match are a young woman suddenly responsible for her disabled sibling, a hot-tempered high school swimmer in need of an adult, a mother blinded by the loss of her family, and a banking scion endowed with a different kind of inheritance. Motivated by love, impeded by the double edges of other peoples’ good intentions, they try to do the right thing for as long as they can.
Precise, surprising, and provocative, anchored by profound insight into human nature, Brawler reveals the repeated, sometimes heartbreaking turning points between love and fear, compassion and violence, reason and instinct, altruism and what it takes to survive. It is a timeless, stunning achievement from one of the very best short story writers working today.
Each story in Lauren Groff’s electric collection is an individual triumph, bold, agile, and packed with power. They hum in exhilarating resonance. Ranging from the 1950s to the present day and moving across age, class, and region -- from New England to Florida to California -- these nine stories reflect and expand upon a shared the ceaseless battle between humans’ dark and light angels.
“In every human there is both an animal and a god wrestling unto death,“ one character tells us. Among those we see caught in this match are a young woman suddenly responsible for her disabled sibling, a hot-tempered high school swimmer in need of an adult, a mother blinded by the loss of her family, and a banking scion endowed with a different kind of inheritance. Motivated by love, impeded by the double edges of other peoples’ good intentions, they try to do the right thing for as long as they can.
Precise, surprising, and provocative, anchored by profound insight into human nature, Brawler reveals the repeated, sometimes heartbreaking turning points between love and fear, compassion and violence, reason and instinct, altruism and what it takes to survive. It is a timeless, stunning achievement from one of the very best short story writers working today.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 24, 2026
197 people are currently reading
12937 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Groff
66 books7,301 followersLauren Groff was born in Cooperstown, N.Y. and grew up one block from the Baseball Hall of Fame. She graduated from Amherst College and has an MFA in fiction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Her short stories have appeared or are forthcoming in a number of journals, including The Atlantic Monthly, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, Hobart, and Five Points as well as in the anthologies Best American Short Stories 2007, Pushcart Prize XXXII, and Best New American Voices 2008.
She was awarded the Axton Fellowship in Fiction at the University of Louisville, and has had residencies and fellowships at Yaddo and the Vermont Studio Center.
She lives in Gainesville, Florida, with her husband, Clay, and her dog, Cooper.
Her short stories have appeared or are forthcoming in a number of journals, including The Atlantic Monthly, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, Hobart, and Five Points as well as in the anthologies Best American Short Stories 2007, Pushcart Prize XXXII, and Best New American Voices 2008.
She was awarded the Axton Fellowship in Fiction at the University of Louisville, and has had residencies and fellowships at Yaddo and the Vermont Studio Center.
She lives in Gainesville, Florida, with her husband, Clay, and her dog, Cooper.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
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February 12, 2026I’ve read 2 of Groff’s novels before and enjoyed them both immensely. She has a very particular way with words that I resonate with, and I’m happy, but not surprised, to say that that is just as true in her short fiction! These 9 stories were all powerful, memorable, and beautifully written.
Many of them deal with the intense range of human emotion, especially resiliency, and how women often have to fight to hold onto scraps of power and use that to gain some agency in their lives.
My favorites were “Annunciation,” “Brawler,” “Birdie,” “Between the Shadow and the Soul,” and “Such Small Islands” – but honestly there wasn’t a single story I disliked.
Thanks to Riverhead for sending me a copy of this a bit early! I am excited for more people to pick this up and read it when it’s out in a few weeks.
Many of them deal with the intense range of human emotion, especially resiliency, and how women often have to fight to hold onto scraps of power and use that to gain some agency in their lives.
My favorites were “Annunciation,” “Brawler,” “Birdie,” “Between the Shadow and the Soul,” and “Such Small Islands” – but honestly there wasn’t a single story I disliked.
Thanks to Riverhead for sending me a copy of this a bit early! I am excited for more people to pick this up and read it when it’s out in a few weeks.
February 25, 2026
If you've been following me for a while, then you know my love for Lauren Groff is nothing new. Lauren is truly one of the greatest writers in modern times and her works are masterpieces.
Her works always make their way onto my top reads of the year list so needless to say Brawler was my most anticipated read of 2026.
I just loved this collection and even though I enjoyed all the stories, my absolute favorites were:
- The Wind
- To Sunland
- Under the Wave
- Annunciation
After finishing the novel, I listened to the audiobook which the author reads. Lauren did an amazing job narrating and bringing these stories to life. If you decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend this format!
Brawler by Lauren Groff was published on February 24 so it’s available now. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio and Riverhead Books for the gifted copies!
Her works always make their way onto my top reads of the year list so needless to say Brawler was my most anticipated read of 2026.
