A review by katie_greenwinginmymouth
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, by Z.Z. Packer

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There are short stories and there are π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘ . As in, some stories just happen to be short but then there are the best sort that are a whole other mode of writing entirely. This collection is without doubt one of the best examples I’ve ever read of the latter. They are the sort of short stories that strain at the seams with the unsaid and where meaning can be revealed in a flash with a carefully crafted sentence. They are never neatly resolved and often end in a way that will leave you thinking and needing to pause before the next story. Focusing mainly on the lives of young Black working class women (along with one brilliant story examining a father son relationship) the characters are complicated, nuanced and incredibly well written. They are often struggling to fit in and make their way in a structurally racist society. It’s real life and it’s messy and Packer drops you right in it. Highly recommended.
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