"Topics of Conversation," by Miranda Popkey

A small, intense novel titled “Topics of Conversation” (Knopf, 2020), by Miranda Popkey, is packed with stories of women, mostly single mothers, mostly somewhat precarious financially, who are often unsettled, in transit and in transition, unsure about where they are going. One main character is the through thread, and each chapter is set in a different city with different characters in literal conversations with this main character. At first I felt the structure of the novel was a bit disjointed, but then connections among the chapters and the conversations became clear, and the novel felt more consistent than it did initially. The stories themselves are important, and the framing of the stories being exchanged during the course of conversations provides important added context, depth, and layering. The stories are powerful; they address motherhood, marriage, divorce, sex, mobility, and other topics. Some of the stories are quite raw, gritty and even disturbing. The strengths of this novel are its realism; its up-close, you-are-there feeling; and its revelations about the lives of women. I can’t say I “enjoyed” this book, but I was caught up in it and learned from it, so I am glad that I read it. This is Popkey’s first novel; I feel quite sure we will be hearing more from her.