Caroline Adderson’s A Way to be Happy was a bit of a dreamy read. The characters were a motley crew of men and women on the margins struggling with loss and fear, and for whom Adderson doesn’t provide any satisfactory resolution, only striving to find peace and acceptance. The author is empathetic to their plights and always generous: the hit-man, the teacher, the addict and others are always human and deserving of happiness, and one suspects they’ll find it. The writing occasionally pops with magic but is otherwise straightforward and compelling. Each story got its hooks into me quickly, and I’m thankful to the staff at the local bookshop who recommended it.