From Publishers Weekly
In these very brief stories, Agee ( Houses ) strives for a nonchalant tone. She introduces emotionless characters referred to as "the body," "the mother," "the father," "the doctor sister," or "the lawyer sister," who remain distinct despite their namelessness. Titles borrowed from hit songs underline Agee's subject matter: "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Stop Loving Me," "Cupid," "Just Your Friend," "You Belong to Me," etc. References to popular culture abound: a father sits in the living room watching one soap opera while his daughter watches another in the bedroom; a man, compelled by information gleaned from Marvel and DC comic books, goes to the woods to meet creatures from outer space; the widow, two ex-wives and innumerable lovers of a suicide wonder where he committed the act, turning their bereavement into a game of Clue. In a few longer pieces, such as "Private Lives" and "Someone Else to Love You," Agee establishes motivation more firmly and displays a gratifying sensitivity, even if characters here evince the same flipness as their counterparts in the less rewarding stories.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"In story after story, the mask drops away from gentility, and we come face to face with the truth. These stories are beautiful because of their courage: there is nothing they are afraid to say."
