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Storyknife
A Paperback Original
A sharply constructed, death-defying story collection that dismantles the myths of white America, revealing race, class, and gender as fictions that can be taken apart and remade
In his first story collection in fifteen years, Jess Row evokes white America—specifically liberal, educated white Northeasterners—awkwardly and hilariously poised on the precipice of cultural and global collapse.
In “The Empties,” a woman questions whether the writing skills she acquired at liberal arts college can be useful in the face of apocalypse. In “Summer Song,” a chorus of bourgeois voices sings out its privileged discontent. “Reading Group Guide” satirizes book-club chatter with questions that veer from the absurd to the obscene. Each story turns a lens on its own machinery, exposing the quiet politics encoded in literary convention. Using surgical precision, biting irony, and formal experimentation, Row pierces through the stories white America tells itself—and the narrative structures that make them seem natural, inevitable, and true.
Storyknife is a funny, troubling, indelible look at a culture whose rituals and expectations are dissolving into thin air.
A sharply constructed, death-defying story collection that dismantles the myths of white America, revealing race, class, and gender as fictions that can be taken apart and remade
In his first story collection in fifteen years, Jess Row evokes white America—specifically liberal, educated white Northeasterners—awkwardly and hilariously poised on the precipice of cultural and global collapse.
In “The Empties,” a woman questions whether the writing skills she acquired at liberal arts college can be useful in the face of apocalypse. In “Summer Song,” a chorus of bourgeois voices sings out its privileged discontent. “Reading Group Guide” satirizes book-club chatter with questions that veer from the absurd to the obscene. Each story turns a lens on its own machinery, exposing the quiet politics encoded in literary convention. Using surgical precision, biting irony, and formal experimentation, Row pierces through the stories white America tells itself—and the narrative structures that make them seem natural, inevitable, and true.
Storyknife is a funny, troubling, indelible look at a culture whose rituals and expectations are dissolving into thin air.
- GenresShort Stories
240 pages, Paperback
Published August 11, 2026
About the author
Jess Row
17 books72 followersJess Row is an American short story writer and novelist. He attended Yale University and later taught English in Hong Kong for two years before completing his M.F.A. at the University of Michigan in 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 24, 2026
Had high expectations and even suffered reading it a second time to see if I missed something that I should've caught the first time. I think the intention was great, but the delivery fell short.
August 16, 2026
A collection of short stories that play on modern day occurrences. Clever in how they portray the mundane I found myself chuckling at the way situations are described. Overall I enjoyed the stories. Even if I’ll forget most of them by next week, I was entertained while reading.
Thank you eccobooks for the book and harperaudio adult for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you eccobooks for the book and harperaudio adult for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
August 21, 2026
Storyknife is an ambitious and sharply constructed collection that examines storytelling itself while exploring the cultural assumptions, contradictions, and social structures surrounding contemporary American life. Jess Row uses metafiction, irony, experimentation, and traditional storytelling techniques to create stories that continually question the boundaries between author, narrator, character, and reader.
What makes the collection particularly compelling is the way its stories examine race, class, gender, privilege, representation, and the narratives people construct about themselves. Rather than simply presenting these themes, Row frequently turns the machinery of storytelling itself into part of the subject, creating moments where characters and narrators become aware of the stories they are participating in. The result is intellectually challenging while still retaining a strong sense of humor and literary playfulness.
Readers who enjoy literary fiction, experimental fiction, metafiction, contemporary short stories, social commentary, and books that challenge conventional narrative structures should find Storyknife especially rewarding. Its focus on the stories people tell about culture, identity, privilege, and themselves also gives it strong potential for literary discussion groups, book clubs, creative-writing communities, and readers interested in formally adventurous fiction. Kirkus Reviews similarly highlighted the collection's inventive approach to storytelling and described it as a brilliantly conceived and executed work.
What makes the collection particularly compelling is the way its stories examine race, class, gender, privilege, representation, and the narratives people construct about themselves. Rather than simply presenting these themes, Row frequently turns the machinery of storytelling itself into part of the subject, creating moments where characters and narrators become aware of the stories they are participating in. The result is intellectually challenging while still retaining a strong sense of humor and literary playfulness.
Readers who enjoy literary fiction, experimental fiction, metafiction, contemporary short stories, social commentary, and books that challenge conventional narrative structures should find Storyknife especially rewarding. Its focus on the stories people tell about culture, identity, privilege, and themselves also gives it strong potential for literary discussion groups, book clubs, creative-writing communities, and readers interested in formally adventurous fiction. Kirkus Reviews similarly highlighted the collection's inventive approach to storytelling and described it as a brilliantly conceived and executed work.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Storyknife is a book of short stories, mostly a day-in-the-life of your average urban hipster type, or upper class mommies/suburban upper class, and one with a post-apocalyptic feel. I didn't really enjoy them. I didn't hate them, but I didn't see the point of any of the stories. Not funny, not sad, not mind-bending, nor inclined to make me muse on the particulars, or pine for anything, or reflect on anything profound. They just reminded me of stories that one might write, if one were in class, and one was directed to write a short story for the teacher or receive a big fat "zero" in the grade book for that day. I feel like the stories said, "Here. I was bored, so I wrote something. You can have it. I don't want it." My feeling while reading it was, "Yeah, that's OK. I don't want it either." **This book was provided free to me, but all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The author writes very well on some out of the normal subjects.. especially liked the short story about the lack of supplies, food, housing in the best of the ending world. Also the story about the quilt maker and her remaining relations.. hard to think relatives would be that uncaring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2026
Put it down. Picked it up. Twice. Some stories were good. A couple others were wordy for the sake of being wordy.
goodreads-book-wins
July 30, 2026Thank you goodreads for this ARC
September 8, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and Ecco for the ebook. A very funny and perceptive book that tackles American privilege in its various forms with microscopic insight.
September 20, 2026
I wasn’t very into it.
This was a Goodreads giveaway.
This was a Goodreads giveaway.
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October 30, 2026Interesting ideas and situations but we just didn’t click.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews