I read some wonderful reviews of this book, and I purchased it with high hopes. Though I found several of the stories (specifically, the titular work, What She left Me) to be interesting and provocative, I was disappointed with the book as a whole. It was very uneven, and for every high point there were long sections full of dull, predictable prose. All in all, an uninspiring, if occasionally rewarding, collection.

While I too loved the highlight stories listed in other reviews, I found "Whole Numbers of Families" and "Crooks" to be strong as well. In a way her stories remind me of the writer Marisa Silver's portrayals of life in L.A., in that Doenges creates a landscape of hidden lives in modern America, often with glimpses of Chicago. Odin is a great character; all of her main characters are believable and intimately atriculated. I hope she writes more; as a 20 year old queer person I was really happy to find this book. Doenges takes the time to make her people complicated but really gay, telling stories that are just plain interesting. If you are Doenges and you are reading this, thanks for making these characters and talking about these lives. Even if they are slant lives, they are important. It's also nice to feel like you're not alone, reading them.

For short story aficionados this is an excellent collection. The stories are rich in detail, seamlessly written, and completely engrossing as far as this reader is concerned. The final story, "God of Gods," is masterful.