I just loved this collection and even though I enjoyed all the stories, my absolute favorites were:
- The Wind
- To Sunland
- Under the Wave
- Annunciation
After finishing the novel, I listened to the audiobook which the author reads. Lauren did an amazing job narrating and bringing these stories to life. If you decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend this format!
Brawler by Lauren Groff was published on February 24 so it’s available now. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Audio and Riverhead Books for the gifted copies!
Read
February 19, 2026Nine great stories in this third collection from Lauren Groff - with a long almost novella sized one in the middle (What's the Time Mr Wolf) which was probably my favourite. But there were lots of others to love too: To Sunland where siblings have recently lost their mother and the daughter is taking the son to live in a home, and Brawler about a girl who dives and cares for her mother. It's hard to find a linked theme (and that's the joy for me of this collection), but perhaps what goes on beneath the surface of families. My husband and I read them to each other.
Thanks to Penguin for this proof.
Thanks to Penguin for this proof.
December 28, 2025
Nobody needs me to tell them Lauren Groff is good with words, but…y’all, Brawler is SO GOOD. I hadn’t read these stories before, and they’re all singularly wonderful. Together, they feel like we got removed from where we are and placed under Groff’s skin as she swims as a means to write. One of the greatest gifts of this book comes at the very end: Groff gives us what she was feeling or thinking about while writing each story. Not what they’re about, but what lives in her that necessitated that story being written.
Short story collections can be difficult to talk about as a whole, but if I had to boil this down, I would say these stories are about crossroads. Very Large or deceptively small moments in lives where everything changes for one reason or another. My favorites were The Wind, Between the Shadow and the Soul, To Sunland, Brawler, and Annunciation. I dare you to read this and not have to choose over half the stories as favorites 🤣
Short story collections can be difficult to talk about as a whole, but if I had to boil this down, I would say these stories are about crossroads. Very Large or deceptively small moments in lives where everything changes for one reason or another. My favorites were The Wind, Between the Shadow and the Soul, To Sunland, Brawler, and Annunciation. I dare you to read this and not have to choose over half the stories as favorites 🤣
August 7, 2025
I genuinely don't know how Lauren Groff does it--how each of her books are so different from each other, yet she still never misses.
The age-old advice is to write what you know, and, looking at Groff's notes at the end of Brawler, it appears many of the stories in this collection originated from one small idea taken from her life. She takes those tidbits and fashions a whole world around them in a few short paragraphs. Yes, that's what writers do, but I've read so many authors who repeat themselves in their work. Every protagonist is a writer or every story takes place in the same small town or every conflict is caused by a crotchety old man who is set in his ways. Every story of Groff's, however, is wholly original.
A throughline in this collection seems to be violence against women--specifically violence perpetrated by a man, often in domestic situations. We see a mother taking her children and fleeing from an abusive husband, another mother living with her daughter in a van so they can always stay one step ahead of the man that almost killed her, and a man who stalks his ex-lover in increasingly intrusive and violent ways.
Following that pattern, you'd expect the titular Brawler to be male, but she's female--a teen diver who is essentially raising herself and her hypochondriac mother. In passing, it's mentioned that she abandons swimming for diving after too many instances of brushing the crotches of her male teammates in the pool. "Most of the boys hadn't complained, some had even slowed down as they passed, but it took only one whiner, and then she was forced to switch to diving," Groff writes.
I found it interesting that the one story without an abusive male figure in fact contains a sexually abusive *female* figure, and Groff names the book after her. I look forward to when the book comes out to see what reviewers make of this and if Groff is asked about it in any interviews. That's the disadvantage of reading a book before its release--you want to talk about it but you're forced to remain patient.
The age-old advice is to write what you know, and, looking at Groff's notes at the end of Brawler, it appears many of the stories in this collection originated from one small idea taken from her life. She takes those tidbits and fashions a whole world around them in a few short paragraphs. Yes, that's what writers do, but I've read so many authors who repeat themselves in their work. Every protagonist is a writer or every story takes place in the same small town or every conflict is caused by a crotchety old man who is set in his ways. Every story of Groff's, however, is wholly original.
A throughline in this collection seems to be violence against women--specifically violence perpetrated by a man, often in domestic situations. We see a mother taking her children and fleeing from an abusive husband, another mother living with her daughter in a van so they can always stay one step ahead of the man that almost killed her, and a man who stalks his ex-lover in increasingly intrusive and violent ways.
Following that pattern, you'd expect the titular Brawler to be male, but she's female--a teen diver who is essentially raising herself and her hypochondriac mother. In passing, it's mentioned that she abandons swimming for diving after too many instances of brushing the crotches of her male teammates in the pool. "Most of the boys hadn't complained, some had even slowed down as they passed, but it took only one whiner, and then she was forced to switch to diving," Groff writes.
