Enduring Spirit: Stories

by Patricia Flaherty Pagan

Take imaginative and very real journeys with tenacious women. Sisters stand together against thieves in an unexpected way. A single mother reacts to violence on her own terms. An abused girl befriends a mythical shape-shifting rabbit, and they seek a unique form of justice. These stories will make you look at endurance, survival and transcendence in new ways.

65 pages, ebook

Published May 8, 2018

About the author

Patricia Flaherty Pagan is the award-winning author of "Enduring Spirit: Stories,” "Specters and Spells," and "Trail Ways Pilgrims." She teaches flash fiction and flash memoir writing on Boston's North Shore and online. She lives in a brown house near the sea with her family and her three mischievous rescue cats.

Reviews

[J. Else]

I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my recommendations and comments below. Thank you to the author for this opportunity

These stories felt unfinished, the characters not quite solidified, the messages incomplete. I wanted to fall into the stories but was never quite pulled in. The author never really gets into the head of her characters with the exception of "Aftershock Angels." Since most experiences aren't internalized by the characters, they're missing that element which endures them to readers.

I believe these stories all have great potential, particularly "Puca Dawns" and "Sirens of Pedernales." Both live in a blend of the spiritual and real world, both have spine tingling moments, but both miss the mark just slightly. I think a lot more emotion could have been teased out of them and the supernatural elements could have been fascinatingly explored.

While entitled 'Enduring Spirit," most of the female characters don't portray this idealism. There's suicide, putting one's head down and accepting the lies, a girl who needs rescuing, and an elderly woman who's taken advantage of and never realizes it. I wanted more satisfaction from these stories and some internal change of these characters. Only "Kit-Cat Clock" gave us something of an awakening strength in the character.

The stories do leave me wanting more...more of them. These short stories feel like writing springboards more than anything. I feel as though there were beginnings or endings but not enough substance to make the moments memorable. I hope the author develops these snippets more in the future. They'd be great if further explored.

[L.A.L.]

I read the first story. It was disturbing and not because of the púca. But beyond that, the writing style wasn't my cup of tea. I just didn't care for it. I tried to start the second story, but it just didn't flow as choppy sentences with random and incomplete thoughts distracted me from the plot of the story. A little fleshing out, a good editor, and these might be a bit better. This definitely read like a self-published booklet.

[Melissa]

I enjoyed these stories—I just wish a few of them were longer. I wanted to learn more about these intriguing characters!

[R.L.]

Shades of Harvey!!!! Eeek! Not so fast. This rabbit isn't Harvey. These stores were all very good, each for its own reasons. I enjoyed the book very much and hope others will pick it up soon.