A nice surprise at Christmas this, Sally Rooney's short story Mr Salary.
It's great to see short fiction sold like this and it's a fine way to explore the work of writers you love or those you might want to check out in the future.
Mr Salary is a wealthy Irishman who picks up Sukie upon her return from Boston. Sukie's motives for coming home are mixed. Her father is dying of leukemia, she isn't making significant relationships in the States, it's Christmas and the man she loves is in Dublin.
The size of the piece is small, but the scope is fairly large. Those who've read the novels will feel they're in familiar territory in terms of the glances of the poetic language, the abrupt and direct approaches of the protagonist, the sexual tension, submission and purpose.
It works as a one off and as it is, but I'd be more than happy to read on and find out what might lay ahead for the trio involved; there are certainly great riches to be mined and explored here and if it were an opening chapter, it would be a great springboard into a novel.
An inspired gift, Nancy (such a treat and the words in your card meant a huge amount), one that I can recommend for the Christmas stockings of 2022.
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