I found it interesting that the one story without an abusive male figure in fact contains a sexually abusive *female* figure, and Groff names the book after her. I look forward to when the book comes out to see what reviewers make of this and if Groff is asked about it in any interviews. That's the disadvantage of reading a book before its release--you want to talk about it but you're forced to remain patient.
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
All I need to know about Lauren Groff's new short story collection is that it's a collection of short stories by Lauren Groff. Always a sharp observer of human nature and often a cutting one, Groff has become one of the most exciting writers working today. Whether she's dissecting a complicated marriage while exploring the mysteries of perspective or walking right up to the edge of the mystical in a 13th-century convent, she finds a way to speak to the present moment by saying something timeless and deeply original. I don't know what will happen in these short stories, but I know what they will be about: humanity in all its messy, fascinating wonder. —Rebecca Joines Schinsky
All I need to know about Lauren Groff's new short story collection is that it's a collection of short stories by Lauren Groff. Always a sharp observer of human nature and often a cutting one, Groff has become one of the most exciting writers working today. Whether she's dissecting a complicated marriage while exploring the mysteries of perspective or walking right up to the edge of the mystical in a 13th-century convent, she finds a way to speak to the present moment by saying something timeless and deeply original. I don't know what will happen in these short stories, but I know what they will be about: humanity in all its messy, fascinating wonder. —Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Read
September 28, 2025Another amazing collection from one of our greatest living writers. The brilliance and complexity of these characters and stories unfurl with complete radiance. Groff is an exceptional short story writer and really gets you to think about the characters, their predicaments, their lives. Everything she writes feels real and true to life. She covers a lot of ground in this collection, moving through different historical periods to our modern era, but always manages to convey her protagonists at the apex of something profound happening in their lives, a moment of no return. Groff is a wonder.
Advanced digital galley provided by Riverhead/Netgalley, exp. pub date: Feb 24, 2026
Advanced digital galley provided by Riverhead/Netgalley, exp. pub date: Feb 24, 2026
February 26, 2026
Lauren Groff for me is one of the finest explorers of landscapes. The finnese & subtle differences in her work comes from the facts that the landscapes that she is painting are either
Primal ( Vaster Wilds), Social ( Matrix) or
Psychological ( Fates &Furies)
Brawler for me stood out as an amalgamation of all these 3 & what a fine one at that
It's a rare occasion when the build up of each story completely grasps your attention & that ending renders out an audible gasp
I absolutely loved each one of these 9 stories, many of which have been published in NYT over a period
As a mother though 'Under the waves' will always stay close to my heart. While - The Wind, What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? & Annunciation will stay etched in my mind forever
The Wind - Fierce - A propulsive story about a mother's efforts to escape from a life of domestic violence
Between the Shadow and the Soul - Midlife crisis - Focuses on the stirring desires of middle age
To Sunland - Gritty - Young Joanie navigates through misogyny of her small town while taking hard decisions for her disabled brother
Brawler - Transcendent - Captures the animalistic survival instincts of high school swimmer, Sara as she navigates thru her mother's illness
Birdie - Cathartic - A group of friends confront their darkest shared secrets
What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? - Haunting - You have to read it to find out that ending
Under the Wave - Nurtural - The beautiful ways in which a mother finds closure
Such Small Islands - Formative - Examines the complexities of childhood
Annunciation - Layered - A powerful coming of age story centered on a woman finding her own path
Groff's writing is very evocative, cinematic with vivid description of flora and fauna with delectable prose
The range of themes this collection explores from domestic violence, masculinity, grief, power, privilege makes this is a top notch one
It's a must read
Thank you @penguinrandomhouse for the review copy
Primal ( Vaster Wilds), Social ( Matrix) or
Psychological ( Fates &Furies)
Brawler for me stood out as an amalgamation of all these 3 & what a fine one at that
It's a rare occasion when the build up of each story completely grasps your attention & that ending renders out an audible gasp
I absolutely loved each one of these 9 stories, many of which have been published in NYT over a period
As a mother though 'Under the waves' will always stay close to my heart. While - The Wind, What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? & Annunciation will stay etched in my mind forever
The Wind - Fierce - A propulsive story about a mother's efforts to escape from a life of domestic violence
Between the Shadow and the Soul - Midlife crisis - Focuses on the stirring desires of middle age
To Sunland - Gritty - Young Joanie navigates through misogyny of her small town while taking hard decisions for her disabled brother
Brawler - Transcendent - Captures the animalistic survival instincts of high school swimmer, Sara as she navigates thru her mother's illness
Birdie - Cathartic - A group of friends confront their darkest shared secrets
What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf? - Haunting - You have to read it to find out that ending
Under the Wave - Nurtural - The beautiful ways in which a mother finds closure
Such Small Islands - Formative - Examines the complexities of childhood
Annunciation - Layered - A powerful coming of age story centered on a woman finding her own path
Groff's writing is very evocative, cinematic with vivid description of flora and fauna with delectable prose
The range of themes this collection explores from domestic violence, masculinity, grief, power, privilege makes this is a top notch one
It's a must read
Thank you @penguinrandomhouse for the review copy
February 16, 2026
BRAWLER
Lauren Groff
Thank you @riverheadbooks for the ARC and @prhaudio for the ALC
Lauren Groff can WRITE A SHORT STORY NOW. This book is Good, capital G. She hits all the emotional highs and lows a reader could ask for, creates tension with precision, and does this wonderful thing with the light and the dark sides of the soul I really appreciate—all the glimpses of something dark in the shadows, the vast black depths her characters sense just out of sight. I love that.
