Quick Change

"This collection's combination of calculated economy and seeming leisure falls somewhere between the deceptively simple glare of Roald Dahl's adult short stories and the pared-down sharpness of Ivy Compton-Burnett. Young isn't as wicked as either of those; but like them, "Quick Change" paints miniatures whose small surface area is revealed, upon inspection, to contain entrances to potholes that go down deeper than expected into the bedrock, where the air is cooler, the potholers' life-challenges darker, and their motivations sometimes meaner, than those miniatures' twinkly surfaces led one to expect. Behind the surfaces of civilised society, there are intimate metings-out of justice, gleeful exactions of injustice, quiet individual sufferings and breakthroughs, fresh sparkles of mirth, and the occasional incurrence of something subtly surreal." - Rohan Quine

"Flash fiction is every bit as satisfying as a longer story, but ideal for our busy modern lives .... The joy of flash fiction is reflected in the title of this collection: Quick Change. These are fast stories where a clever writer has packed a lot into a small space. Author Debbie Young examines a range of human relationships: marriage, friendship, parenthood, neighbourliness. There are suprising twists and little surprises (Perfect Harmony, for example) where you wonder where the author is taking you, but you trust her and she rewards you with charm and a wry grin at the pay-off. I enjoyed the fascinating insights into the lives of different women. There's a nice juxtaposition between the obsessive cleaner and one who'd rather not, in two stories positioned together (Clean Linen and Domestic Blisters). The author also has a nice ability to quickly engage the sympathy of the reader - Peep Behind the Curtain has you rooting for Imogen to be brave and follow her own path. This flash fiction collection is incredible value. There are so many stories... it's easy to dip into... there's something for everyone." - The Bookworm

" Quick Change--- Diminutive Daily Dramas. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a fly on the wall? Yes! Debbie Young, whose fruitful imagination always amazes, has collected ephemeral and fleeting domestic scenes in this slim volume. She is a miniaturist. She depicts intimate scenarios that suggest reality, but which ultimately surprise the reader. In "Perfect Harmony", we are led to believe that Flora's guest is an enthusiastic Lothario, servicing two or three eager ladies in one afternoon. In fact the visitor is a blind piano tuner. No tuner's opportunity there then! Harriet in "Domestic Blisters" is so blinkered--- and it must be faced--- so boring, that her husband's defection only moves her in terms of how her deadly household chores are reduced. How will she use her new found freedom from the kitchen sink? But inspiration strikes when she reads a leaflet offering local Adult Education, and decides to embark on Belly Dancing! In "Married Bliss" Henry and Lucinda play out a drama that could have been the extension of he film "Brief Encounter", except their relationship is not so brief. The married bliss is not with their legal partners, but with each other, as they meet clandestinely every Sunday afternoon. But they are utterly respectable. There is no hanky panky, as they wander the London streets and parks, blissfully hand in hand, in their perception conducting themselves as a married couple should behave.Debbie Young has the great gift of weaving everyday details into a pattern of significance. The characters and the settings of her stories give the impression that they have a past and a future. The action happened today, but it could just as easily have happened yesterday---it did---or tomorrow---it will. Her characterisation is so keenly felt, that one experiences disappointment as each story ends. For this reviewer each of these tiny tales could have been transformed into a fascinating full length novel." - Celia Boyd