This is a solid collection of stories. Silverman's short trips into these new worlds show off her voice well, and is a great demonstration of Silverman's talent.

The concept was so much more promising than the actual book.

I really enjoyed Jen Silverman's short story collection <i>The Island Dwellers</i>. Though many times, I feel that collections of short stories can have a tendency to feel unfinished, or experimental, Silverman's stories are rock solid. Additionally, her dialogue is superb, likely a consequence of her experience as a playwright. The characters and stories are compelling, and I enjoyed uncovering all of the loose threads that tie the pieces together.

All in all, I thought this was a great collection with a few stand-out pieces. I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more from Jen Silverman in the future!

Good book of short stories, set in Tokyo or NY. the people that incorporate the stores are of mixed ethnicities. Some of the stories are easier reads than others, but overall, a decent read. The stories are such you can read quite a few or read a bit slower which ever you prefer. My favorite story was "A Great History of American Mistakes". I would reccomend this book . Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Maybe ever (wo)man is an island after all. Not a stationary one, more like a coasting island, waiting to meet up with other islands to save themselves from a terrible loneliness seems to be inherent and oppressive. Anyway, that seems to be the leitmotif of Silverman’s short story collection, established prominently in the first one and continuing throughout. And not just metaphorically either, she literally sets these stories on the islands, namely New York and Japan, possibly the loneliest of them all. In fact, the only other more suitable alternative title would be Lonely Island and that’s already taken by one of my favorite music acts, so…Yes, back to the book. If you check out the author’s bio or photos or blog, you’ll sort of have an expectation of what her writing would be like (I did this in retrospect upon finishing reading) and sure enough it’s just like that. Giving voice to this terrible generation of millennials, uber hipsterish, tragically hip or tragically self involved, pretentiously artistic, overwhelmingly PC, sexually flexible, wildly uncertain latest version of the young the proverbial youth is being wasted on. I just didn’t expect how compelling this would be. And that takes serious talent…to take an uninteresting, possibly repellant subject and makes it into an utterly engaging read. This tangentially connected islands of individuals grappling their way through life either through the flashy neons of Japan in all their curated debauchery or brutal indifference of New York, struggling to connect…it reads real, authentic, like you may not want to know these characters off the page, but you can care about them on the page. At the very least they make for compelling wrecks as they go off the rails. If reading is supposed to make us less lonely (as I believe it ought to), this book about loneliness peculiarly enough does the trick. Strangely enjoyable reading experience. Thanks Netgalley.

Island Dwellers is a collection of contemporary, smart, vibrant, and utterly engaging short stories, shimmering with indecisions, desires, and longings.. Each protagonist has a distinct voice, enchanting and captivating in its uniqueness. The setting, whether Tokyo or Bushwick, Brooklyn, captures the place described and conveys its meaning in the character's world. The stories are captivating in that they immerse the reader completely, making them root for the imperfect women and men Silverman writes about. A pleasure to read and think about, long after a story ends.