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This short story collection focuses on family and the effects different generations can have on each other. The first story, “Passing Through,” follows a man who seeks out traces of his family in his hometown after years spent paying for a terrible crime he didn’t commit. “Two Dreams” has a man from Atlanta going on a mission to save the restaurant his father founded while gaining a deeper understanding of what he wants as well. Meanwhile, “My Father’s Promise” tells of a man whose father mysteriously went missing during World War II and of a mother who never lost faith that her husband would somehow make it back to their family by Christmas.
These short stories deliver exactly what they promise. Each one focuses on protagonists wishing to better understand their families, forge closer connections with them, and push ahead into the future surrounded by that kind of support. What makes this collection especially memorable is the hope that shines through, even when times become dark or rough for the characters involved.
It is easy to sympathize with the characters, their losses, and the misunderstandings that have developed over the years through a lack or breakdown in communication between family or friends. The healing of those bonds by exploring the past becomes a huge theme that remains constant throughout this collection, and it makes for an uplifting read—one which could make readers feel more appreciative of the special people in their lives. Poignant moments abound in each tale, and the plots are full of unexpected turns and turns, making this book hard to put down. Readers can expect to lose a few hours when delving into these stories because their vividness and grip on the mind are as intense as the emotions they invoke from deep within the heart.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review