Fat Swim

The protagonists of this glittering story collection from Eisenberg (Housemates) grapple with the messiness of desire and their relationship to their bodies as queer and fat people. In the title story, eight-year-old Alice longs to join the fat ladies who gather weekly at a public pool she watches from her window. When she finally sneaks out to join them one day, she’s comforted by their openness compared to her stifling mother. In “Beauty,” a lonely woman named Marion posts reels of herself applying makeup, from contouring like drag star Divine to looks that make her appear thinner or fatter. Two intriguing plotlines ensue, as Marion accepts payments from a fan for private content and reveals that she’s been bought out from a beauty company she cofounded after she gained weight. Jules, the trans narrator of the excellent “Lanternfly,” works as an assistant for famous elderly gay writer Rob, and feels sad about being tasked with helping Rob find hookups via Grindr, given that Jules wants Rob to want him. Some entries feel underdeveloped, more like sketches or impressions, but stories such as “Beauty” succeed at capturing the effects of isolation, as Marion remembers how she once would “emerge like a mole into daylight.” There’s plenty to admire in these offbeat tales. Agent: Jin Auh, Wylie Agency. (Apr.)