Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It

Almost all her characters are maladjusted, but in no way nefarious: lawyers, Montana residents, adulterous spouses, affluent and idiosyncratic older women, women in their youth who are close to their fathers in nice as opposed to creepy ways, and various mixtures thereof. They are people who act illogically, against their own best interests by taking advantage of those that care about them the most, later they submit themselves in a blind pursuit for those they desire. Exaggerated overtures of romance and knowingly setting in motion situations they'd rather avoid. Meloy's prose is so clear, calm and intelligent that the characters behavior becomes strikingly easy relatable. I admire the author's cautious reigning in of the plot because it manifests itself surprisingly not in the way she plots stories, which is boldly, but in how she chooses to reveal her plots, delivering shocking twists in as low-key manner as possible. I found myself delightfully saddened at each of the stories endings. So much unfinished business, but I did not find myself resentful due to the absence of a neatly packaged ending,. I instead found myself admiring her bravery for allowing her stories to mirror the quotidian of unfinished business experienced by all those who suffer through the basics of human interaction and including the most intimate relationships. I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in deep character analysis without the distraction of a superfluous plot.

A wonderful collection of short stories by a writer at the peak of her form. The writing is spare, all the characters are brilliantly observed, and there is hilarious dialogue, too. Each story is odd and startling in its own way. You'll want to whip through this book, but don't. It's best read slowly so you can savor the language and nuance.

These stories will make you think as well as tug at your heartstrings. There is something in all of them that goes far beneath the surface of universal human truths. It's funny because the ages of the people range from just out of their teens to their 50's or so, though most are 30 or 40 something's, all of them are relatable however. You can feel for the 20 something farm hand falling for a slightly older woman just as much as you do for the middle aged couple contemplating the state of their marriage and where to go with it. I can't help comparing Meloy's story collection to Elizabeth Strout's short stories "Olive Kittridge". (Strout won the 2009 Pulitzer for fiction). Strout's characters are many different ages but mostly the perspective is looking back through Olive's eyes from somewhere in her 60's. Meloy's folks are looking ahead to what might be, possibilities, Strout's look back and try and make sense of how their past is shaping their present and how it's impacted their current array of choices. Both Meloy and Strout have immense insights and lovely moments of interaction that comes after tension, as if the sun broke through clouds and suddenly there's a realization that life doesn't have to be so complicated. Both authors write beautifully and with few words they create an evocative atmosphere that is their's alone. Last week I finished Meloy's debut story collection `Half in Love' and even in 2003 Meloy had a distinct voice and lots to say. Her work has a sweetness whereas Strout can cast a slightly menacing milieu that makes you dread a little to keep reading. They both have a delicious sense of humor as well though, even through the sadness, Meloy's is a lighter touch.

This is my first exposure to the work of Maile Meloy, but if my enjoyment of this collection of short stories is any indication, I think I have just found a new favorite author! Speaking literarily, Meloy must be a Hydra or something. How else to explain 11 stories of acutely observed characters, graceful prose and achingly naked insights, each distinctly different in tone and approach? Each story is a complete reality explored in the most poetic, economic language I've encountered since Truman Capote, plus she possesses a way with regional detail that rivals Carson McCullers. Some stories, like "Spy vs. Spy" will make you laugh out loud, while others, like "Travis B." will blindside you and won't be aware of your eyes tearing up until the words have become too blurry to read. The chilling "The Girlfriend" is like Stephen King if Stephen King could write. I can't remember when I've enjoyed a book more or been as unhappy to come to the end.

This one's as solidly stunning as her first collection, Half in Love. Few flashy plot points, zero flashy sentences, but a confidence in the telling so acute that the characters' lives stay with you for a long time. Meloy GETS people, and she gets the West the way few writers do--the comfort and anxiety of slow open spaces, the barreling toward progress and development and peopled places not inconsistent with the ache for untouched land. This is by far the best collection of shorts this year.