Review: Returning to your roots may surprise you to see what has grown in your absence
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2013
As a Montana native, reading this short story was a must. I did not know what to expect going in, and for that I am thankful. As others have mentioned, the main character is a journalist who is given an assignment in her home town; a town she has not returned to due to a dark past she worked so hard to run from.And this is where the story really begins. Returning home was the last thing Sunny ever wanted to do, but as a budding journalist, she cannot turn down a chance at a feature article, so back home she goes, and what she finds there will alter her life in ways she never dreamed possible.To say more about the story line would reveal too much of the story's elements, and as I was grateful to enter into the world of Sunny without a clue as to what to expect, I will grant readers the same courtesy. I will say that the author conveys an important message within her short story; a message told through the eyes and actions of her characters. It's an implied message, but comes through loud and clear. Returning home to face a dark past one wants desperately to forget, no matter the circumstances, can be the best possible decision a person can make.As for the bones of the story, readers will appreciate a well-edited (pet peeve of mine) and solid read. For a short story, the author does a great job breathing life into the characters and the setting with minimal space with which to do so. The storyline progresses at a steady pace; neither too rushed nor too slow and despite being a short story, there are no holes in the plot or sub-plots, nor are there any loose ends. While this is not likely a story that will stay with you long after you finish it (hence the lack of 5 stars) it is, nonetheless, a very well done and fast read for anyone looking to escape into a small town where lies, deceit, and truth all come crashing together in a magnificent literary explosion. I highly recommend this short story. I also highly recommend the message it conveys for anyone with a dark or painful past that still has an opportunity to return home and face it head-on.