This is a collection of short stories - but all linked to and interwoven with the life of one specific character, Yunior.

It's difficult to love Yunior; he doesn't seem to evolve much and treats those in his life (especially the rotation of women throughout the collection) quite poorly. But he has this sense of cheeky optimism that is endearing - and this shines through in the more haunting portraits of Yunior and his brother and parents.

I'm not sure if I would call these "love" stories. There are no happy endings here, and each story heavily features infidelity and machismo and the general mistreatment of women.

The language was both raw and effective. Yunior's got an incredibly well-defined voice. And the last short story, The Cheater's Guide To Love, where he finally owns his mistakes and accepts some responsibility for his challenging relationships, is by far my favorite.

CW: infidelity, cancer, adult/minor relationship, alcoholism, cursing, drug use, misogyny, chronic illness, fatphobia, racism, classism, grief, suicidal thoughts, sexual content