1986 is a quick read; not even a hundred pages. It's a collection of ten interconnected short stories about a boy growing up in Georgia. The writing is quiet, atmospheric, and contemplative. The cover might remind you of Stranger Things, but the decade is the only real similarity. As with all short story collections, some resonate more than others and vice versa. A couple weren't that fun to read. Not that they were bad, just similar to the way that parts of adolescence aren't that fun to experience either. Some stories felt meandering and had no ending; they just were. Like little snippets of a singular moment in this boy's life. The last story jumps ahead a decade and does a good job kind of wrapping it up. Overall, the collection was good and I can admire it for what it was.

Thank you to Brody/Malachi Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for feedback.
Expected pub date is January 2025.

This was a really original collection of short stories that never tried too hard to be interconnected but weaved into one another with common settings or characters as reference points. The tone and sometimes obscurity within the stories really give an authenticity to that strange time between childhood and the self awareness of becoming a teenager. Stepp writes really well and sets a strong tone and sense of place within the 80's and for that, although some of the stories weren't for me, I appreciated the style and prose overall.

I liked this book. It felt very nostalgic and the author captured the weird phase between childhood and adulthood well. The prose was atmospheric and descriptive, and the stories were compelling. I enjoyed the weird and wonderful relationships between the various characters, especially the family members, and the surreal and bizarre aspects of the tales. A great read.