Where the God of Love Hangs Out: Fiction [Paperback]

Amy Bloom is a great writer. Period. She, in this reviewer's opinion, is perfection. Every word is just right, every character someone you could know. And one feels privileged having been allowed to breach the forcefield of her imagination.

WHERE THE GOD OF LOVE HANGS OUT is an often funny, always awe-inspiring journey into the lives of very different American families who experience the common traumas of life, such as aging and death. Throughout the eras, we see these families growing up and growing apart, falling in love, cheating, and learning to live with --- and without --- one another. Every moment is authentic, genuine and utterly unique. Bloom's quiet mastery of her craft takes us into the heart of a group of human beings who will feel like members of your own family by the time the last page is turned.

One such group is best friends Claire and William. William is an overweight bon vivant with a penchant for cigars, comfort foods and said best friend. Although they are married to kind, attractive and doting people, their attraction to each other gets the best of them, and they launch a full-fledged infidelity attack during a late-night movie viewing. Their affair continues for some time, despite both of them having what seems like very loving marriages. Eventually, they extricate themselves from their marriages and come together only to find out that happily isn't really ever after. Do they deserve what they get? Is there any hope for a relationship created on lies and deception? There are no judgments here, no aspersions cast --- Bloom just offers the emotional parameters that define their choices and allows the reader to make their own decisions about the consequences.

This is just one of the stories in this book and perhaps the one that will cause the reader less distress than any other. One such tale, for example, concerning the truly shocking but understandably emotional responses to death that brings a woman and her stepson unnaturally close, has repercussions that last well beyond their simple home life.

Bloom doesn't pick her battles; rather, she presents situations and allows the characters to play out their responses to them in their own ways. None of them act in a manner most would expect, and yet all of their actions make sense given the sensory clues Bloom chooses to pepper throughout her stories.

WHERE THE GOD OF LOVE HANGS OUT has a beautiful Magritte-like cover of cherries and a natural setting that shows storm clouds on a horizon. From front cover to back, this collection of stories will blow into your life and stay with you long after the literary storm is over.

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

I love Amy Bloom and as such own all of her previous books. So I was a little annoyed when I realized that three of stories in this book had been previously published in Come to Me and Even a Blind Man can See How Much I Love You. I understand collecting things previously published in magazines, but in other books makes me nuts. I buy a lot of books and don't need to buy anything twice. That being said - the stories are lovely - managing to convey romance, regret and a sense of the miracle of life all at once. If you haven't already read her other collections this one is certainly worth it.

Amy Bloom reached the bestseller list with her novel "Away", the strange but fascinating tale of a young Jewish woman 100 years ago who decides to cross a continent alone in search of her missing daughter. This new book is a collection of short stories that are linked by several sets of characters. In that regard, this collection resembles "Olive Kitteridge", the pulitzer prize winner from Elizabeth Strout. It's similar writing insofar as Amy Bloom has the complete skill set- beautiful style, deep and memorable characters, brilliant exploration of human relationships. Warning, these stories involve intense situations of loss, love, longing, and survival, and it is too much to absorb at one sitting- the book should be read over several days in small doses. It's also not for fans of Patterson or Dan Brown, because you have to get very involved in it and go slow. But it is very rewarding. I would definitely read whatever Bloom puts out. Bloom teaches creative writing at Yale University.