4.5 stars. Some of these stories are hard to read. A lot of them are funny in a heartbreaking way. All of them speak a truth. Although I found some of the stories/characters repetitive, I understand that these short stories were written and published at different times, so compiling them into one book was bound to produce some recurring motifs. "Best Features," "Requiem for a Glass Heart," and "North Country" were among my favorites.