Beattie's short stories are known for their short, concise style, and the omission of some important information. For example, many of the stories start in the middle of the action, neglecting to tell us how this situation came about. Additionally, we are often left with many questions about the character and sometimes we don't even know their names.
However, for what they lack in certain details, these stories make up for with rich symbolism and imagery, with beautiful descriptions about memories and landscapes filling her stories. According to Beattie, this style reflects the way that in our lives we often only remember certain images or details about our pasts:
"Who expects small things to survive when even the largest get lost? People forget years and remember moments. Seconds and symbols are left to sum things up: the black shroud over the pool."
