A collection of short stories by Tracey Waddleton I hoped was a novel. Each story grabbed me and sucked me in then ended, letting me decide if she made it to Russia, if the driver survived, or who killed the lady in the lake but I guess that makes for a good story – leaving it to simmer long after it’s read.
Riding With Maurice, one of the stories, struck me the most in its truth and hardship in the simplest form. For many it’s a struggle to get out of bed each morning and Waddleton’s account of a person who is dealing with depression was heartbreaking, making me wonder if she had first hand experience to be able to tell the tale so well. “Write what you know” can be healing and such a challenge.
My favourite line in the whole collection, however, was from Mr. Moriarity:
but when you are dirty you fantasize clean. An account of a man who has loved and lost, discovered who he was and left it all behind in younger years. Once again, I was brought in to the world of an aged man and wondered how the young lady could capture such experience when she didn’t personally live through it.
Published by Breakwater Books, her first, and I hope not the last, collection of short stories, Waddleton includes 25 stories to ensure the book contains something for everyone (about the age of 19, in my opinion), even if not all are for all.
Thanks for reading,
Sarah Butland