Back Talk
Stories
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
“Beautifully crafted . . . the sentences in these stories are living and seamless, as if Lazarin had run her hand over them until they became smooth and gleaming with the evidence of her touch.” —Carmen Maria Machado, The New York Times Book Review
From an award-winning writer, a stunning collection of stories about women’s unexpressed desires and needs, and the unexpected ways they resurface
In “Floor Plans,” a woman at the end of her marriage tests her power when she inadvertently befriends the neighbor trying to buy her apartment. In “Appetite,” a sixteen-year old grieving her mother’s death experiences first love and questions how much more heartbreak she and her family can endure. In “Dinosaurs,” a recent widower and a young babysitter help each other navigate how much they have to give—and how much they can take—from the people around them.
Through stories that are at once empathetic and unexpected, these women and girls defiantly push the boundaries between selfishness and self-possession. With a fresh voice and bold honesty, Back Talk examines how narrowly our culture allows women to express their desires.
“Deceptively quiet but packs a powerful punch . . . The best collection I’ve read in years, from a phenomenal new talent.” —Celeste Ng
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lazarin's exceptional debut collection digs deep into the lives of women, telling complex stories of loss, hope, and joy. In "Hide and Seek," a young mother aims to give her two daughters a happy childhood by moving them to the suburbs, only to discover the dangers that stretch into their new neighborhood. "Lovers' Lookout" concerns a newly single woman in San Francisco, who meets a man while out on a run and toys with the idea of sleeping with him. "American Men in Paris I Did Not Love" takes a clever structure each section focuses on one man who lusts after the story's protagonist to spin a tale detailing the strain of long-distance relationships. In "Floor Plans," a friendship forms between two women as one tries to buy the other's apartment, leading to a struggle for power. Equally effective are Lazarin's narratives about adolescents. The title story, one of the collection's shortest, powerfully conveys the experience of seeing a moment of youthful pleasure transform into a gossiped-about scarlet letter, while in "Gone," two teens create a list of girls in their neighborhood who have died as they face their own struggles with boys and school. Lazarin's work is confident and exhilarating; this auspicious collection is uniformly excellent.
