“The stories in The Lovers Set Down Their Spoons comprise an implacable, uncommon contemplation of the systems of disquiet that underpin the common life. In prose of rare leanness and refinement, Heather A. Slomski accomplishes a powerful investigation into how we live and suffer and dine.”—Wells Tower

“Never far from a dining table, the characters in Heather A. Slomski’s limpid and elegant debut collection are not given to melodramatics. Civility reigns, voices are not raised, much goes unsaid. But just beneath the sophisticated composure are longing, loss, heartbreak. And how intensely familiar is the table itself, which made this reader suddenly understand how much of our real life takes place there. Heather A. Slomski is truly a fresh voice on the scene, and The Lovers Set Down Their Spoons is that rare thing, a new book as innovative in its design as it is compulsively readable.”—Jaimy Gordon, National Book Award-winning author, Lord of Misrule

“The Lovers Set Down Their Spoons is a debut collection of tremendous charm. Charm as in delight; charm as if by magic. In a prose that’s never less than lucidly graceful, Heather A. Slomski conjures stories distinguished by, and memorable for, their imaginative power.”—Stuart Dybek

“Heather A. Slomski’s stories are downright addictive. I kept promising myself to turn off the light after just one more, and then breaking that promise, beguiled by her cool, measured prose and by the surprises, tensions, and uncanny encounters simmering beneath its elegant surface.”—Sarah Shun-lien Bynum

“This is a very strong debut…” – Minnesota Book Awards judge

Kirkus Reviews (starred)

The Gazette