REVIEW: “12 Attempts at Telling About the Flower Shop Man (New York, New York)” by Stephanie Barbé Hammer

Review of Stephanie Barbé Hammer, “12 Attempts at Telling About the Flower Shop Man (New York, New York)”, in Liane Tsui and Grace Seybold, eds., A Quiet Afternoon (Grace & Victory Publictions, 2020): 51-54 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman. (Read the review of the anthology.)

While I liked this story, I felt it lacked something to make it special, to set it apart from other stories that could have been written in its stead. In attempts 1-11, I got the impression the story was going a particular direction; but attempt 12 dashed those hopes and maybe I’m just unhappy because my expectations were disappointed.