SOURCE: Review of A Model World, by Michael Chabon. Publishers Weekly 238, no. 6 (1 February 1991): 67.

In the following review, the critic applauds the stories of A Model World for their subtle irony, vivid characters, and effective understatement.

An exceptional collection of short stories [A Model World] follows Chabon's well received debut novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. These subtly ironic tales have a brevity and clarity that allows Chabon's bittersweet observations to hit home. Understatement is Chabon's talent; using words economically, he deftly creates believable situations made remarkable by underlying twists of motivation and behavior. His vivid characters share the need to feel accepted and loved by others. In “S Angel” Ira, a drama student at UCLA, attends his favorite cousin Sheila's wedding and falls for a party guest named Carmen—an abrasive, unstable woman who is unresponsive to his flirtations. It's as much a surprise to the reader as to...