Belated and Other Stories

The transforming power of love cripples hearts and minds in this dark, enigmatic collection from Taylor (Pillion Riders, Mother Country). In these 16 shorts, the author pierces the facade of everyday life to reveal isolation and helplessness. "Les Amantes" is a farewell to fidelity and sacred memory after a lover's death. In "Charlotte" a Jewish woman struggles against ghosts of conscience, need, and loyalty in post-World War II England. The dark fable "Take Care"%E2%80%94in which guests overrun a home%E2%80%94is reminiscent of the work of August Strindberg. A counselor's security is shattered by a patient in "Supporting Roles." What is not revealed in these tales is as dramatic as what is, with Taylor hinting at different and tantalizing narrative possibilities. These tales of longing, jealousy, and loss reveal the discomfiting effects of love on the mind, soul, and body.