The Goodbye Process

Starred review from July 1, 2024

DEBUT Jones's stories have appeared in many journals, but fans will be delighted to read her first volume of collected short stories. The title story closes the collection, with grief on full display in the most normal of circumstances, a funeral. However, all of the stories speak to some kind of loss, and they range from typical slice of life to surreal fever dream. Standouts include "The Correct Way To Breathe," which takes place in doctors' offices and a support group for women with chronic pain; "Realtor," which takes a look at plastic surgery as loss; and "I'll Go with You," with a shockingly violent scene. Jones writes men protagonists particularly well, and the dialogue is somehow relatable and poetic at the same time. She is adept at both first-person and third-person narration, sweet moments, and moments of perversion. With 28 stories, some just a paragraph long, readers can stay engaged through the entirety of the collection or find their favorites to reread over and over. VERDICT Short story fans might just discover their new favorite author in this arresting collection, a must-have.--Laura Stein

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 6, 2024

Jones debuts with a meandering collection of short stories centered on transitioning through loss and grief. These wide-ranging stories feature individuals faced with the end of life, the dissolution of relationships, and the process of saying goodbye, whether to people, the past, or even one's childhood home. Some stories feature loss and healing, such as "Realtor," where a real estate agent who has had numerous plastic surgeries loses his sense of self, only to find a partner who helps him become whole. In the titular story, a grieving man hires a professional mourner to help his small collection of friends and family properly mourn a wonderful wife and mother. Narrator Suzanne Elise Freeman delivers the stories empathetically and with dignity. Unfortunately, Freeman presents similar character voices and tones throughout, which may have listeners wishing for more differentiation and contrast; luckily, there is only minimal dialogue. The stories themselves are endlessly creative and varied; even the shortest gives listeners much to ponder. VERDICT This little volume's vignettes entertain and provide food for thought.--Laura Trombley

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2024
A debut collection of short stories about illness, family, and sudden twists of fate. Jones' book disconcerts at first. The stories don't seem to relate to one another, and a few are very brief, like "The Father" (less than two pages) and "The Short History of her Heart" (three paragraphs). Eventually, the themes and concerns overlap: Multiple stories follow Eleanor, who's in late-stage cancer, and the repercussions of the fatal illness on her family. The collection also explores endings of various kinds. Relationships fall apart, people get sick and die, situations change. Another commonality is unexpected, even brutal, behavior. Two older women beat up a younger pregnant woman in "I'll Go With You." In "Realtor," the main character snips off the tip of his nose with scissors in a misguided attempt to save his relationship. A car crashes into a living room in "Help Will be Here Soon," and an estranged uncle shows a disturbingly keen interest in his almost 11-year-old niece in the violent "Thanksgiving." Characters might try kindness, but their efforts are often futile. For example, in Eleanor's family, "Everyone wanted to be the one whose job it was to keep the washrag on her forehead cold," but holding the washrag is a one-person job, and it doesn't help that Eleanor has a lump the "size of a grapefruit" (a fine example of the author's wry humor and insight into family dynamics). Characters often lash out in the face of their helplessness, but even when they do awful things, Jones uses dark humor to convey their humanity. The power of the story collection creeps up slowly. At first, the writing style seems almost drab ("Her father died. My father left her. Her mother died. And we all grew up and moved away"). But the cumulative effect of these stories is intense, and the contrast between the understated writing and the shocking events works exceedingly well every time. Powerful, well-crafted short stories that sneak up on the reader to deliver a jolt.

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