Fast review of a fast read. I’ve been trying to give short story collections a better go. I have always loved short stories, but sometimes they get lost behind the larger-scale worlds of their full-length siblings and I end up neglecting them. I decided to rectify that during one of my recent library trips by picking up a couple of short story collections. First on my list to read was the shorter of the two, Jordan Harper’s Love and Other Wounds.

According to his dust jacket bio, Mr. Harper is a producer and writer for the Gotham television show. I haven’t seen the series, so I don’t know whether this is good or bad. I do know that his short story collection is a little bit of both. All of the stories are dark, which I typically like. Some of them are exceptional for their imagery or their inventive plot deviations. Others are kind of okay, while some left me feeling distinctly apathetic.

I suppose that’s not a terrible review. Truth is, if you’re looking for something to keep you company on a flight or a cold winter evening when you’d rather just stay in, then this cavalcade of characters could provide you with what you seek. Just be sure that you enjoy dark topics.

Final Verdict: Not a terrible way to pass time, but not really a book that demands revisiting.