Florida – Lauren Groff

Expectation: A collection of Americana centered around one of the most popular and maligned states.

Reality: Groff starts the reader in a chokehold but slowly loosens her grip as the collection progresses. 

My Take:

The first five stories in Lauren Groff’s mesmerizing but uneven collection, “Florida,” were full of reflective tension that had me laughing and biting my nails interchangeably. Some unfolded as a mystery, others a horror story or family drama, but all had my undivided attention. 

Each felt like an idea for a novel that she didn’t bring to fruition, which may seem like a slight, but in reality was a huge benefit since they seemed more complete and complex than most short stories. 

Almost all the characters were nameless, so you could easily picture yourself in the situations, and the collection’s namesake state either served as a setting or loomed large as a place the characters left behind. 

Mostly centered on the haves versus the have nots, opportunities not taken and potential not reached were themes often paired with a heavy dose of mother guilt and marital strife with a little eco-anxiety tossed in.

While that may sound niche, I was surprised by how unsettlingly honest and raw these initial stories, and two from later in the collection, were. Groff had me wrapped around her finger and often zigged when I expected her to zag. 

Then things went off the rails a bit. 

Unfortunately many of the longest stories in the collection felt like retreads and rarely delivered the same punch. I honestly became bored reading “For the God of Love, for the Love of God,” and switched to the audio version to soldier through. 

That, also unfortunately, was narrated by the author - who is a far cry from a professional voice actor - and likely contributed to me enjoying the listened stories less than the read stories. A monotone delivery of the most stellar words will render them tedious. 

Still, I enjoyed my first foray into Groff’s writing and will eagerly pick up one of her novels. 

If you step into this collection, it’s best to go in blind, so you can be surprised and awestruck by how a person can take you on a rollercoaster in so few words. Absolutely do not miss: “Ghosts and Empties,” “At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners,” “Dogs Go Wolf,” “The Midnight Zone,” “Eyewall,” “Above and Below” and “Snake Stories.” 

With the rest, temper your expectations. 

Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars

Rating (narration): 2/5 stars

Formats: Hybrid read/listen (library loans)

Dates read: November 10  – November 23, 2022

Multi-tasking: Good to go, but Groff’s narration added little to my enjoyment of the stories. I’d recommend reading them or you’ll miss the beauty of her details.