Review of "After The Rain," a Short Story by Shannon Eckrich



Summary:
Janie Chanson leaves Adam, her seven-year-old son, with her sister while she runs to the store. When she returns, her house is fully engulfed in flames, and her son is trapped inside. Powerless to save him, Janie can only watch as firefighters attempt to rescue him.

Review:
Much like the summary, "After The Rain" is very straightforward.  There aren't any layers within layers, there are no mysteries to ponder, we know exactly what happens to everyone.  "After The Rain" is about a woman stricken with grief as she watches her son die.  Period.

The writing is powerful and the characters are realistic.  Despite the short length you can't help but feel for Janie as she watches her son perish.  In that sense, the story does a credible job eliciting a reaction out of the reader.

But in the end, I'm not really sure what the author was trying to drive at.  It's a gripping but far too depressing tale to entertain.  The manner of death is sad but not unusual (you hear similar instances on the news all the time).  Stories like this are a tough sell as a standalone.  It almost seems like it would be more fitting if it were part of a collection about grief and loss.

3/5 stars
Reviewed by Alain Gomez

Buy this short story on Amazon or on B&N.

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