Review of Escape From Darkness

[Faith Katherine Daniels]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Escape From Darkness" by Ana Ingham.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Escape from Darkness by Ana Ingham is a compilation of three short stories with German roots. In the first story, we follow the story of Thomas, who was a reporter with a radio station, and Caroll, a gallery owner. Their story starts with a meeting in front of a mailbox where Caroll is trying to open the mailbox but has her key stuck in it, and then Thomas asks to assist her with it. Moving forward, we could see a friendship form where secrets are shared between strangers. In the second story, "Delayed Tenderness," we follow the lives of Michael and his ex-girlfriend Helene. For this story, I would say that there is always that one love that is special to you, even if you are no longer in a relationship with that person. They have become a safe space for you. Michael was scheduled to have a bypass surgery, and he was afraid that he would not make it out alive. He then sends out an email to Helene informing her of this, who then, in turn, decides to go see him. During this process, Michael is able to share with her secrets that he could breathe to no one else but her. In the third story, "The German Lover," we follow the story of Selma and Peter. Peter is a psychologist, and Selma is a painter. They meet on the veranda of Humbold House. There was a warning regarding the high level of cesium 137, so everyone avoided going to the veranda except Peter. Selma went to ask why he was sitting out there, ignoring all the warnings, and from there, their story blossomed.

I exceptionally loved reading this book. I could go on and on talking about the second story, as it was my best out of the three. Don't get me wrong; all three are equally unique and captivating, but there is always that one story that hits so close to home that it automatically stands out among others. I loved that the story was fast-paced and also straight to the point. In each story, we were not introduced to irrelevant characters that had nothing to do with the progression stories. Each character or person referenced in each story was of great importance to the progression of the story. Amidst the stories, we get subtle knowledge of life in general. For example, in the first story, Caroll had to hide her identity as German because of an event from her childhood. In one scene, one of her classmates shouts at her, saying, "You are German. Your father killed the Jews." This made her hate being German. This scene subtly brings our minds back to history and World War II. If you want to know more about this and the other stories, get a copy of this book and read it.

There was so much I loved about this book. Michael's story was really precious to me as it features themes of abuse and how the trauma birthed from it can affect our lives physically, mentally, and emotionally. One theme the stories have in common is suicide. It was not written in explicit detail; however, if this triggers you, I suggest you skip the book. There was also mention of a rape fantasy, so read with caution.

I do not have anything negative to say about this book; it was engrossing and a highly recommended read, which is why I am giving it a perfect five out of five star rating. The book was exceptionally well edited, for which I am grateful, as I did not have errors distracting me from the book.

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Escape From Darkness
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[Shaniz Tobiaz]

I love such short stories, this a great book i must read it.

[George Bastem]

The way these stories intertwine deep emotions, personal struggles, and historical shadows makes them feel raw and real. Michael's story, in particular, sounds deeply moving, showing how past trauma lingers in unexpected ways.