The MacKenzie family and Surrender are a world created by
Liliana Hart, a New York Times best-selling author. An author to date that I have read only one of
her stories. I was of the opinion that I
could take it or leave it, and mostly that was leave it. It had wonderful build-up at the beginning
then fell into confusion in the middle and flat at the end. It appeared the author had an inability to
write physical conflict so she hinted it could happen and then it just
inexplicably didn’t.
However, this is not a story of Surrender written by
her. Now it appears her setting and some
of her characters have been handed over to other authors to try their hand
at. I thought I’d give Surrender another
shot with Christopher Rice’s novella set in Surrender in the middle of
winter. From my experience of his
writing he was not an author so afflicted by Ms Hart’s particular inability.
This is a story of a young deputy smitten with his former
high school teacher who chases after her when he realises a storm is heading
their way and she may be trapped at her old property, ill-equipped to survive
the blast.
It is sort of reminiscent of another story I’ve read by
Vivian Arend – the younger man, older woman scenario – forced together by an
icy blast. Apart from the women having
an ex, that’s where the comparison ends unfortunately.
This is a romp of the dastardly kind. Ex is a self-absorb crim who has dumped his
ex-wife in the way of trouble and Danny is left to get her out of it and in the
process making her fall in love with him.
As always the people Christopher has created are real and
passionate, his writing eloquent and his word pictures imaginative.
It is, however, not one of my favourites. Perhaps because it was too short of a tale
and I didn’t feel the immediate spark between the two main characters; or
perhaps it was the gravity of the situation that kind of touched on the unbelievable.
I was however glad for Eliza’s rescue. Can’t have the criminal element winning the
day.
««1/2
(because I might be tempted to read it again in a quiet moment)
Sydney Whyte
Rating Chart
«……………….A no goer
««……………Alright, but not a re-read
«««………..Liked it
««««…….Loved it
«««««…Amaze-balls – ticks all the boxes!!!
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