Elaine Pruett

Claire Keegan’s new story collection is a masterful demonstration of her ability to move the reader in a few short pages. As in her earlier two books, Small Things Like These, and Foster, her new collection she examines the role of women in Irish culture. Through the eyes of her characters, she quietly questions how persistent attitudes toward women and girls shape the lives of not only the women but the people around them. In the title story, one man reflects on his failed relationship with a moment of clarity. He remembers a cruel joke his brother played on his mother years ago. It is this incident and others like it that has influenced his actions and left him alone. Keegan is a treasure, and I hope to continue to read her books for years to come.