This Is Not an Accident: Stories
Dark and introspective, this collection of stories dwells on the perversity of failed relationships and the destructive nature of the human psyche. From the woman looking to her boyfriend to excuse abuses in her past to the woman adopting a young girl in spite of barely being responsible enough to take care of herself, the characters here are all broken in some way, and all are very believable. A recently divorced man struggles with his status while at lunch with a new couple, and a woman grapples with the consequences of past decisions as she rekindles a relationship with an old flame. Wilder’s voice is crisp and contemporary, burying meaning in the depth of her characters’ thoughts and actions and leaving interpretation up to the reader. Among the short stories, “Creative Writing Instructor Evaluation Form” provides a humorous twist to the pattern, and the book’s one novella, “You’re That Guy,” emphasizes more broadly Wilder’s talent for character sketching. Readers familiar with the short stories of Wells Tower will find similar explorations of troubled relationships here. --Cortney Ophoff