There are some stories here that blow it all the way out of the water for me. Mostly, the book opened up terribly strong, one, two, three, and ends on a perfect note. I LOVED “Between the Shadow and the Soul” and “Annunciation.” Only in the middle did I sense a little drag and find two I did not care for (“Under the Wave” missed for me), but there’s still, of course, a strength and a clarity of expression you can always expect from Groff.
As a punk, I could quibble about a word choice here and there that took the breath out of some of her otherwise LUSH sentences, but no one really cares; they are few and far between.
A thought I had: “FLORIDA” really summed up that entire book for me. Here, I kept having to really stretch to make these majority-previously-published stories all cohere in a way that made the entire book as strong as I expected. Did they fit under its title as some sort of umbrella or run along the thread of “Brawler?” Maybe. We apparently aren’t allowed to discuss authors’ new works in light of their previous award-nods and winners, though, so I guess scrap that!
Pretty weak and unnecessary criticism there, anyway. If you’re looking for a very good book to read, this is one of ‘em.
Lauren Groff
Thank you @riverheadbooks for the ARC and @prhaudio for the ALC
Lauren Groff can WRITE A SHORT STORY NOW. This book is Good, capital G. She hits all the emotional highs and lows a reader could ask for, creates tension with precision, and does this wonderful thing with the light and the dark sides of the soul I really appreciate—all the glimpses of something dark in the shadows, the vast black depths her characters sense just out of sight. I love that.
There are some stories here that blow it all the way out of the water for me. Mostly, the book opened up terribly strong, one, two, three, and ends on a perfect note. I LOVED “Between the Shadow and the Soul” and “Annunciation.” Only in the middle did I sense a little drag and find two I did not care for (“Under the Wave” missed for me), but there’s still, of course, a strength and a clarity of expression you can always expect from Groff.
As a punk, I could quibble about a word choice here and there that took the breath out of some of her otherwise LUSH sentences, but no one really cares; they are few and far between.
A thought I had: “FLORIDA” really summed up that entire book for me. Here, I kept having to really stretch to make these majority-previously-published stories all cohere in a way that made the entire book as strong as I expected. Did they fit under its title as some sort of umbrella or run along the thread of “Brawler?” Maybe. We apparently aren’t allowed to discuss authors’ new works in light of their previous award-nods and winners, though, so I guess scrap that!
Pretty weak and unnecessary criticism there, anyway. If you’re looking for a very good book to read, this is one of ‘em.
February 26, 2026
4.25/5
Brawler is the third short story collection from Lauren Groff. I’ve read every collection in addition to three of her novels and enjoyed them all. In a sea of writers, there’s something distinctly unique in Groff’s writing that I always look forward to reading.
Brawler consists of nine short stories along with a brief explanation for each. The audiobook is lovingly narrated by Groff herself. I enjoyed every single story in this collection but several stood out more powerfully and the are:
“Between the Shadow and the Soul”
“Birdie”
“What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?”
“Annunciation”
Brawler is the third short story collection from Lauren Groff. I’ve read every collection in addition to three of her novels and enjoyed them all. In a sea of writers, there’s something distinctly unique in Groff’s writing that I always look forward to reading.
Brawler consists of nine short stories along with a brief explanation for each. The audiobook is lovingly narrated by Groff herself. I enjoyed every single story in this collection but several stood out more powerfully and the are:
“Between the Shadow and the Soul”
“Birdie”
“What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?”
“Annunciation”
December 11, 2025
4.5 stars. Gorgeous as always. Lauren Groff cannot write things I don’t love. Half of the stories were 5 stars for me: beautiful from start to finish. I lingered on lines that pummeled me. Two of the stories made me weep. The other half were also great but didn’t hit me as hard - probably because they didn’t relate as closely to my own personal troubles. My least favorite story was the one in the middle that was 80 pages. It was great but too long to be considered a short story, in my opinion. To sum up: Love her. Will always love her. Shower me in Lauren Groff’s words for eternity. Too much? 😂
August 30, 2025
what’s the time, mr wolf? is an all-timer, very bee sting vibes
November 26, 2025
I remain amazed by Groff's talent. As someone who has only recently gotten into short story collections (as in, over the last few years), I find that the right collection can resonate just as deeply as a full length novel.
