Our Short History

Single mother Karen is dying of ovarian cancer. This is not a spoiler, because it's no surprise to the reader from the very beginning. Karen and her son Jake are visiting Karen's sister Allison on Mercer Island, WA, as part of Karen's plan for preparing Jake to live with his Aunt Allie and her family after Karen passes on. Another part of her plan is to write this book for Jake, to tell him about his early life and give him some guidance for the future. Jake is a great kid. He's funny, smart, and very warm and loving towards his mom. But he surprises her, and throws a bit of a tantrum about wanting to meet the man who is his father. Karen is torn between wanting to keep Jake for herself, and wanting to give him what he wants. This book is not only a love letter to Jake, but an exploration of the complicated feelings that are involved in all relationships, especially those from which a child is born. The author has a way of poking at things gently and then peeling back the layers to get at what Karen is feeling, and what we all might feel at critical junctures in our lives. Highly recommended for those readers who enjoy character-driven stories that make you think.

Review by Kelly Currie