Missing Children: A Short Story
By Caren Rich
Short stories can be a great pleasure and this one definitely falls into that area. I found Rich’s writing to be informative and intriguing as she delivered the message of family, friendship, and painful relations, but also gave readers a clear understanding of the bittersweet truth in the lives that are touched and effected by Alzheimer’s disease.
The description to the story tells it all. An elderly woman has been moved to a nursing home, leaving her friends behind to deal with the emotional twists and turns left behind by the disease that’s claimed a portion of her memories. The ladies who’ve known and loved Louise want to make a tribute to their friend by knitting a quilt from the scraps of fabric Louise left them but their project is constantly derailed by their jarring conversations, uncomfortable gossip, and the normal hiccups in life introduced by Alzheimer’s.
I enjoyed the dialogue and personalities of the characters and I thought the story was gentle and sweet. It definitely gave an accurate account of what family and friends suffer through when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. My only complaint would be the main character; I felt she fell a little flat and didn’t deliver as much emotion as the role of the main character in such a sad story would normally give.
I enjoyed this story as much as many other short stories I’ve read and I think other readers of all ages will find it interesting as well. If you have any knowledge about Alzheimer’s then this story will find a special place in your heart, it will also serve as a way to educate those who aren’t familiar with the disease. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys short stories with meaning and an underlying message. Those who like family bonds and close relationships between characters will like this too.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*