Shine/Variance

Shine/Variance is a debut short story collection by Sarah Moss that captures the tiny crises and wonders of daily life with warmth, wit, and clarity. It explores the longings, frustrations, and painfully human connections of ordinary people, and is praised for its assured originality and freshness.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 01 July 2021
Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Shine/Variance is a captivating debut short story collection by Sarah Moss that delves into the unspoken fears, longings, and loves of ordinary people. With a sure-footed delicacy rare in a debut author, Moss weaves together a series of startling, adventurous, and often wonderful stories.

The collection opens with a wife yearning to escape the tight-fisted confines of a package holiday, while a boy dreams of footballing greatness as his mother mourns a loss. A man tries to assemble an absent child's playhouse, with impossible instructions and too much beer. A woman seeks clarity from automated voices, while a father is distracted from Christmas tree shopping with his son by the looming pressure of quarterly sales targets.

Through these diverse characters and their struggles, Shine/Variance captures the tiny crises and wonders of daily life with warmth, wit, and decisive clarity. Ordinary people, commuters, call center workers, children, and parents, strive for stability while craving more, and the schism between expectation and reality is only rarely bridged. Yet, amidst the faltering, recognition, and bright moments of hope, their days are still illuminated.

The stories in Shine/Variance are fresh, tender, and darkly funny, offering a window into the longings, frustrations, and painfully human connections of ordinary life. Moss's writing is characterized by her ability to evoke emotions and create vivid imagery, making the reader feel deeply connected to the characters.

The collection has received widespread praise from critics, with many hailing it as a remarkable debut. John Boyne, for example, described it as the most powerful new collection he has read in some years, praising Moss's writing for its brilliance, compelling nature, and ferociously funny moments.

Stephen Walsh, in his review for the Irish Times, praised Shine/Variance for its "sharp and insightful debut short story collection about the pitfalls of ordinary life." He noted that Moss's characters are "fully realized and convincing," and her writing is "full of assured originality and freshness."

Bernard MacLaverty, in his review for the Guardian, praised Shine/Variance for its "brilliant bats, staggeringly compelling, and ferociously funny" writing. He also noted that Moss's characters are "complex and nuanced," and her writing is "full of wit and insight."

Overall, Shine/Variance is a must-read for anyone who enjoys short stories that explore the human condition with warmth, wit, and depth. Sarah Moss's debut collection is a promising sign of a talented new writer, and we can expect to see more of her work in the future.

Weight: 246g
Dimension: 137 x 214 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781784744205