A lot of the short story collections I’ve read lately have had more than a few stellar stories, but just had their overall rating affected by a few forgettable stories. Nonetheless if you enjoy stories about family dynamics, this might be a collection for you. Adaui explores Tolstoy’s notion that unhappy families are all unhappy in their own ways. The title of this book is perfect, as she demonstrates how little we can know about a family from the small part of themselves they display to everyone else. Beneath the surface lie simmering tensions, trauma, resentment. 

All the stories seem to fit into one of two categories - a whole life lived and remembered in fragments, or a singular episode of a life that lasts maybe minutes maybe a few days, but is remembered for a lifetime, defining moments.

One of my favourites was The Colour of Icebergs, detailing the deadly combination of boredom and repressed teenage emotions. ‘We cried seldom but felt a great deal’. But a middling rating overall as some of the stories I felt were too short to make an impact, or too many characters were crammed into too few pages, and it was hard to keep track. 

Thanks to the publisher for my free review copy!