The book also displays a smart awareness of structure. The story, like the book, is thoughtful, funny and haunting, similar to those moments during sleep that you aren't sure are a dream, a nightmare, or a warped reflection of the day. With invisibility working on both the literal and symbolic level, suddenly a fantastic world comes right back down to our judgmental earth. You can go anywhere, unimpeded by the microaggressions of strangers." It lifts the tiny anvil of self-consciousness. As the narrator, Bea, explains, "No one looks at you, no one assesses you. The titular G is a drug that allows for literal invisibility. Ma gets right, both here and throughout her collection, the way that the absurd can highlight reality.Īnother early story, "G," is about the friendship between two women who immigrated as children from China. There's humor via the husband, who speaks in dollar signs, and the image of all the boyfriends piling into one car, but these ridiculous moments also expose how old relationships can weigh you down. "Bliss Montage" opens with "Los Angeles," a grim fairy tale of a woman who lives with her husband as well as 100 ex-boyfriends. Her new story collection, "Bliss Montage," is similarly insightful, showing readers the darkness of our time but delivering it with an astute approach that often becomes surreal. Ling Ma's award-winning first novel, "Severance," was a pandemic narrative written pre-pandemic.
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