The title story in here was my favorite. It was an absolute knockout - completely gutting. Everything else was hit or miss.
I'd still recommend picking this up, especially if you're hoping for something you can read a little of, here and there.
The title story in here was my favorite. It was an absolute knockout - completely gutting. Everything else was hit or miss.
I'd still recommend picking this up, especially if you're hoping for something you can read a little of, here and there.
February 26, 2026
Brawler is everything we love and expect from Lauren Groff. God-tier writing that tackles difficult subject matter yet is still palatable. The only story I had trouble connecting with was “What’s the Time Mr. Wolf?” Otherwise, loved it.
February 9, 2026
Five enthusiastic stars. I listened to the audio and I’m so glad I did. I think I gasped at the end of the last story. I will definitely be getting the hard copy of the book and rereading.
February 10, 2026
Two great ones in the middle (“Birdie,” “What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?”) and the rest were ok
February 25, 2026
“grace is a gift undeserved, yet given anyway.”
October 29, 2025
* thanks to Riverhead for the NetGalley review copy (pub date: February 24, 2026)
Loved this - review TK
Loved this - review TK
January 23, 2026
Brawler is a bold collection of nine short stories exploring human nature.
Groff focuses on themes of obsession, belonging, loneliness, and the extremes that we're pushed to in life-altering moments. Connecting all stories is an underlying tension and different forms of violence against women thus getting very bleak at times.
Standouts were 'The Wind', 'Birdie' and 'What's the time, Mr. Wolf?'.
Groff focuses on themes of obsession, belonging, loneliness, and the extremes that we're pushed to in life-altering moments. Connecting all stories is an underlying tension and different forms of violence against women thus getting very bleak at times.
Standouts were 'The Wind', 'Birdie' and 'What's the time, Mr. Wolf?'.
February 25, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In this pale apartment on another continent, where I have come to be alone now, I’ve been waking to my surprise into brightness and peace, marveling that beauty could come so suddenly after such deep and (I believed) permanent shadow.
Brawler
Annunciation
Lauren Groff
•
Despite having bowed out of sharing everything I read here, I did promise to share great finds. And of course it is no surprise that Lauren Groff’s upcoming Brawler (due out 2/24) is in that category.
•
Groff does not need accolades from me, but it is so comforting when a beloved author lives up to the bar we set for them. I think her talent surpasses many contemporary writers because it really knows no bounds. Whether it’s a novel, historical fiction or short stories, she always nails it.
•
I fell in love with her debut, The Monsters of Templeton and I still think it’s my favorite, but she is always reinventing herself. I listened to her read her last short story collection, Florida, and adored the way she delivered her own words. The same is true with Brawler, it is read by Groff, and she is in an elite group of writers who can also read their own works effectively.
•
I am a reader who normally struggles with the short story format - as a lover of tomes I always feel like I’m left wanting more. Not the case with Groff - every single story here is a complete work unto itself and I felt a connection to the settings and the characters.
•
Groff’s writing is never flowery but it is exquisite, and she is able to build characters who we understand and care about and then weave contemporary stories around them.
•
I have been vocal about the fact that I’ve been incredibly let down by new releases over the last year - it is one of the reasons I stepped back here - no one wants reviews of classics and backlist on IG. Brawler was the first new release in eons that I craved getting back to and I was sorry when it ended.
•
This will be on shelves 2/24 and it has a huge endorsement from this picky reader. And thank goodness Groff is young and has years of writing ahead!
•
Thank you @prhaudio @riverheadbooks for my early copy!
Brawler
Annunciation
Lauren Groff
•
Despite having bowed out of sharing everything I read here, I did promise to share great finds. And of course it is no surprise that Lauren Groff’s upcoming Brawler (due out 2/24) is in that category.
•
Groff does not need accolades from me, but it is so comforting when a beloved author lives up to the bar we set for them. I think her talent surpasses many contemporary writers because it really knows no bounds. Whether it’s a novel, historical fiction or short stories, she always nails it.
•
I fell in love with her debut, The Monsters of Templeton and I still think it’s my favorite, but she is always reinventing herself. I listened to her read her last short story collection, Florida, and adored the way she delivered her own words. The same is true with Brawler, it is read by Groff, and she is in an elite group of writers who can also read their own works effectively.
•
I am a reader who normally struggles with the short story format - as a lover of tomes I always feel like I’m left wanting more. Not the case with Groff - every single story here is a complete work unto itself and I felt a connection to the settings and the characters.
•
Groff’s writing is never flowery but it is exquisite, and she is able to build characters who we understand and care about and then weave contemporary stories around them.
