First published 2006
Behind the closed doors of ordinary homes, families harbor secrets that threaten to explode. Christine Schutt's characters navigate the treacherous terrain of domestic life, where violence simmers beneath polite conversation and sexual tension crackles in unexpected places. A mother struggles with mental anguish while maintaining appearances. Children witness encounters they shouldn't see. Spouses circle each other with unspoken desires and buried resentments. These stories unfold in bedrooms, kitchens, and hallways where privacy dissolves and intimacy becomes dangerous. Schutt's characters move through their days carrying hope despite the darkness that surrounds them. They search for connection even as their relationships fracture. The author strips away the comfortable illusions of family life to expose the raw emotions underneath. Each story captures a moment when the carefully constructed barriers of domestic routine collapse, revealing the complex inner lives of people trying to love and be loved.
Genres: literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Period: 21st-Century
172 pages · Paperback · Mariner Books
Content warnings: domestic-violence, mental-illness