Review by sabbykitty -- The VD Anthology by Various
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Review by sabbykitty -- The VD Anthology by Various
[Following is a volunteer review of "The VD Anthology" by Various.]
The VD Anthology Vol. 2 is a collection of short stories and poems by various authors. There are 13 authors featured in this anthology, and the stories and poems read like snapshots of various lives and events. They give insight into several topics that are prevalent in our current society. The stories are varied in their settings and characters, and none of them are interconnected.
Tara Basi’s story, “Chapter Two - The Proclamation” is about a woman named Soph who has dedicated her life to following the queen on social media. When the queen takes a break from posting, many in the world are left lost. The story is an interesting commentary on the impact of social media in our lives. Iris Sala’s story, “From: Remember How To Forget” takes place on a Friday night outside of a nightclub. The unnamed narrator is looking for something that evening, and chooses to enter into the body of a homeless man, learning quite a bit about the people in his surroundings in the process. Brian Kelly’s story, “Green Fragility” features a cast of men drinking at a pub in the early morning. They share their stories and experiences about the lockdown and the strain it’s been putting on their relationships. Frank Wood’s story is called “Dear Corona” and is written as a love letter to the corona virus from an individual who sees it as a good thing. “Britney Spears 2.0” by Valentina Valentini is a story that has happened far too often. A teenage girl with ambitions to be the next big pop star trains under a much older coach, only to find out that he doesn’t have the best intentions for her. Cheryl Baden Powell’s tale, “From: Big Cats of Cactus Creek” shows the readers a look into the memories of a woman that had been through a traumatic experience in her past at the hands of someone she thought she loved.
“The Last Supper (At Breakfast)” by Black Cab Mark contains a conversation between a group of old friends at the last day of a cafe before it closes that they’ve spent many Saturdays at. “North East to North Africa” by Sophia Rainbow Haddad is a collection of stories told to the author by their mother and father of their travels before she was born. Eliot Bryter’s tale “Rendition of a Life: Transposed” is told from the point of view of an individual that is slowly losing his sight, while his hearing adjusts to be more sensitive. He laments about his love for art, and what the loss of his eyesight means for him. Calah Singleton’s poem, “Saudades” is told from the point of view of a girl that is coming to terms with the fact that she’s been sexually abused. “The North Circular Book of the Dead” by David Rogers tells the tale of an individual that finds himself severely injured and fading fast. His last conscious thoughts fade and the story transitions to the view of an individual being summoned from his bed in the early morning hours to deal with what is likely a death. Alexandra Liedinger tells the tale of the frantic search for the woman who stole the heart of the prince, leaving nothing but a pumpkin and a glass slipper in her wake. “A Herman Melville Cinderella” is a twist on the classic fairy tale that focuses on the prince’s obsession with his quest and the ruin it leads him to. The Anthology ends with a series of four poems by Robert Hennebry: “Short but Sweet,” “S.B,” “Thud,” and “This is the Word of the Fence.”
The stories in the anthology are bite sized and easily digestible. The writing is well done and the book is professionally edited. The variety of settings and subjects covered within the book are diverse; no two tales are alike. The feelings portrayed by the characters are believable and relatable. It is an easy read without being dull or repetitive. There are stories that I wish could have been longer, however they are excerpts of bigger works. My only complaint is that the anthology didn’t include any information on how to access the rest of the stories within.
Due to the subject matter and foul language contained in many of the writings, this book is best suited to an adult audience with an open mind. The mark of a good author is one that can make their readers become invested in their characters and settings. Due to the thought provoking nature of the stories and the fact that several of them left me wanting more, I rate The VD Anthology Vol. 2 4 out of 4 stars.
******
The VD Anthology
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The VD Anthology Vol. 2 is a collection of short stories and poems by various authors. There are 13 authors featured in this anthology, and the stories and poems read like snapshots of various lives and events. They give insight into several topics that are prevalent in our current society. The stories are varied in their settings and characters, and none of them are interconnected.
Tara Basi’s story, “Chapter Two - The Proclamation” is about a woman named Soph who has dedicated her life to following the queen on social media. When the queen takes a break from posting, many in the world are left lost. The story is an interesting commentary on the impact of social media in our lives. Iris Sala’s story, “From: Remember How To Forget” takes place on a Friday night outside of a nightclub. The unnamed narrator is looking for something that evening, and chooses to enter into the body of a homeless man, learning quite a bit about the people in his surroundings in the process. Brian Kelly’s story, “Green Fragility” features a cast of men drinking at a pub in the early morning. They share their stories and experiences about the lockdown and the strain it’s been putting on their relationships. Frank Wood’s story is called “Dear Corona” and is written as a love letter to the corona virus from an individual who sees it as a good thing. “Britney Spears 2.0” by Valentina Valentini is a story that has happened far too often. A teenage girl with ambitions to be the next big pop star trains under a much older coach, only to find out that he doesn’t have the best intentions for her. Cheryl Baden Powell’s tale, “From: Big Cats of Cactus Creek” shows the readers a look into the memories of a woman that had been through a traumatic experience in her past at the hands of someone she thought she loved.
“The Last Supper (At Breakfast)” by Black Cab Mark contains a conversation between a group of old friends at the last day of a cafe before it closes that they’ve spent many Saturdays at. “North East to North Africa” by Sophia Rainbow Haddad is a collection of stories told to the author by their mother and father of their travels before she was born. Eliot Bryter’s tale “Rendition of a Life: Transposed” is told from the point of view of an individual that is slowly losing his sight, while his hearing adjusts to be more sensitive. He laments about his love for art, and what the loss of his eyesight means for him. Calah Singleton’s poem, “Saudades” is told from the point of view of a girl that is coming to terms with the fact that she’s been sexually abused. “The North Circular Book of the Dead” by David Rogers tells the tale of an individual that finds himself severely injured and fading fast. His last conscious thoughts fade and the story transitions to the view of an individual being summoned from his bed in the early morning hours to deal with what is likely a death. Alexandra Liedinger tells the tale of the frantic search for the woman who stole the heart of the prince, leaving nothing but a pumpkin and a glass slipper in her wake. “A Herman Melville Cinderella” is a twist on the classic fairy tale that focuses on the prince’s obsession with his quest and the ruin it leads him to. The Anthology ends with a series of four poems by Robert Hennebry: “Short but Sweet,” “S.B,” “Thud,” and “This is the Word of the Fence.”
The stories in the anthology are bite sized and easily digestible. The writing is well done and the book is professionally edited. The variety of settings and subjects covered within the book are diverse; no two tales are alike. The feelings portrayed by the characters are believable and relatable. It is an easy read without being dull or repetitive. There are stories that I wish could have been longer, however they are excerpts of bigger works. My only complaint is that the anthology didn’t include any information on how to access the rest of the stories within.
Due to the subject matter and foul language contained in many of the writings, this book is best suited to an adult audience with an open mind. The mark of a good author is one that can make their readers become invested in their characters and settings. Due to the thought provoking nature of the stories and the fact that several of them left me wanting more, I rate The VD Anthology Vol. 2 4 out of 4 stars.
******
The VD Anthology
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: My Trip To Adele by R.I.Alyaseer and A. I Alyaseer