•
I have been vocal about the fact that I’ve been incredibly let down by new releases over the last year - it is one of the reasons I stepped back here - no one wants reviews of classics and backlist on IG. Brawler was the first new release in eons that I craved getting back to and I was sorry when it ended.
•
This will be on shelves 2/24 and it has a huge endorsement from this picky reader. And thank goodness Groff is young and has years of writing ahead!
•
Thank you @prhaudio @riverheadbooks for my early copy!
February 26, 2026
Thank you so much to Riverhead Books for gifting me this brand new release from an all-time favorite! It’s OUT NOW!
Lauren Groff is such an astounding talent. “Matrix” is one of my favorite books of all time, but I’ve never read anything by Lauren (and I believe I’ve read everything) that didn’t leave me contemplative, inspired and better than before I read it. On top of her novels, she truly is one of our great short story writers. I think short stories are difficult to get “right” because how do you write meaningful and impactful characters who feel real while also managing to distill a message or plot in a way that feels successful or fully formed. In every single one of these nine stories — she does that. We explore marriage, domestic violence, seeds of malice, privilege and more in a collection that spans time and experience.
My favorites in the collection were “The Wind”: it has difficult subject matter but resonated with me deeply and “Such Small Islands”: both shocking and upsetting, and full of emotion under the surface. The longest story (borderline novella) was “What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?” which was an exploration of privilege, how it shapes those who hold it for better or worse and the difficult nature of rising above it in a meaningful way.
The book includes brief mentions at the back of what inspired or was happening for the author when she wrote them and the audiobook is narrated by her as well, a treat! Highly recommend this for short-story newbies and seasoned fans alike, and her work in general!
Lauren Groff is such an astounding talent. “Matrix” is one of my favorite books of all time, but I’ve never read anything by Lauren (and I believe I’ve read everything) that didn’t leave me contemplative, inspired and better than before I read it. On top of her novels, she truly is one of our great short story writers. I think short stories are difficult to get “right” because how do you write meaningful and impactful characters who feel real while also managing to distill a message or plot in a way that feels successful or fully formed. In every single one of these nine stories — she does that. We explore marriage, domestic violence, seeds of malice, privilege and more in a collection that spans time and experience.
My favorites in the collection were “The Wind”: it has difficult subject matter but resonated with me deeply and “Such Small Islands”: both shocking and upsetting, and full of emotion under the surface. The longest story (borderline novella) was “What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?” which was an exploration of privilege, how it shapes those who hold it for better or worse and the difficult nature of rising above it in a meaningful way.
The book includes brief mentions at the back of what inspired or was happening for the author when she wrote them and the audiobook is narrated by her as well, a treat! Highly recommend this for short-story newbies and seasoned fans alike, and her work in general!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
@riverheadbooks #gifted me of one of my most anticipated read of 2026, 𝑩𝑹𝑨𝑾𝑳𝑬𝑹 𝒃𝒚 𝑳𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒇!
I was able to add the audio of this book thanks to the generosity of @prhaudio and having the author read her work was an added joy.
This short story collection takes what I love about Groff's writing and compresses it somehow into powerful stories, each leaving me slackjawed. I have loved getting lost in the lyrical prose of her longer novels, but short stories must, by design, push that storytelling into a concise form with just as much punch, which happens here. I kept expecting the "next" story to pull back a bit from the emotional edge, just because they can't possibly all be at that level, but they each left me with an audible exclamation of genius.
The Wind. Generational effects. Women will know it.
Between the Shadow and the Soul. What is it that stirs new life in middle age?
To Sunland. I may have choked up with this tale.
Brawler. The depths of a diver's world.
Birdie. Final confessions.
What's the Time, Mr. Wolf? Poor rich boy.
Under the Wave. A rescue?
Such Small Islands. Sweet, innocent children.
Annunciation. True story.
Each one brilliantly captures a human quality of grayness, and in prose that I will read over and over again. Literary fiction in fine form. Every 🌟
I was able to add the audio of this book thanks to the generosity of @prhaudio and having the author read her work was an added joy.
This short story collection takes what I love about Groff's writing and compresses it somehow into powerful stories, each leaving me slackjawed. I have loved getting lost in the lyrical prose of her longer novels, but short stories must, by design, push that storytelling into a concise form with just as much punch, which happens here. I kept expecting the "next" story to pull back a bit from the emotional edge, just because they can't possibly all be at that level, but they each left me with an audible exclamation of genius.
The Wind. Generational effects. Women will know it.
Between the Shadow and the Soul. What is it that stirs new life in middle age?
To Sunland. I may have choked up with this tale.
Brawler. The depths of a diver's world.
Birdie. Final confessions.
What's the Time, Mr. Wolf? Poor rich boy.
