I've read quite a few short story collections in the last 12 months and The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans has been my favourite.

This collection includes six powerfully written short stories and ends with the titular novella. Every story is a strong one. This is a rare short story collection where none of the stories are duds.

The book has perfect pacing and superb characterisation. The stories are immersive and the length is just right. The ending to each story added some much weight to them. The endings aren't necessarily neatly wrapped up, but they all end with some kind of emotional climax.

The book is a moving look into the human condition and into race in American culture. I liked how the stories were set all over America, from Seattle, to New York, from Washington DC to Chicago.

It's hard to describe too much of the synopsis without giving the stories away, but I found the stories often took turns I wasn't expecting. The book explores how white ignorance harms Black people, it muses on who decides what makes it into the history book and what it means for those whose voices are erased.

A few of the stories are written with ambiguity. Danielle Evans doesn't tell the reader how they should feel or tell the reader who we should sympathise with.

The stories I thought stood out the most were 'Richard York Gave Battle in Vain', 'Boys Go to Jupiter' and 'Anything Could Disappear'. It's also hard not too include the novella as a favourite. I can think back on the ending now and still feel exactly how I felt when I was reading it.

This is a timely, thought-provoking book full of deeply realistic characters. Even if you're not a reader of short stories, you should read this collection.