Shine of the Ever

De: Claire Rudy Foster

Narrado por: Claire Rudy Foster

By turns tender and punk-tough, Shine of the Ever is a literary mixtape of queer voices out of 1990s Portland. This collection of interconnected short stories explores what binds a community of queer and trans people as they negotiate love, screwing up, and learning to forgive themselves for being young and sometimes foolish.

©2019 Claire Foster, Gretchen Kilby (P)2021 Interlude Audio

An exquisite collection, beautifully narrated

Claire Rudy Foster creates characters so real and relatable it's as if they're sitting beside you at a bar or a cafe. Against the backdrop of 1990s Portland, Foster's people navigate love and sobriety; disappoint and bolster their friends, lovers, and themselves; and find meaning in the complicated business of life.

The poetry and musicality of Foster's writing comes through beautifully in the author's narration; I can't imagine anyone else doing justice to the voices in these stories. I actually listened to the audio book while reading the paperback. From time to time I had to pause and reread an especially vivid description or startling bit of insight.

The characters in Shine of the Ever are mostly queer and transgender young women, but, unlike the way popular media portrays trans women, you won't find caricatures or victims here. They are richly imagined people living their messy, beautiful lives. What a breath of fresh air. These characters will stay with me for a long time. I can't wait for more from this gifted author.