You Must Be This Happy To Enter

Crane is at peak form when crafting worlds that her readers can easily relate to and recognize, even once they've taken an odd (if not outright bizarre) turn. Still, they're ultimately anchored in the honesty of the most basic of human emotions and needs, as in the near-realism of "Donovan's Closet": in a town not unlike Austin—where "you could weave a tapestry from the mutton chops alone"—we witness a relationship fall apart as the story's protagonist becomes obsessed with her boyfriend's lemon-scented closet.

But the earnest sincerity and energy in these stories don't always translate to success. Some, like "Emmanuel," where a mother wakes up to find that her son has suddenly turned into a fully grown, emotionally stunted Ethan Hawke, seem to get lost in the weeds. In these rare duds, the impact of the book's driving theme, happiness, is forgotten in process of negotiating details and mechanics. Thankfully, there are many more hits than misses in this collection.

Most notable among the hits is "Betty The Zombie," the story that got us reading out loud. It tackles not only the distance and lack of communication that arises in a marriage when one partner joins the ranks of the undead, but also touches on things like shopping addiction, reality TV, sudden celebrity, cannibalism and the inability to conceive. (Like we've always said, any story that includes a zombie in therapy on TV, a life coach, and JoAnn's Fabrics practically writes itself.)

Despite their common theme, the stories in You Must Be This Happy To Enter should be enjoyed in individual sittings. And some, like "Betty The Zombie," are just best read out loud. No matter if anyone is listening or not.