Shimmer

by Alex Pugsley

In ten vividly told stories, Shimmer follows characters through relationships, within social norms, and across boundaries of all kinds as they shimmer into and out of each other’s lives.


Outside a 7-Eleven, teen boys Veeper and Wendell try to decide what to do with their night, though the thought of the rest of their lives doesn’t seem to have occurred to them. In Laurel Canyon, two movie stars try to decide if the affair they’re having might mean they like each other. When Byron, trying to figure out the chords of a song he likes, posts a question on a guitar website, he ends up meeting Jessica as well, a woman with her own difficult music. And when the snide and sharp-tongued Twyla agrees to try therapy, not even she would have imagined the results.

Genres: Short Stories

224 pages, Paperback

Published May 17, 2022

Reviews

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well...that was blunt, profane, in-your-face storytelling. Some of these stories flew right past me, but others (particularly the story of Twyla) hit the mark with great intensity. There's a lot of sewer language here (it's relentless), and I have to admit it became very tiring for me after a while.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, great read for when you are trying to get back into reading but don’t want to commit to a full book. The short stories are all amusing and engaging!

[Rick Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best collections I've read this year.

[Hailey Masterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that make reference to my favourite Toronto intersections ❤️

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are uneven, but overall I found the collection very refreshing. Twyla is an incredible character and she deserves her own novel - I would love to read it. I also found the story of online romance very relatable - something similar happened to me (no spoilers, but it is sad how big impact a computer malfunction can have on our love life).