Brawler

I am in deep love with short story collections lately, and Lauren Groff, one of my all-time favorite writers, has produced a beautiful collection here. She is at the top of her game, and this collection swings from Southern Gothic in “To Sunland,” where a teenage girl is in charge of her disabled brother, to “Birdie,” as four girlfriends sit at the deathbed of one of their own and confess the worst thing they’ve ever done. Hint: someone broke up a marriage when she was younger. One of my favorites is “What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?,” where we follow the alcoholic son of a wealthy family as he hides in their Maine estate, doing odd jobs and trying to keep his shiz together post-rehab. It’s a jewel, and all of them pack such a punch that a mere 30-page story can send you reeling through multiple generations and themes.