Review: What We Build Upon the Ruins by Giano Cromley

by MK French

The summary for this collection of short stories states they are about "love and loss and longing--our feeble human institutions and fragile relationships broken down and rusting" and that certainly fits the bill.
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November 2017; Tortoise Books; 978-0998632551
print (162 pages); short stories

Each of these stories contains people longing to make a connection with others, even as they feel they're falling apart. Some of the characters don't necessarily feel empty inside but feel lacking in some way, as if something is missing from their lives.

There is a trio of stories that are linked, progressing over the course of a summer, that gives this collection a little more hope. Even that is fragile, so the entire book has a melancholic air.

Buy What We Build Upon the Ruins at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and golden retriever.

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