The Two of Us

Unlike the fabulist stories in Page’s last book, Paradise and Elsewhere, the short stories in this collection are firmly rooted in realism and focus almost exclusively on the confusions, heartbreaks, joys, and daily doldrums of domestic relationships. Page’s characters stand at the forefront of her collection; they are not always likable, but they are a superb reflection of the middle class. The standout stories include “The House on Manor Close,” which follows a family of three very different sisters and how they interact with each other and their quirky, garden-obsessed parents, first as children and later as adults; “The Right Thing to Say,” about a couple on their way to find out whether the wife has a debilitating illness; “Johanna,” in which a man abandons his lover and their newborn son; and “Northern Lights,” about a couple whose pending move from England to Canada exposes the true nature of their life together. Though the stories tread no new literary ground, they are so expertly crafted and hold such keen insights into the psyches of Page’s characters that the themes they cover feel fresh all the same. (Sept.)