Review: An intelligent collection with real emotional depth
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 27, 2012
Victoria Watson impressed me greatly with this collection. There is a little something for everyone here. I've picked on three of the stories that I enjoyed the most for review:I Should Have Seen It Coming:She impressed me greatly with this excellent story.  Written in the first person Watson unveils the story of a woman who has fallen upon hard times.The woman finds a deck of tarot cards and the next thing you know she is called Jacqueline Stargazer and is making plenty of money fraudulently.  If you mess with karma you soon find things don't go your way.  So it is for our central character.Watson has most definitely found a strong voice for this story and we find that we are sympathetic with the main character throughout. She managed to pack plenty into this short story and it is clear that she is an accomplished and very competent writer.  This tale although told in the first person never for one moment became dull or uninteresting she keeps it real and believable.You would be hard pressed to find fault with the internal dialogue described by Watson it struck a chord as being a genuine thought process and as any writer knows that is a hard thing to achieve.Inside:Victoria Watson has written another reflective and sensitive piece.  This I believe is "her thing" what she does the best. Strong characters with deep emotional content that makes a good connection with the reader. A very nostalgic warm tale or so I thought just before the darkness hit me. I'm not going to give away any plot points here just read and enjoy!Once more Victoria shows her talent for characterisation and strong descriptive writing in a cracking short story that I really enjoyed. It worked on several levels and spoke volumes about the complexity of human nature. Another five star story from Victoria Watson.Keeping Quiet:This is a doleful and melancholy tale. Watson charts the life of a woman born before the war. She manages to convey the details of a sad, lonely and sheltered life excellently. The main character is always caring and constantly keeping the peace between warring family members. Her domineering mother takes away her finest years day by painful day.As downbeat as the story is, you are left feeling uplifted and grateful for what you have got in your own life. An extremely strong and reflective story from the outset. If you read it in an environment that allows you to concentrate on the minutiae of the story it is a powerful and emotive exploration of the characters life. Watson continues to delight and surprise with the depth and variety of her writing. She is most definitely an author to watch out for.Overall a five star collection that is an excellent buy, especially if you like intelligent emotionally deep literature.