A review by maxgardner
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by Z.Z. Packer

dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This collection has some standout stories for sure—Brownies, The Ant of the Self, Geese, Doris is Coming—but as a whole, I wasn't moved by most of them. I know the short story form is unique and not always meant to be satisfying the way a novel is, but with quite a few of Packer's stories, I was left wondering, "What was the point?" Unlikeable characters, awkward pacing, strange narrative choices that don't really amount to anything meaningful. I don't think I'd revisit most of these again.