The first story, “Virgin,” immediately brings these ideas to attention. Sometimes, short stories are only placed together because they all were written by the same person, but here, that is clearly not the case. The themes of attraction and desire join the stories into a cohesive whole. All these stories function well on their own, yet the award-winning Ayers Lawson successfully connects the short stories to create one coherent and controversial work. “Vulnerability” exhibits a married painter’s attraction towards her art dealer and H., one of the art dealer’s artists. “The Negative Effects of Homeschooling” depicts teenage Connor’s inability to understand Charlene, a woman who was once a man. “The Way You Must Play Always” portrays 13-year-old Gretchen’s desire for her piano teacher’s brother, who is recovering from a brain tumor. “Three Friends in a Hammock” delves into the attraction three divorced women feel towards each other. “Virgin” displays a man named Jake’s experience watching his wife, Sheila, slowly become comfortable with her sexuality. April Ayers Lawson’s debut work, “Virgin and Other Stories,” contains five short stories that grapple with sex, love, desire, and violation.
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