Under the Wave. A rescue?
Such Small Islands. Sweet, innocent children.
Annunciation. True story.
Each one brilliantly captures a human quality of grayness, and in prose that I will read over and over again. Literary fiction in fine form. Every 🌟
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to Riverhead for the arc
I’m going to lean into the hyperbole here because it’s earned: Groff just dropped a legendary collection. How does this not have one miss? No cliches, no easy morality plays, just a master at work observing human nature while shining a light into those uncomfortable grey spaces most of us spend our lives trying to ignore.
Groff grabbed me first at the sentence level. There are so many exquisite lines that stopped me in my tracks, forcing me to put the book down just to breathe (I told you all, I’m leaning into it - but honestly, I felt like I had a lump in my throat reading every story). But the real sorcery is how she pairs that lyricism with a heart-pounding urgency and fully realized characters. I found myself turning pages with the frantic energy usually reserved for a thriller (and yes, there is at least one story that leans fully into that genre’s shadow 👀), but the thrill and excitement for me came from the language and the nuance..
Intensity and urgency are created in moments that range from quiet heartache to unflinching violence (in all its forms). Every character in Brawler is vibrating at the cusp of a transformation. The character ending up somewhere unexpected, a person revealing a core that isn't what you anticipated, or the narrative voice itself shifting under your feet, every story reflects this volatile idea of change.
These stories are urgent, yet layered with a deep nuance. This collection gave me what I’m always looking for, but rarely find: work that touches both the mind and the heart in equal measure.
I’m going to lean into the hyperbole here because it’s earned: Groff just dropped a legendary collection. How does this not have one miss? No cliches, no easy morality plays, just a master at work observing human nature while shining a light into those uncomfortable grey spaces most of us spend our lives trying to ignore.
Groff grabbed me first at the sentence level. There are so many exquisite lines that stopped me in my tracks, forcing me to put the book down just to breathe (I told you all, I’m leaning into it - but honestly, I felt like I had a lump in my throat reading every story). But the real sorcery is how she pairs that lyricism with a heart-pounding urgency and fully realized characters. I found myself turning pages with the frantic energy usually reserved for a thriller (and yes, there is at least one story that leans fully into that genre’s shadow 👀), but the thrill and excitement for me came from the language and the nuance..
Intensity and urgency are created in moments that range from quiet heartache to unflinching violence (in all its forms). Every character in Brawler is vibrating at the cusp of a transformation. The character ending up somewhere unexpected, a person revealing a core that isn't what you anticipated, or the narrative voice itself shifting under your feet, every story reflects this volatile idea of change.
These stories are urgent, yet layered with a deep nuance. This collection gave me what I’m always looking for, but rarely find: work that touches both the mind and the heart in equal measure.
July 29, 2025
I felt every emotion imaginable reading these short stories, and I loved every second of it. It was full of so many aspects of the human experience. Hunger. Rage. Trepidation. Depression. Vengeance. Unrequited love. Jealousy. Each story holds a special place in my heart as Groff’s writing reached inside myself and spoke to me through each character.
I don’t share many life experiences with them, but each of them were somehow relatable. I know nothing of marriage like in Between the Shadow and the Soul, but Eliza’s representation of disappointment after attempting to build yourself from the ground up was, personally, palpable. Chip, in What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?, also especially told a story close to me with his tactile insecurity and indecisiveness.
I’m not writing this to pour my heart out but rather talk about Groff’s weaving of little bits of darkness within each work. Little bits of darkness that everyone can see within themselves. This book is for people exploring moments of, frankly, crappy times in their lives that are worth reminiscing about to gain perspective and grow.
Or maybe not. Don’t take my word for it; maybe I’m just cynical. Please read this collection so you can see for yourself. You won’t regret it (I think).
I don’t share many life experiences with them, but each of them were somehow relatable. I know nothing of marriage like in Between the Shadow and the Soul, but Eliza’s representation of disappointment after attempting to build yourself from the ground up was, personally, palpable. Chip, in What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?, also especially told a story close to me with his tactile insecurity and indecisiveness.
I’m not writing this to pour my heart out but rather talk about Groff’s weaving of little bits of darkness within each work. Little bits of darkness that everyone can see within themselves. This book is for people exploring moments of, frankly, crappy times in their lives that are worth reminiscing about to gain perspective and grow.
Or maybe not. Don’t take my word for it; maybe I’m just cynical. Please read this collection so you can see for yourself. You won’t regret it (I think).
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Lauren Groff is one of our greatest living American literary fiction writers, hands down. Reviewers and critics everywhere would sign their names to that statement. Therefore, when something new comes out from her, it must be read even if it is a group of short stories. I’m not a big fan of short stories. But I loved this.
