Seasons – Ruth McLaughlin

Born- unknown

Humm. Well, “Seasons” was Ruth McLaughlin’s first published story, and it looks as if she is one of those writers who chose to fly low and slow. Google Books turned up another story of hers that was published in a collection of women writers from Montana. There was also mention of her in another journal where “Seasons” was referenced.

“Seasons” was a pleasant read. Oates in her introduction describes the story as “delicate” and then “finally disturbing”. I don’t know if I would describe it as “disturbing” but there seemed to be something haunted about it. Perhaps I rushed through or was not in the right frame of mind during the reading...distracted.

There were a couple of scenes in the story that lent them to be interpreted as alluding to some sort of mental issues with the characters. I tend to enjoy stories that have to do with mental illness or if a character has “something” just not right in their mind.

When an author exposes a character that seems to be perfect and normal with subtle hints of something being off kilter psychologically – I enjoy that.

We’re all crazy anyway- right?

Score 7 out of 10.