Trailer Girl: and Other Stories

Rating:
Summary: energetic, mysterious -- and funny
Review: The published reviews focus on how dark this book is, and indeed it is dark. But you cannot escape the humor that peppers the pain and keeps the book afloat. The title novella contains abuse, sorrow and madness, but the characters are so full of life and devoid of self-pity that you are taken with them, while still maintaining an observant distance. Svoboda is a poet, and her language here is sharp and vigorous. Her tales are about family and loss, told with a sharp eye and a sharper tongue. Each is like a shot of espresso -- a brief but complete experience, which you savor in reflection. For anyone who values power and economy in their fiction, this book will be a treat.