Interlocked short stories, which could stand alone, are rare on my bookshelves, yet this year I’ve read three such books: Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, Steven Amsterdam’s Things We Didn’t See Coming, and now Miles from Nowhere by debut Korean-born, American novelist Nami Mun.
And another excellent novel this proves to be. Miles from Nowhere features Joon-Mee, a twelve-year-old Korean-American who flees home after her mother discards her sanity on the defection of her husband. Homeless kid, junkie, strip club hostess, Joon-Mee falls as low as they go, yet over the half dozen years of the novel, she strives to break free and survive. Set in the 1980s and peopled with colourful schizoids, prostitutes and drug addicts, the novel displays a dispassionate, clear voice that sets it apart from most similarly bleak stories. Miles from Nowhere provides a smooth and unforgettable read, one recommended to anyone with little idea of life across the other side of the tracks.