From The New York Times
Vollmer's irresistible first collection offers a large cast of yearning characters: some lonely, some lost, some in love and some who, landing on the other side of life's devastations—the loss of spouses, children, parents, lovers, friends, money—now find their grief restive and revolting. Emotions may be inexpressible in these stories, but they do find expression, if not through words then through actions. After his father dies, a teenage boy digs holes in the earth until his palms blister. A woman, about to pursue her unfaithful husband, dives underwater again and again for lost car keys. The distraught father of a slain little girl begins following another child he thinks might be her. Despite their realist surfaces and character-driven narratives, these stories have an uneasy relationship with the literary epiphany and can pull up just short of clarifying utterance. Often characters will work toward resolution only to discover that none is forthcoming; and yet, like boxers begin not to have the fight called, they go on. Vollmer writes with equal dexterity about teenagers and adults, men and women, atheists and believers, Goths and jocks, dropouts and doctors--less interested in getting down any particular demographic, it would seem, than in revealing the humans beneath. Expertly structured and utterly convincing, these stories represent the arrival of a strong new voice.
From Library Journal
(Starred Review):Vollmer's impressive first book is a rare and gratifying achievement: a superbly written collection of short stories. Vollmer writes with great wisdom and insight about love, sex, and loss. He is particularly adept at depicting the thrilling experience of young love. Vollmer's narrative voice, reminiscent of T.C. Boyle, is also fully realized and very appealing— irreverent, vital, and bristling with vivid imagery and detail. Perhaps most impressive, Vollmer has populated these stories with a formidable variety of beautifully drawn characters. These include a young man named Harper who is working at Yellowstone National Park and mourning the loss of his best friend; an angst-ridden, middle-aged mother who unexpectedly encounters her estranged gay son at her vacation cabin; and a wonderfully drawn young teenage girl who falls in love with a devout Christian boy. Overall, an inspiring and impressive collection highly recommended for most libraries.
—Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT
From Publishers Weekly:
This debut short story collection unveils the subtle beauty in raw grief and general disappointment with being. Vollmer plays with absurdity, the loneliness of daily existence, and the importance of taking chances. Nine of the dozen stories have appeared in journals and magazines, but the collection maintains a natural cohesion, with terrifically dark but strangely sweet characters and plotlines. One centers on a deadbeat dad who, while visiting his straightedge son (a rising X Games star), is forced to come to terms with his self-disappointment. In another, a recent widow takes an impromptu retreat to the family lake house, only to discover her estranged son sequestered with an unfamiliar man. The title piece is narrated by a teenaged punk atheist, Alex, who has developed a crush on her staunchly Christian best friend and home economics partner, David Melashanko. Though the two share every surreptitious desire and potential misdeed, Alex is heartbroken to learn that Melashenko has been keeping a secret. Vollmer masters distinct personalities and surprising plots, writing deftly from many points of view.
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