Frames: Short Stories

by Ana Linden

What does one do when life comes to a hopeless standstill and the desired fresh start is not what it seems? Four enthralling, emotional short stories capture diverse characters who are stuck, desperately searching either for a new beginning or for an end to their misery. Opportunity presents itself under the unexpected guise of theft, murder and suicide intertwined with love, friendship and generosity. In need of purpose, as well as affection and passion, they are torn between their conflicting desires and moral values, often finding solace and support in unexpected, shocking situations and people. Can an assassin love? Is one’s death someone else’s fortune? Should outcasts dare to dream of a better future and should the past be put behind? These are merely a few of the questions tormenting them, pushing them to honestly acknowledge and assess their needs and their existence.

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2020

Reviews

[Carol Balawyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frames consists of four short character driven stories. These are not ordinary characters and through their flaws Ana Linden gives us insight into relationships and human nature.
The subjects of her stories range from the damaged educational system, the cruelty of abuse, loneliness, losers and guilt.
Sometimes you just need to feel a bad day for what it is. Unpleasant. Unexplicable. Normal.
In the opening story, Choices, two strangers meet on a plane. One is planning a vacation while the other has been hired to follow her. It is a fresh twist to the “strangers on a train” theme, filled with its high dosage of suspense and an intriguing love story in a noir atmosphere.
The second story, titled Frames, is about two retired teachers, married to each other and disillusioned with the educational system and marriage. As the story progresses each character individually and separately finds meaning in his/her life and a closer connection to each other. It is a story filled with empathy, kindness and hope. Life is not all doom and gloom. There are treasures to be recognized.
Drive, the third story in the collection presents the sad, long term effects of abuse and the power of guilt. In this story, Ana Linden makes us see child abuse from the opposite angle where it is the mother who is the abuser and the father who silently stands by. The secret the son shares with his father is both touching and sad and as the young boy becomes adult we see how his abuse affects his relationships with women until he meets a woman who is worse battered than himself.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are amazing psychological and social components to Ana Linden’s stories which, together with blunt honesty and non- judgmental description, will subjugate the reader from the first page. Her book isn’t an escape from reality, but a reflection of it, an analysis of what triggers human behavior and development. A moment’s decision can radically alter a destiny, and the characters’ struggling with dramatic, life defining changes are brilliantly captured. Present choices are deeply influenced by past experiences which shape these characters, leaving indelible marks. There’s a story behind any human act, the present is a stage for consequences of past decisions, and Linden manages to show instances of this kind of butterfly effect. Love, hate, relationships, romance and even murder are fundamental, thrilling motivational factors, making this a page-turner. I would recommend the book to anyone fascinated with human nature.