Samir Satam

"Litost: Sliced Stories" was inspiring yet heartbreaking to read, as a compilation of short stories, or better yet “sliced stories,” the topic and mood in each piece ranged. I think my absolute favorite had to be the first story, “In The Library,” and I might be biased because I am a reader but I just loved how the short piece explored a young child going to the library and being enthralled after picking up a book. They come to understand the power that literature holds and the impact of stories and I just personally resonated the most with this story. I also found that placing this at the beginning of a collection of short pieces was smart, especially as you will find that these short stories have their own impact.

I definitely think that some of these are more emotional than others as they tackle the idea of being lonely and lost and cover suicide. A couple short stories like “The Walk” and “Night Errands,” explore the idea of feeling lost and specifically losing a loved one but not to death like one might think, but rather as a result of just people changing.

Many of these stories deal with inner turmoil of trying to find comfort in living, and it's comforting to think that we all struggle, however scary it may be. I found myself reflecting on my own life and experiences after reading some of these stories and I think it would be impossible for someone to read this and not reflect on their own lives. The writing itself was beautiful and it made me want to be a better writer. I cannot recommend this enough, this collection will keep you thinking.… (mais)