Stellar inagural collection by Toronto author Malla, who possesses a finely tuned, utterly contemporary voice. The world of these stories is off-beat and unpredictable. It's a place where relationships between men and women are more likely to be strained and broken than not. The author's great strength is writing compelling narratives that flow smoothly toward conclusions that surprise and satisfy. Mostly, these stories are about men and women failing to connect. Written with humour and compassion. A fun read. ( )

http://12frogs.com/reading/reviews/2009/12/the-withdrawal-method/ ( )

This is simply one of the best recent short story collections I've run across; Pasha Malla's voice is so assured, his technique so polished, that you have to expect he'll become a major figure of the next wave of Canadian writers.

Some of these stories, particularly "Being Like Bulls," in which Niagara Falls has dried up, rely on the magical. Some , like "Long Short Short Long," are entirely realist. Most are character-driven; some ("A Film We Made About Dads") are not. All are strong.

A very impressive collection.

The naive innocence of Pasha's all too believably human characters does nothing to protect them from the inevitability of world-class sorrow. These fathers, mothers, sons and daughters don’t stand a chance in a world where rape is a game played by children, love can be shed like skin, and Niagara Falls dries up. I highly recommended “The Withdrawal Method”. ( )