Blind: A Novella

Sixteen Seasons #3

by V.R. Christensen

From the author of Of Moths and Butterflies

Blind - a novella

Arthur Tremonton is a man of wealth and property, yet cursed from birth to live without sight.

Zachary Goodfellow is a young man raised in poverty, once blind, now deaf.

These two, though worlds apart in station and circumstance, have more in common than one might suppose. Not the least of which is the mutual acquaintance of Rebecca Adair, a young woman with an unusual gift, and the wisdom to know that the lack of physical sight is only one of many obstacles which might prevent a man from truly seeing.

Faced with the choice between seeing clearly and seeing truly, which would you choose? Rebecca intends to ask the question of them, but in order to do that, they must be persuaded to meet. Pride, vanity, fear, these prevent them from seeing what they might do for each other, what they might be to one another, if only they would open their eyes.
What would you sacrifice for the gift of sight? What, in fact, does it truly mean to be Blind?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

62 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

V.R. Christensen writes classically inspired romantic historical fiction and steampunk dystopian novels of depth and sensitivity. V.R.’s historical romances have been multiple-time bestsellers and have been compared to Jane Austen and Charles Dickens (a literary lovechild, perhaps?) V.R. is half English and resides in the United States, though she spends a majority of her time immersed in late-Victorian classic literature and costume dramas. Her work has been described as “masterful for its genre” and “gorgeous”—“like a river flowing through a beautiful landscape that is sometimes light, sometimes dark and threatening.”

Reviews

[MAP · Rating 1 out of 5]

What an odd little novella. I got it for free off Amazon several years ago and frankly that’s all it’s worth. As someone married to a person with a disability, I did not appreciate the ableism running through it. I do not think it worked as a novella as it didn’t have time for any of the emotions to ring true. There was a whisp of a good idea but it was executed poorly.

And nobody cared about poor Miss Adelaide. What the hell was that even about?

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Blind" begins innocuously enough at the English country home of a wealthy landowner. Before long, this pastoral setting veers sharply, propelling two men who have never met down unexpected, converging paths. A woman uses her paranormal gifts to bring together a deaf, half-blind pauper and a wealthy, spoiled, angry man. Her goal is to help them see, not just with their eyes, but with their souls. Delicate and colorful, with fully-fleshed-out characters, "Blind" packs a wallop in 40 short pages.

[M. Locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this tale of four people; Rebecca Adair, a woman with the talent to give people back what they have lost, Adelaide Hilton, too sensitive to others' pain for this world, Zachary Goodfellow, whose sweetness of soul has protected him from some of life's worst evils, and Arthur Tremonton, a man whose blindness turned out to be more profound than anyone imagined, V. R. Christensen has created a beautifully written parable of Victorian life and the best and worst it had to offer.

[Erin Jepsen · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a person with low vision, I'd hoped this book had something to offer as far as accuracy and respect to the blind community. Sadly, it's the usual sentimental schtick, and it did not even make up for it with a decent plot. I was a little impressed that the author managed to cram a depressed shut-in, a supercrip, a "healer" and a dreamer/seer all into one short novella, though. We don't usually get treated to such a barrage of campy stereotypes at once!

[Selina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a huge fan. Full of stereotypes, and no conclusive ending. The deaf/blind character seems to exhibit neither of these disabilities in any way, and he is just too good.

[Ginger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, just a little different. It does make one think twice.

[Brigitte Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author! I haven’t read anything of hers I didn’t like. Blind is no different. It’s a short story but so beautifully written. I could read this again as a novel.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. I picked this up as a Kindle Freebie. I really enjoyed Ms. Christensen's Of Moths and Butterflies and wanted to read more by this author.

Blind was an interesting comment on whether disabilities are really disabilities and how we cope with adversity in our lives. While some of it is stereotypical, it is also the reality and I felt like Ms. Christensen captured the attitudes of the late 1800's and early 1900's. There were definitely people back then who felt that someone who was blind was somehow "inferior." I thought she asked many important questions about what real beauty is and whether our trials and hindrances are really blessings. For a novella, this packs a lot and made me wish for more. Ms. Christensen's writing is engaging and descriptive.

[Therese]

$0.0

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and interesting in its biblical premise of "there are none so blind as those who will not see." Not a realistic story but it punctuates the Christian aspect of blindness.