Get in Trouble by Kelly Link

I use my lunch break at work for a variety of things unrelated to work – because that’s what it’s for. This includes things like reading NPR. Educational AND fun, right? Well, we can add envy inducing to that list. For what it’s worth, I eat lunch at 1pm MST (which is 3pm EST, if you don’t feel like calculating it). And it happened about 10 minutes in to my lunch period.

To give you some background into my little fit of envy, I recently read Kelly Link’s wonderful collection of short stories Get in Trouble. Beginning with “The Summer People”, a story of two teenage girls who serve as caretakers to a house full of mysterious and magical creatures, this short story collection was at turns strange, funny, ironic, and brilliant. There are a few that I didn’t love, but as a whole, I really enjoyed it. In addition to “The Summer People”, “Two Houses” ( a story of ghosts and astronauts) and “Secret Identity” (a 15 year old from a small town attempts to meet a man she met online, whom she’d been lying to) round out my favorites. The stories cover the weird (as in the formal use of the word) side of life, but a very human side as well – teenage angst, ex-lovers, jealousy, longing. It’s very good and I’d recommend it for just those stories I mentioned above, though all are at least decent (and most exceed even that). And if I haven’t quite convinced you, just ask…

…Meg Wolitzer.

That’s right. At 3:10 EST time, Meg Wolitzer posted a glowing review of Kelly Link’s Get in Trouble on NPR’s website. On one hand, I love that one of my favorite authors is promoting this quirky set of short stories. On the other, one of my favorite authors is promoting this quirky set of short stories – and I cannot compete with that sort of stellar reviewing. Given the fact that I spent the morning thinking about how to sell you on these stories – saleswoman I am not – reading her eloquent opinion was like a bucket of cold water on my already wavering desire to write…anything. Lesson learned: You do not sit down to write a review of a book right after inadvertently stumbling upon Meg Wolitzer’s review of said book – because my review will never come close to the delightfulness of hers. I’m okay with that. She references Billie Holiday. I cannot pretend to be able to top that.

So if you can’t trust me. Trust Meg.

Has one of your favorite authors ever reviewed a book on the same day you planned to? Because what are the odds…?

Pair this one with Pop Tarts. Of the homemade variety if you can manage it. “Ophelia? I need to sleep. And then, if you want, we can talk. You can even stay here while I sleep. If you want. I don’t care if you’re a lesbian. There are Pop-Tarts on the kitchen counter.”

*I received a review copy of this collection in exchange for my honest opinion.