Lily

by Stevie Turner

A Short Story

Lily is 92 and failing in health. Her family tells her she is going on a little holiday, and although she finds herself still on her beloved Isle of Wight, to her horror she is now living permanently in a residential home at the mercy of Bridie, the 'horrible' one. To make what is left of her life happier she thinks about years gone by, and once again wonders about the strange disappearance of her 14 year old sister Violet in 1897. However, every cloud has a silver lining, and amidst the daily horror of her life she is delighted to find out that a resident at the home is able to shed new light on the mystery.

Genres: Book Club

66 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2014

About the author

Stevie Turner is a British author of suspense, paranormal, women's fiction family dramas, and darkly humorous novels. She has also branched out into the world of audio books, screenplays, and translations. Her third novel 'A House Without Windows' gained the attention of a New York media production company in December 2017, and her screenplay 'For the Sake of a Child' won Silver in the 2017 Depth of Field International Film Festival. Her novella 'Finding David' was a quarter-finalist in the 2019 ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition. https://writers.coverfly.com/profile/...

Her novella 'Scam!' won the Electric Eclectic Novella Fiction Prize for 2020:
https://electriceclecticsblog.wordpre... Her novel 'His Ladyship' made the finals and Longlist of the 2021 Page Turner Award, and her book 'Falling' reached the finals of the 2022 Page Turner Award. Her latest novel 'Tina's Diary: 1997' also reached the finals of the 2023 Page Turner Writing Award.

To quote reader Roberta Baden-Powell: 'I'm looking forward to reading your new book and find your books the best so far. The style you write in has given me a new perspective and a renewed inspiration in reading once again.'

Stevie can be contacted at the following email address: stevieturner3@hotmail.co.uk You can also find her website at www.stevieturner.uk and her blog at www.steviet3.wordpress.com

Don't forget to sign up to Stevie's mailing list for new publications, events and giveaways! http://eepurl.com/dvNklL

Reviews

[Darlene Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story that spans almost a century. There is so much emotion packed into this novella. Anyone who has watched a loved one age and deteriorate will empathize. An ageing Lily reflects on her long life after suffering a stroke. It made me think of my mom after her stroke. I am convinced the love of her family kept her going as it does Lily. A well-written story about family, family secrets and the power of love. Some nice surprises and some not so nice revelations result in a satisfying end. An enjoyable read.

[Yan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars.
Ngl I shed tears after finishing the book. It's short, but every chapter is packed with so much emotions and love, I felt as if I am surrounded by warmth, almost like experiencing her life as one of her children. Despite being old and feeble, her character shines brightly throughout the story. I never read anything quite like this before, and it left me touched, satisfied, and reminded me about the beauty of life.
I'd definitely recommend reading this!

[Carrie Terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several years ago I watched my father-in-law rehabilitating from a stroke as he struggled to walk, talk, eat - everything that most people take for granted on a daily basis. He was transferred from the hospital directly to a care center, so unlike Lily, he never had the experience of his family leading him to believe he was going on a holiday - he knew where he was going. I'm sure there a reasons that people mislead the elderly, but I don't know - how do you live with yourself after you've purposely lied to someone that you love.

What a tragic thing our bodies can do to us. How frustrating it must be to know in your mind what you need to say, yet you're unable to make your mouth work! I've know of twin siblings that have been so close in spirit that they have known what the other is thinking, but not siblings. What a gift these two sisters shared after being separated for so many years.

I loved the way the story went from the past to the present, the many twists and turns along the way, and the ultimate family reunions that took place. While Lily is indeed a short story, I believe there is so much that can be built on this core should Stevie Turner choose to do so.

I was given this book after the results of a poll in exchange for an honest review. I'm glad that I voted for this winning book.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is a fabulous gem that has been very well researched and written from a sympathetic position telling how life was for every day people in the 1800's through into the 1900's. We track life through the eyes of a family through several generations detailing the differences each character has gone through in life. Told partly from the memories of the central character and the current events towards the end of her life and we see how important family is and how relationships within the family circle really can and do make everything possible. There are happy times as well as the desperate feelings that fall in place when times are harsh and the reader laughs and cries throughout as the story unfolds.

This is a must read for anyone who likes to read about the every day lives of ordinary people in times gone by and I would heartily recommend it.

An e-copy of the book was given to me in exchange for an honest review as part of Goodreads Ebook Miner Book of the Month promotion programme

[Carole Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read all year. Lily--a beautiful person who suffered many tragedies in her lifetime. The writer had the uncanny knack of putting a reader right in the middle of the story. I felt so close to the characters. The ending is one of the most beautiful and moving finishes I have ever encountered. If I had to label it, I'd say that it was soulful. I know it left quite an impact on me. Excellent!

Carole McKee, Author

[D.G. Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt family saga focusing on Lily - now a 93 year old resident in a nursing home, recanting her earlier life starting back in the late 1800s, growing up with her 2 sisters -one who was mysteriously taken away from home as a young teen with a 'dreaded sickness' - never to return.

