NO CONTACT

A search for compassion and conversation surrounding the decision to cut ties with family.

Editor Bartoy strives to chip away at the myth that “adult family members belong together, that we can solve our differences, that blood is indeed thicker than water.” The collection’s narratives and poems each articulate a severed bond and reckon with the grief, uncertainty, and potential healing that emerges from that estrangement. In “The Cost of a Mother,” Hannah Bae recounts her parents’ abuse and mental instability while reconciling with her Korean roots. In “Clearing My Throat,” noam keim writes about their Arabic heritage: “I am trying to heal my mother wound, to complete a cycle, to free myself.” Bartoy’s introduction claims these stories “[shine] a light on the many facets of this difficult experience,” but the book struggles with its lack of variety, as a tonal consistency hinders its potential. The prose throughout many texts feels bloggy in its self-reflective candor, and many stories are similarly fleshed out with vivid memories of seemingly trivial details. The collection’s cultural representation is commendable, but nearly all works are written by cisgender women questioning their notion of daughterhood. Ultimately, the standout texts go against this grain: Geneva Phillips’ exceptional “Dichotomy of the Rejected” recounts the author’s incarceration and loss of her children to an “uncompassionate and corrupt Children’s Services Department.” “My name appears on their birth certificates,” she writes, “but of motherhood I have no proof, other than a series of one-sided memories and unreturned affections.” Cheryl Strayed’s “The Empty Bowl” buzzes with a refreshing sense of confidence, expertly balanced between a micro-memoir and an inspirational essay. While the collection’s stylistic uniformity is disappointing, the unity of voices effectively showcases how the idea of family can be so similarly upended for such a myriad of lives. “If stories teach us empathy,” Bartoy explains, “then a chorus of them can help drive a shift in ingrained perspectives.”

An uneven but noble amplification of under-heard voices.