Interesting Short Story

Don't spend a credit, but it was entertaining enough for the two dollars and some change. It wasn't what I expected but it was alright.

It's a brief, somewhat jumbled story of a mentally ill young girl who struggles with rage, same-sex attraction, and mother issues.

The narration was very lively, though there recording equipment wasn't high quality.

Oh, and there's a good cat character.

15 people found this helpful

A modern fairy tale with a twist

Patience Not-Forsaken Gravely's mother died in an asylum, suffering from what sounds like bipolar disorder. Patience herself has been diagnosed as having "a nervous disposition." When her father inherits Gravely doctor who treated her mother and is treating her recommends that a quiet, rural location will be good for Patience.

It's the 1950s, and Patience is "difficult." She loves superhero comics in general, and Wonder Woman in particular, to the grim disapproval of her father. In Gravely House, she meets a girl in the mirror. The girl has no name, and Patience gives her one of her own, Not-Forsaken. But who is Not-Forsaken, and why is she in the mirrheror?

Patience adopts a stray cat who doesn't like Not-Forsaken. When Patience has friends in school, Not-Forsaken shows signs of jealousy. This is most clear when Patience falls in love with Lori, her classmate. But this is a love that, in the 1950s, there is no safe space for, and first loves do end.

Patience is ready to abandon the real world and go into the mirror world that Not-Forsaken promises her is perfect.

There's a truly unexpected twist coming, and the cat is a heroic character.

Recommended.

I bought this audio novella.

2 people found this helpful

Terrible reader, decent story

I found the reader’s performance to be really annoying and overly emotive. It was really distracting.

2 people found this helpful

Left Wanting More

Absolutely loved this debut from Alix Harrow. Her story and writing from this short story reminded me of Neil Gaiman's Coraline and The Graveyard Book. It was a bit of a rough start, only because I wasn't expecting the narrator, Jennifer Nittoso, to sound upbeat when the story was borderline depressive, however I was still able to get into the story, especially as the MC began her growth. That, and the fact I found myself wanting more by the end are my only complaints (I personally do not like open-ended stories, but I do understand this was a debut short-story that was very well written and performed).

I will definitely be looking into the other works by Alix Harrow, and I look forward to hear Jennifer's voice again.

1 person found this helpful

loved it

This is a great short story, well written and narrated. Twist ending was a total surprise.

1 person found this helpful

Patience and not forsaken

I think that more could have been done with this story. it just felt like the author gave up on the story.

A reversal of sorts

I am completely in love with the beautiful and unexpected twist of the story. I was impressed by the growth of the main character in such a short amount of time. Alix E. Harrow is easily one of my favorite writers.

I was slightly put off by the overly cheery nature of the narrator. Jennifer Nittoso has a beautiful voice, and in the end, her cheerfulness worked. I would have liked however to have heard more of our protagonist sadness and depression earlier in the narration.

I really wanted to like it

This is just a short story but it really wasn't a book for me at all.