Book Review: They Could LIve with Themselves by Jodi Paloni

They Could Live with Themselves is a collection of short stories about the small town of Stark Run, Vermont. Each has a different character as a focal point, but some of the characters appear in the other stories, intertwining their stories as their lives are related by blood or friendship.
Ms. Paloni writes beautifully. Her descriptions of the town bring it to stunning life. As the seasons pass, the reader is immersed in the crunching of leaves in autumn or mud season in the spring. The close-knit community of the small town is on display as well as the gossip and petty disputes.
Each character has a distinct voice from the twelve-year-old to the grandfather. I enjoyed how the POV changes from the first person to third in each story, depending on the needs of that character's voice. Each character faces a challenge of some sort and as the title suggests, must decide to live with their choice.
This is a collection that readers of Elizabeth Strout or Anne Tyler will greatly enjoy. I heartily recommend it.

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