This bifurcated collection of stories follows a cast of fictional protagonists as they navigate Black girlhood, in all its gallant and grisly manifestations. Part I revels in narratives of absence and absurdity: The Scorpio daughter of a Leo-Virgo-cusp mother learns discipline from her matriarch’s marital dysfunction, Barbie is diagnosed with PTSD, and a family’s food processing is financed with flesh. Part II, grounded by a tale of loss and young queer love, embraces diverse narrative mediums and flourishes: It opens with a grief log that records the data of depression and desire; it also features a crossword puzzle, a quiz, and an answer key. Blackburn, a prolific, stylish short-story writer in great command of her medium, dexterously revels in the humor and horror of coming of age whilst weary of the ways of the world. — Jordan Taliha McDonald