Incendiary Girls

The 11 stories in Scheer's debut collection cover similar territory%E2%80%94magical realism, disease and the human body%E2%80%94and most are based in contemporary settings, but all are told in remarkably varied voices. The Grim Reaper type character relays the title story, where as a second person narrative propels "When a Camel Breaks Your Heart," and in "Salt of the Earth," the collective first person describes a small town infected with a virus that makes everyone fall in love with each other. Though this breadth of voices is refreshing, not all of the stories are entirely successful. Scheer is at her best when she sneaks in the fantastical elements, scattering bizarre episodes scattered in everyday settings and using these elements fantastical to reveal her characters' emotional states. These characters suffer from health problems, competitive relationships with their relatives, lovers who abandon them, and missing spouses, but their belief in the bizarre and magical allows them to cope. When she slips into pure magical realism, as is the case with "Salt of Earth," the story falters despite its delightful premise. (Apr.)