In Stumbling Through Adulthood, author John Sheirer delivers a collection of intricately linked short stories which are connected, some more loosely than others, by their central theme. This theme is summed up by the title. As stumbling implies that progress is being made, albeit slowly and not without its setbacks, the stories feature numerous instances of relatable mishaps and mistakes as the characters progress through adulthood. Take one character, for example, who ends up locked out of their home, or another who manages to consume an entire donut in one go. Sheirer’s characters appear throughout the collection from different perspectives and at different stages of their lives, as we see snapshots of them doing their best to stumble through adulthood.

Sheirer writes engagingly, making even the most mundane or trivial moments entertaining. This, combined with the relatability of many of the challenges the characters face and the sprinkling of subtle humor throughout, ensures that you will remain hooked. Underneath this humor, Sheirer addresses some severe and somber themes such as race, politics, and mental health. These topics are handled in a thought-provoking manner that ensures you’ll never be left entirely without hope.

However, the most important theme addressed in Stumbling Through Adulthood is revealed through the construction of the collection itself. Jumping between various characters in a short space of time would appear to invite comparisons between them. Still, ultimately Sheirer’s writing rejects this idea as every character and story, despite being suspended in a web of relationships with the others, are still stand-alone stories. Instead, every short story is a perfectly compact moment of a character’s life who is doing their best and who we will revisit as we smile or worry along with them as they stumble through their own personal adulthood.

Stumbling Through Adulthood is an intriguing collection of short stories that will appeal to adults in all stages of life. These stories are brought together by the common thread of just getting through life as an adult. With humor and realism giving the stories character and energy, they will stay with readers long after they are done with the book.

Pages: 233 | ASIN : B0996BQ6ZN