Dan Choan's, Await Your Reply (Ballantine Books, ISBN 0345476034) is a well-written story featuring three separate individuals struggling to survive circumstances that are thrust upon them by others who seem to lack any empathy. While the switching between the characters can, at times, become a little disorienting, Choan's writing skills help keep the reader involved enough to get through the tough spots and truly enjoy the circumstances.
Miles Cheshire and His Secret Brother
Miles has squeaked through a mostly normal life, with one exception: when the opportunity arises, he attempts to find his long-lost twin brother. The opportunities are few and far between, but occasionally his brother Hayden sends a letter, and not just any letter but one that seems to suggest more than a few hints as to his whereabouts. Given Hayden's long history of mental illness – or not, depending on who's talking – it's clear that Miles needs to eventually find his brother.
Lucy Lattimore's Escape
Lucy has just eloped with her high school teacher. In escaping their former lives, they find themselves in Nebraska hiding out in an old house with what looks like no plan. Lucy truly believes she's in love. Not only that, her high school lover has convinced her that there's a way they can escape this dreary world with all the money they could ever need. But the more time they spend together alone inside the house, the more Lucy begins to believe that there's more to her former high school teacher than he's told her.
Ryan Schuyler Confirmed Dead
While everyone assumes Ryan died in a tragic accident, he finds himself instead in the company of his father, his true father, the one who long ago abandoned him and just recently came back into Ryan's life with a plan to make money illegally – the trick is he needs Ryan's help. Ryan accepts, interested in learning more about his real father and even more interested in escaping his former life. He has no idea what he's going to do, nor does he care.
All Three Stories Intertwine
Despite the fact that some of the chapters can feel confusing early on, the novel eventually arranges itself and flows well enough to make the three separate stories feel like they're moving together in some unseen way. Indeed, as the thrilling second half reveals, all three of the stories – and their main characters – are connected in ways that only the reader will fully realize, repaying in full the reader's patience early on.
Ken Brosky - Ken Brosky's first novel was published in fall 2007. He has more than a dozen short stories published in magazines including Skyline and ...
