Everyone but You: Stories

Most characters in this collection, already down on their luck, soon discover even more misery just around the next bend. Though small moments of grace are possible, they're invariably accompanied by failure and disillusionment. Novack (Precious) is fascinated by those on the edge: of insanity, of break-ups, of self-discovery fraught with acute pain. Moira, the narrator of "Conversions on the Road to Damascus," shares an apartment and, secretly, a boyfriend with Cass, a young histrionic actress. Moira is either paranoid and consumed with guilt or Cass is plotting revenge. The truth%E2%80%94and the problem%E2%80%94is that by the time the triangle unravels, everyone seems ridiculously misguided. Moira's proclamations, such as "I have always imagined that I would end up in bed with a man who looked like Nietzsche," could be excused as character quirks were they not the provenance of so many characters in so many stories. While premises are intriguing, too many unwieldy or unlikely turns and inconsistent character traits make it hard to invest. Forces in these 18 tales are driven by exigency rather than internal logic, and many follow the tried-and-true form of concluding with insights that shimmer with the promise of epiphanies. Something more fulfilling is just beyond the ken. (Sept.)