(Tonight I noticed this wonderful NetGalley review of my short story collection “Anne Frank on Tour and Other Stories”)<\/p>\n
Olga N, Reviewer on NetGalley<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u00a0 thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with an ARC copy of this collection of short stories, which I freely chose to review.<\/p>\n The stories are divided up into five sections, under different headings: history, love, need, excess, and final acts. They vary in length (some are a couple of pages, while some allow readers to get more invested in the characters), and although the writing is pretty unobtrusive and minimalistic in most cases, that fits in quite well with the nature of the narrative. In some cases, like the final part, the writing is striking and will make readers feel very close to the protagonists (an experience not always pleasant). Rather than rely on my memory and pick up some favourites, I have opted for sharing a few words about the stories in the first three parts, and have summarised the other two to avoid spoilers (and because I feel all the stories in part three work as different aspects of the subject with a clear message, the same for all of them).<\/p>\n History:<\/strong><\/p>\n Sally and Thomas. An interesting take on Thomas Jefferson and his relationship with Sally Hemings that I really enjoyed.<\/p>\n Gasthaus Stiefler. An imagined scene that shines a light on the background of an infamous historical figure.<\/p>\n Anne Frank on Tour. A what-if story imagining what would have been of Anne Frank if she had survived. One can\u2019t help but wonder, and I think this story will get many people thinking.<\/p>\n House Hunter in Palestine<\/strong>. How far would you go to get the best for your family? Having a decent home doesn\u2019t sound like an outrageous demand, but it depends on the circumstances. (One of those stories that would be funny if it didn\u2019t ring so true). I read this story before events took a turn for the worse in the area.<\/p>\n Real Estate. Just imagine you\u2019re the most hated man in the world, and suddenly you are in need of a good friend. It is not a comfortable position to be in, as Vladimir soon discovers.<\/p>\n Love:<\/strong><\/p>\n Teacher\u2019s Pet. Everything starts nicely enough, but it turns much darker. An interesting (and pretty creepy) take on stalking and harassment.<\/p>\n Speed Dating. It is not nice when the shoe is on the other foot, so be careful how you treat your dates.<\/p>\n Motel. Another one with a big twist that subverts our expectations and those of the protagonist as well.<\/p>\n Party Girl. A story that feels so familiar and true as if it had been taken out of a newspaper or the news.<\/p>\n Prudence. An abandoned mother warns her daughter to be careful when dealing with men. She heeds her advice… most of the time.<\/p>\n Online Doctor. Personal contact became very rare and dear during the pandemic, and some resorted to extreme measures.<\/p>\n Garage Sale. It starts as a standard garage sale, but what would happen if a garage sale moved onto the house? And what would your nearest and dearest think? And would you care?<\/p>\n Honor of a Lady. A historical piece that goes beyond the familiar and shows us that some things change little.<\/p>\n Need:<\/strong><\/p>\n Ragpicker. Do you think that someone who makes an interesting art subject might also be a good individual to meet in real life?<\/p>\n Dolly. Somebody is inspired by Dolly… Yes, that Dolly, and is not prepared to give up until he runs the idea by her.<\/p>\n Boxcar. Do you like time travel stories? Then, you must check this one out.<\/p>\n Must Sell. It all started like any other night for the night watchman, but things took a bit of a turn.<\/p>\n Objective, Atherton. The protagonist knows what he wants, and he\u2019s going to try to get it, so don\u2019t get in his way.<\/p>\n Roses. Do you live in a place with a lot of rules? Are you sure you know them all? Don\u2019t be!<\/p>\n Carmel Winter. Misery might be a matter of perspective.<\/p>\n Bully. Beware of advice given and don\u2019t think people will tolerate everything. A sad story, but one that rings true.<\/p>\n Steroids. If you believe that a pill is the answer to everything, you might want to read this and think again.<\/p>\n Bills. This is a tale of a slippery slope and the lies we tell ourselves and others.<\/p>\n Doctor Who. Healthcare nowadays is not what it used to be. Nothing is.<\/p>\n Closing In. A pretty sad story about a young man whose future gets deranged, and how that affects his family.<\/p>\n Boat Ride. Imagine what would happen if animals finally decided to get their revenge for how humans treat them. Hilarious if you enjoy dark humour, and scary if you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n Excess: The stories in this part involve substance use, some legal (alcohol), some illegal (at least in some places), some more common, and some rare. Users are old, young, alone, with families and friends, some are contemporary, others historical, some anonymous, and some well-known, but what they all have in common is the negative impact their substance use has in the lives of the protagonists and those around them.<\/p>\n River.
\nBeer.
\nDowntown Drinkers.
\nExecutive Jack.
\nDrinks on Our House.
\nSmokin\u2019 Willie.
\nExecutive Weed
\nFreudian Advice
\nDeal
\nRehab
\nMarathon
\nMushrooms<\/p>\n