Tougher Than The Rest

Set in the near future, Tougher than the Rest features women in different stages of life – from former trophy wives and activist yoga obsessives to retail and white-collar workers – in an urban environment rife with wealth disparity. Their stories are linked by a corporate real estate developer who affects the protagonists’ lives in ways both small and large, each one inspired by a classic song title from a hypermasculine artist.

In 'Tougher than the Rest', a low-income gig worker moderates comments on YouTube. In 'Night Moves', a dental office receptionist buys a second-hand sex robot at the Salvation Army. In 'It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue', a woman grieving her husband’s potential suicide encounters talking animals and cryptids who become the tough love she needs. In 'Dream On', a social media influencer undergoes a drastic surgery to make her face literally more adaptable.

A clever and wry commentary on class, technology, white feminism, love and friendship, gender roles, and the loneliness of the modern world, in which you’re always at the mercy of rich assholes, Tougher than the Rest is for those who are angry but need some hope and humour to get through it all. Outlandish yet emotionally honest, this collection affirms Del Bucchia as a singular voice in capturing the zeitgeist of women in contemporary culture.

‘Tougher Than the Rest is funny and dark in all the right places. It’s everything that I enjoy in a short story collection: a not-too-distant future, intricate characters that are endearing and vexing, a struggle with dominating technologies, and a compelling look at community relationships and human responsibilities. Dina Del Bucchia's sharp wit and keen attention to detail create utterly engrossing prose.’ – Waubgeshig Rice, author of Moon of the Crusted Snow

‘No one is writing about class and wealth disparity like Dina Del Bucchia, and Tougher Than the Rest reads like a guide for navigating the absurdity and ruthlessness of late-stage capitalism while still hanging on to your humanity.’ – Amy Jones, author of We’re All in This Together

‘Tougher Than the Rest is a collection of stories that build like stacking blocks and connect like a web, with sharp prose equally humorous and dark. You won’t be able to put this one down.’ – Jessica Johns, author of Bad Cree

‘Dina Del Bucchia’s prose is wry, captivating, and cutting, as we spend time with lonely workers and outcasts trying to keep on keeping on in a world that values developers, celebrity, and wealth above all else. A moving, entertaining read.’ – Zoe Whittall, author of No Credit River