by Amy Stewart
First published 2016
Inside an old apartment tower that stretches toward the sky, residents live their separate lives behind thin walls and curtained windows. The woman who shares her space with Jupiter the cat watches the world from her unit. Down the hall, a man tends his collection of succulents. On another floor, a single mother navigates daily life with her young child. Their individual stories unfold within the same structure, each person carrying experiences that remain hidden from the others. Through glimpses past hanging curtains and moments in shared hallways, these neighbors exist in proximity but isolation. The building holds their distinct narratives, each life moving in its own direction while surrounded by others doing the same. Stewart reveals how strangers can live so close yet remain mysteries to each other, finding connection in the simple recognition that everyone carries untold stories.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, found-family
Setting: Apartment Tower
Period: 21st-Century
56 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform