Despite being a huge fan of Aimee Bender's short story collecions, the reviews for this book almost put me off. Instead I finished this book feeling like I was a richer, that I'd gained a new friend and that, frankly, the other readers were missing the point.

There ARE answers in this book.

There ARE reasons given for the poignant moments.

And there IS still just enough mystery to keep you thinking on it all when the book is finished.

I won't say anything else other than the language here is amongst the best I've read in modern fiction of late. At some point when I was lost inside this story of an unassuming young girl who watches her family come unhinged in a silent sad way, that some authors inspire me to read, others inspired me to write. Aimee Bender makes me want to do both in a completely manic fashion.