Review: Captivating Short Story - Want more!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 1, 2013
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.I have read Weiland's books on writing a novel, however this was my first time reading any of her fiction. Typically I am not very fond of short stories as most tend to be poorly written with little character or plot development. However i was pleasantly surprised by Miss Weiland. This was very well written and entertaining. I could hardly put it down. My only issue with this book is that I wished it was a novel or novella so that I could enjoy learning more about the characters and see what happened next. The book took me less than 1.5 hour to read. But I guess I was a bit too greedy to take it all in as it was that good. Nonetheless this did not detract from the book and how much I enjoyed it.As the book description states, the story follows the life of Mary, a pick-pocket who suffers from amnesia. This not only affects her ability to remember her past but also in storing new memories. Most authors who normally write about fictional characters with mental illnesses, typically do not get it right. Instead they follow the Hollywood cliches of what they think persons with brain injuries may experience. However Miss Weiland was spot on in portraying a women whose brain injury has severely impacted her ability to function. This gives persons the impression that she is nothing more than a mad woman, whom the reader sympathizes with.You can also see that a lot of research and thought was put into painting a picture of Victorian London. From her descriptions of the city to the slangs she used, I almost felt as though I was there in the room listening to the characters and watching events unfold.Would recommend this to any looking for a nice, quick, fun read!