Brawler is a collection of nine short stories (some shorter than others) with the theme of what I call “me and myself”. Each story has a person struggling with the good or bad, the hard way or the easy way, turn the other cheek or burn the house down. They are human and relatable and thought-provoking. Lauren Groff at her best. I can see one of these short stories becoming as read and studied as The Lottery, The Yellow Wallpaper , or The Story of an Hour. I’ll let you decide which one for yourself. 5 very easy stars.
Thanks to Riverhead Books, Penguin Random House Audio, Lauren Groff (author), Edelweiss, and Libro.fm for providing an advance digital copy and advance listening copy of Brawler (narrated by the author). Their generosity did not influence my review in any way.
Brawler is a collection of nine short stories (some shorter than others) with the theme of what I call “me and myself”. Each story has a person struggling with the good or bad, the hard way or the easy way, turn the other cheek or burn the house down. They are human and relatable and thought-provoking. Lauren Groff at her best. I can see one of these short stories becoming as read and studied as The Lottery, The Yellow Wallpaper , or The Story of an Hour. I’ll let you decide which one for yourself. 5 very easy stars.
Thanks to Riverhead Books, Penguin Random House Audio, Lauren Groff (author), Edelweiss, and Libro.fm for providing an advance digital copy and advance listening copy of Brawler (narrated by the author). Their generosity did not influence my review in any way.
February 12, 2026
Brawler includes nine stories about suffering, survival, failure, and resilience. These 269 pages include some of the realest characters I've come across. I found it nearly impossible not to feel their pain.
My favorite story in the collection was Birdie, a story about a group of women reuniting around their friend's hospital bed. Their pasts are complicated and their lifelong friendships not as bright and shiny as they might want to believe.
As a former competitive swimmer, I appreciated Brawler, a story about an isolated teenager who juggles the responsibilities of caring for her mother with competitive diving. And I loved learning that Lauren Groff and I both recited poetry to ourselves while swimming laps in our youth.
If you're able to endure a bit of heartache, I'd definitely recommend grabbing a copy of this book. If you're feeling a bit more sensitive right now, it might be best to save this one for a warm, sunny day.
My favorite story in the collection was Birdie, a story about a group of women reuniting around their friend's hospital bed. Their pasts are complicated and their lifelong friendships not as bright and shiny as they might want to believe.
As a former competitive swimmer, I appreciated Brawler, a story about an isolated teenager who juggles the responsibilities of caring for her mother with competitive diving. And I loved learning that Lauren Groff and I both recited poetry to ourselves while swimming laps in our youth.
If you're able to endure a bit of heartache, I'd definitely recommend grabbing a copy of this book. If you're feeling a bit more sensitive right now, it might be best to save this one for a warm, sunny day.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 - I didn't enjoy the stories in the latter half of this collection quite as much, but the first half stunned me over and over again. I've been deeply distracted lately but I could pick up any one of the first five stories from where I'd left off and instantly fall right back in love with Groff's clear-eyed prose and the stunning insights of her characters. There's a lot about...maybe not parenting, but caretaking in these stories - who gets to be made caretaker in which strange and difficult situations, and how does the balance of power get knocked off kilter by all the tragic or mundane or mundanely tragic events and situations that humans find themselves in. Oh, our strange and terrible and lovely lives, and the all the fraught connections we make, and how they break us.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
An arresting collection of stories that meditates on different forms of power and how humans wield it against one another. The characters, settings, and time periods are diverse, but every story—and one full length novella—depicts a fundamental struggle between our better natures and the hard realities of life. These stories operate with an incredible economy of words, making the depth and forceful nature of the characters’ emotions all the more impressive. There’s not a single one I didn’t enjoy, and some that I had already read elsewhere, but “To Sunland” stood out to me because it’s based on a real place with a complicated history that’s still standing in my hometown, where the author currently resides. I listened to an advanced copy of the audiobook, which is narrated by the author herself, and it was such a treat. This will be one of my top reads of the year.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
3.5 stars. I do not read many story collections but Florida is one of my favorites of all time so of course I was going to read a new collection from Groff. This didn't grab me as much as I would have liked, more of a mixed bag, but this is one of those things where because it's Lauren Groff even on a bad day it's miles above almost anyone.
This collection certainly feels like a collection. Maybe too much. In each story terrible things happen or are about to happen or have happened already, every story feels like a response to trauma in different ways. After a while, I admit, it wore on me. Even if each story is poignant and beautifully told, it started to make me feel a little beaten down. It reflects the world we live in perhaps a little too well.
This collection certainly feels like a collection. Maybe too much. In each story terrible things happen or are about to happen or have happened already, every story feels like a response to trauma in different ways. After a while, I admit, it wore on me. Even if each story is poignant and beautifully told, it started to make me feel a little beaten down. It reflects the world we live in perhaps a little too well.
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