Lily shares her history in thought and her memories of growing up and marrying her beloved Artie and the children they raised together. Now, in 1973, Lily has suffered a stroke and is now living in assisted living, unable to speak from the stroke, in a wheelchair, but her memory is sharp as a tack.

Lily gets a new roommate and the secrets of the past come to make sense as the mystery of what happened to her missing sister is revealed. The characters in this story are so beautifully fleshed out, and Lily stole my heart as I eagerly turned each page. A thoroughly engaging story all the way through a most satisfying ending, I read it straight through in one sitting, #Recommended reading!

[Patricia (Irishcharmer) Yarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered,just what would happen should some catastrophic change in your life occurred? And you're the elderly parent? As I read this I thought of my step-mom after she had her major stroke! What was going thru her thoughts when we finally had to place her in hospice/long term care? Was she lucid in her thought processes? Did she know where she was? Would you?
I realize this is a fictional story, but oh buddy! Does it give you lots to ponder...even tho it made me remember the past, I did like the story! Give it a go, you'll probably find that you will too!--P/

[Carrie-Anne O'Driscoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Lily- A Short Story", Stevie Turner has the basis for a great novel. The pain and fear of a 93 year old woman trapped in a home is palpable. Mistreated by a nurse, she's begging to die. However, a new room mate changes everything.
A past rife with heartache and loss as well as immeasurable joy haunts Lily in both her waking and slumbering moments. Remembering the love of her life, Artie, brings whispers of birth pangs and some of the proudest moments she had as wife and mother. Forever mourning a 14 year old sister violated in the worst possible manner by a trusted adult, she's left with the knowledge that it all ended in death for the young lass.
Historical facts about WWI sprinkled in regarding Lily's oldest son bring another dimension to Turner's writing. There are so many emotions to be felt within these pages that at times it is almost too much. The reader becomes one of Lily's children however briefly. At the same time, we feel the fear, frustration and pain of living in an aging body while the mind is as crisp and alert as it ever was. It's a tragedy with more love than can be expressed.
This is a highly recommended four star read.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Lily’ is a lovely short read. I’ve read a few of this author’s books and it’s obvious that she has a lot of experience when it comes to psychology, as it relates to many people’s experience; her character’s reactions to the many positive and negative situations of life always ring true for me.

Lily, near the end of her life, finds herself in the unenviable position of being in a nursing home. Though at first this seems to her like something she really doesn’t want to live through, circumstances conspire to bring about comfort and the solutions to events in her life that have haunted her. Although I would have personally liked to go back in time and wreak some vengeance on a certain person or two, the bittersweet ending brought tears to my eyes.

[Rock Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading Stevie Turner’s books, and this one is no exception. Straight away the reader sympathises with Lily, who has been dumped in a residential home, and my emotions were all over the place at her treatment from Bridie, one of the members of staff (is this written from experience of working in a residential home?). I was actually cheering for Lily at one point, and this of course is all down to the skill of the writer, who writes with good insight of the pitfalls of old age. A lovely story. Recommended.

[Anna Othitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and emotional read very well written and food for thought. Short and sweet - Loved it and recommended.

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and endearing story of a woman, Lily, of advanced years (92) whose health is failing. When her children are unable to care for her anymore, they move her into a health care facility where she will get better care. But does she? There is a health care worker who is cruel and uncaring in her treatment of Lily. Lily suffers at her hands and prays that her suffering will end soon.

Her only wish before she dies is to find out what happened to her sister, Violet, who disappeared at the age of 14. Her parents never told her or her other sisters where Violet went and why.

This story is cleverly crafted to engage the reader to sympathize and empathize with Lily. Will the mystery of her lost sister ever be uncovered so she can go in peace? You will have to read it to find out.

This is a lovely story that will grip your heart. I highly recommend it!

[Lizzie Winns · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long life

Although short, this story reads like a 300 page book. From the first page to the last page we get a glimpse into the life of an elderly lady who loved being a wife and mother. She lived a full life for her family. This book was full of twist and turns. Happiness and sadness. Beginnings of life and ends of life and all in between.

[Laurentiu Lazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review forthcoming...

[Ulla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story of an old woman remembering her life.

[Joy Kidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily is the story of a woman's compelling long life into such a short book, covering so many losses and turning points and personalities. Unmarried women who became pregnant were treated as if they were mentally ill, confined, and never reunited with their families. That was only one of Lily's losses, but by the end of the story, she had enough answers, though still difficult and some surprising, to put her mind to rest.

(The uneven formatting of the ebook made it hard to read.)

[Heidi Morrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had no idea this was a sample until I reached the cliffhanger end. I prefer the "whole book" if I'm going to read one. Disappointed. I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, but it did not in any way affect my review. All opinions are my own.