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A review by entazis
In the Palm by Elna Holst
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a fast, well written, and a fun read, perfect for the summer vacation. It's a story about lost amnesiac woman, trying to find out who is she and, at the same time, survive the harsh conditions of a tropical desert island. It starts in medias res, with a very dramatic scene, and it doesn't lose it's energy.
It's also a sapphic romance story, with very hot (huh, pun!) scenes. I loved the way relationship was developed, the simmering lust, the yearning, the companionship.
For a short story that has so little words, this novella opens up a lot of interesting topics for discussion like: identity, personal history, destructive loneliness, and most importantly, when a person is stripped of everything, including memory, displaced from what we percieve as civilization, what stays behind? What makes someone a person? What's truly important, and what's expendable? What's crucial to the life worth living?
In the Palm had gut-wrenching moments as much as comedic, and even some unexpectedly dark. It was all wrapped up rather nicely, and I loved the ending especially, even when it felt a bit rushed.
It's also a sapphic romance story, with very hot (huh, pun!) scenes. I loved the way relationship was developed, the simmering lust, the yearning, the companionship.
For a short story that has so little words, this novella opens up a lot of interesting topics for discussion like: identity, personal history, destructive loneliness, and most importantly, when a person is stripped of everything, including memory, displaced from what we percieve as civilization, what stays behind? What makes someone a person? What's truly important, and what's expendable? What's crucial to the life worth living?
In the Palm had gut-wrenching moments as much as comedic, and even some unexpectedly dark. It was all wrapped up rather nicely, and I loved the ending especially, even when it felt a bit rushed.