June 15 - "Making Love in 2003"

“Making Love in 2003”
by Miranda July
No One Belongs Here More Than You (2007)

* * * (Good) Realistic

A young woman searching for the dark shape she loved when she was a child takes a job as a special-needs assistant and finds a boy named Steve who she believes to be the dark shape in human form.

There’s something frustrating with these stories by Miranda July. The writing is often very strong – unique and engaging – and the stories are quite original. But, I often find myself struggling to understand beyond this shiny outer layer. This particular story uses some controversial content (teenagers and rape) to essentially tell a tale of loneliness. For as much as I didn’t comprehend, though, the prose acted as a saving grace and (I think) I enjoyed the story.