Below is a book that is a bit different than any I have ever reviewed. It is a book of short stories. I usually avoid those at all costs, but as you will read in my review I am very pleased that I took a chance with this one. Mathias B. Freese has done a wonderful job putting together a compilation of these short stories. Below is my review!
Not being a big fan of short stories, I looked into this book before agreeing to read it. Realizing that Mathias B. Freese has worked in the mental health field for many years sparked my interest. Also working in the mental health field, I was intrigued enough to agree to read these stories when I found that Mathias B. Freese focused his stories on deviant and damaged people. This was right up my alley!
I got through these stories in one short afternoon and found I enjoyed most of them very much; One of my favorites being Echo. From the way I interpreted this short story, Jonathan is a man who has been making friends and connections with people his whole life. He enjoys these feelings of friendships, but at the same time stays somewhat aloof from making a deep connection. Realizing his pattern of making friends just to later break up the friendships and be alone again, he explains all of this to a current friend of his just before breaking it off with him. Soon after he ends this friendship, he also breaks off his relationship with his wife.
Jon is unable to think about and understand the hurt that he is causing to these people. Instead, he focuses on the strange feelings of fulfillment and release he gets when abandoning these relationships. This is a terrible way to live and shows how damaged Jon really is. This is a harsh reality that he will probably live with for the rest of his life.
Mathias B. Freese writes very clear and concise, not adding any unnecessary details to his stories. He is a powerful writer who kept me entertained throughout all of his stories. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys short stories, but more importantly, to those who enjoy the darker side of humanity. It is like stepping into a therapy session where nothing is off limits to talk about and you learn all of the deep, dark secrets of these troubled individuals. You can’t talk back and offer solutions, but it really jump starts your mind and gives you a lot to think about!
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