Survivors, by Holly Chism, is a collection of short stories that deal with  loss, betrayal, abuse, and redemption.  Ms. Chism uses each vignette to paint a picture of a human being in pain, and while there is rarely a happy ending, there is almost always hope or redemption.  The overall message that I drew from this work was that if you are willing to look the horrors of life in the face, you will find that they are surmountable, no matter how difficult that may be, and that you are rarely alone if you seek others.

While this book deals with adult concepts, it does so in a way that did not discourage me from sharing it with Girlie Bear.  My teenage daughter absolutely consumed this book, finishing it in an afternoon.  She understood most of the underlying themes, and I hope that the lessons are remembered.  I expect that this will go into her “read again” rotation.

I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a little hope, or who has survived the worst that life can throw at them, or who just enjoys a well-written short story. Ms. Chism leaves off the very end of the stories in a few times, but this works more toward getting you to sit back and think about how the character will continue the story line rather than feeling like the plotline just ended.  This isn’t a sugary, cheery, turn-that-frown-upside-down kind of book.  Rather, it’s a put-on-your-big-girl-pants kind of book.  If you try it, I think that you will enjoy it.