Make Me Do Things is a fast read, both because of the easy, direct language, and because each story seems almost like a chapter in a larger novel (I found myself sometimes disappointed to not know what becomes of these people). But what stands out more than the writing are the themes—Redel’s subtle commentary on how regular people think malevolent thoughts, make poor decisions and do immoral things. Certain stories in the book, generally the longer ones, stand out: “Trust Me” and “Ahoy,” as well as “Red Rooster” (whose main character, a father introducing his son to his girlfriend/her son, seems to be the same father/boyfriend in “Make Me Do Things,” the only apparent connection between the stories). Most are more like vignettes, and only one story—”The Horn,” also the book’s shortest—seems underdeveloped.