Through the Cracks: A Reality with a Twist Book by Sheri J. Kennedy

A Magical Realism Novel published by FreeValley Publishing (12/25/21)

Summary:

“Money equaled power, or at least an opportunity. Especially outside the market. But you couldn’t find much trouble with five bucks.” (19% Kindle Edition).

“Sometimes reality – no matter how you spun it – wasn’t enough.” (38% Kindle Edition).

Lydia has been doing better but she still gets stuck in dark places sometimes. Therapy and structure have been helping but there are still times when she feels alone. After falling through a locked door when she wanted to help someone else, Lydia will discover how great it feels to ease another’s burden. Is it magic or something else? And how can she keep helping others when her mother’s imposed such tight rules on her life?

Keywords:

Identity, Suicide, Helping, Love, Making Friends, Market, Mother-Daughter, Magical Realism, Small Business Owner, Loneliness, Therapy

My Review:

This was a quick read that gets heavy at times. The subject matter can be intense. It was like reading heartwarming self-help fiction with elements of new age nonfiction. Lydia, the main character, is complex and written well. The author sprinkles in hints of her backstory cleverly throughout the story, tying them into the main storyline in the most intriguing way. I relished Lydia’s voice and the way she thinks everything that she’s feeling and thinking. Her voice was sarcastic, truthful, and wholesome all at the same time. The story itself was quite wholesome.

I loved how well integrated the magical realism element was to the plot and to the setting. I really enjoy when books with elements of magical realism really lean into the fantastical element and don’t make light or try to confuse the reader. The magical element in Through the Cracks is very important to the story and creates a unique plot structure that holds together the themes of the story. The story was very well grounded in a realistic world that was detailed visually and easy to imagine. The setting is so well detailed I can almost see everything that Lydia does when she walks around the market and can almost imagine that I’ve been to that specific art market and walked into the two main shops: Curiosities and Only Yesterday myself.

Sometimes the author would spring some really neat insights or lovely new phrases. One of the favorites that I don’t recall ever hearing before was, “Glossing lightly over important stuff felt more like making dark of things.” (60% Kindle Edition).

For anyone going through tough times, especially teenagers, this book is a must!

This novel was published by FreeValley Publishing on 12/25/2021 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Sheri J. Kennedy’s Website and Blog

Goodreads

Sheri J. Kennedy on Facebook

FreeValley Publishing Featured Author