A review by natalieba
Games and Rituals by Katherine Heiny

emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I am so happy to have read an early copy of Games and Rituals by Katherine Heiny. I loved Early Morning Riser and really enjoy reading short stories, so I had high hopes for this collection. I was not disappointed! I think I enjoyed reading every single story, which must be some kind of new record for me - that never happens. I particularly enjoyed the first story (Chicken Flavored and Lemon Scented) about a woman whose job is to test new drivers for their licenses (yikes!) as well as the story titled 561, which is both humourous and heartbreaking - something I've found Heiny executes so well. All of her characters are so real - they all have flaws (many have LOTS of flaws - ha!), but all are sympathetic or relatable in some way. And her side characters are just a delight, which was something I really enjoyed about Early Morning Riser. I can't wait for others to pick this up and will be recommending it to all my short-story-loving friends. 
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