Synopsis/blurb….
At the age of
fourteen, life is already a struggle for Abigail Torres but at least she has
Shelby, her family's own Christmas miracle.
A heartwarming tale
of faith and conservative family values, NO CHRISTMAS is the twelfth and final
release of the 2014 Pankhearst Singles Club. Small, perfectly formed, and mad
as hell.
Another shortish tale to bump up the reading figures and try
to get me into double digits for the month.
A spin on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol again with sections
PAST (set in 2015), PRESENT (set in 2018), FUTURE.
PAST – Poverty, we have a family worn down and in trouble.
Four mouths to feed, a father working all hours every day including Christmas to
provide. A miracle baby, Shelby leaving six-figure hospital bills.
PRESENT – Our provider is dead – cancer. Our young narrator
is pregnant and attending state-mandated counselling.
FUTURE – We don’t have one.
Powerful and emotive. A rage against a system that infringes
on the rights of pregnant women to make personal choices best suited for their
circumstances. In the land of the free, there is no freedom.
In our counselling session……I had hoped – against the odds – this might be a sympathetic session.
God knows I could use some help. But obviously not. Lisa Shannon’s smile is as
fake as her nails, her hair color, and claim to care about me. Her eyes reveal
the truth. In their cold steel gaze, I read contempt and condescension. Lisa is
playing a game and cases like mine are how the bitch keeps score. Those hard
grey eyes dismiss me and drop back to her tablet.
Describing the process….. obsessive detail. It’s her pornography. She leaves me feeling repulsed
and guilty as hell.
On anesthetic…….”Perhaps
you should consider local anesthetic? Or would that feel too much like
complicity?”
Hard-hitting and thought provoking – an imagined near future
when the Christian right hold all the aces. Watch this space……
4.5 from 5
Evangeline Jennings is a blog favourite and has featured on the blog before.
Keep up to speed with the Pankhearst Singles Club here.
She was kind enough to ping me this one.
Sounds like a really powerful story, Col. And, sad to say, not unimaginable, and that's what makes it all the more potent. Glad you thought it a good read.
ReplyDeleteMargot, it really is and sadly when you have doctors and nurses targeted on occasions for offering certain services to women, it doesn't seem a million miles off.
DeleteThis sounds absolutely tremendous, Col -- many thanks for the headsup.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a totally different spin from J.A. Kazimer's interpretation which I read around the same time. Much harder-hitting in my opinion.
DeleteDark and too close to reality? I'm not sure, Col.
ReplyDeleteVery probably.
DeleteBlimey, sounds a bit unseasonal. For when I'm feeling strong...
ReplyDeleteThought provoking and she doesn't pull any punches.
DeleteMaybe too dark for me, Col. Glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteProbably, Tracy, very good though.
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