he early ‘00s were really all about chick lit. The formula was eventually perfected by writers of the genre: a female protagonist, either dead serious or totally flaky, someone who will either pine for true love or dismiss romantic love entirely, a chain of miscommunication or a comedy of errors, and a usually neat, happy ending.

In the decade that followed the first of the millennium, women writers found their space in the thriller genre. Some of them even found the beautiful balance between writing relatable, gut-wrenching prose, weaved into a story of everyday trespasses that result in the fall of an entire system. Liane Moriarty comes to mind at once, for Big Little Lies, Last Anniversary, The Husband’s Secret. This also prompted – or perhaps finally catered to – the desire of powerful women in media like Reese Witherspoon to create shows and films based off these women-centric storylines, and resultantly, much deeper roles for women actors past the age they can headline projects, and women within that demographic who still find themselves simply playing second fiddle to the male lead, whatever his age may be.

Niamh Mulvey’s Hearts & Bones is in no way obviously cinematic, nor are the events that take place between its cover by any means dramatic enough to drive an entire series or feature-length film.

What Hearts & Bones is though, is a snapshot of a moment in life. That’s it. In fact, sometimes the events that occur during each story aren’t even momentous enough to seem to the protagonist as life-changing.

Whether it’s a young woman crying about how her mother spoke to her, the words that hurt, or a young man dwelling over an affectation he develops around his friends, which really is him hating himself and fighting depression, each story is just quick look. We get to witness the secret lives of strangers at their lowest, most desperate, even if that’s not how the character comes across to the people in their lives.

The stories star both male and female protagonists, and stories are told in the first person. They examine, through a normal, mundane exchange between characters, their dynamic, their insecurities, their strengths. As the reader, you may find a piece of yourself here, a sliver there. The complex relationships between mothers and daughters are reflected on more than once. The seemingly ‘girl power’ moment after a breakup can make you mull over how deep the roots of a relationship ending really are. Sure, you did something completely badass in the aftermath, but does it make up for the indignity of infidelity, or the silent sense of loss of precious time and of self?

Hearts & Bones is by no means a masterpiece, nor is it epic in any sense of the word. It is just a day in the life of someone that could be you, or someone you know. The defining moments for characters aren’t earth-shattering; there’s no big scandal or even heartbreak. Every story just moves along placidly, revealing its purpose as perhaps looking at things from another perspective.