Recently, I read a flash fiction titled “Possessions(s)”. It was about the aftermath of losing your wife, and I found it interesting because when I think of a widow, a woman automatically comes to my mind. So, I was enticed to read this flash fiction and discover how a man feels when they lose their significant other. The first line instantly drew me in because it was shocking and compelling. The “great first line” rule of flash fiction was definitely accomplished by this piece. There is not necessarily a progression of time in this flash fiction; time is left ambiguous. It does not let you know how long the wife has been dead or the time span between the beginning and end, which I liked very much. It made it easier to focus on the thoughts, emotions, and surroundings. This piece was very emotional and thought-provoking because it just made me wonder. I felt what the widow was feeling in every sentence, metaphor, and image.
Some things I like about this story is the structure: the punctuation use, choppy sentences, and unfinished thoughts. It goes well with the theme of subtle detachment. There are many great lines. “… hanging from a pole sagging with the weight of remembrance” (Smolens). This is one of my favorite uses of figurative language used by the writer. The style of the writing gives the theme, tone, and concept so many attributes. Another thing I enjoyed about this piece is the comparison of possession and possessions. That was an intelligent concept used, and it worked very well; it also contributed to connecting the title with the story. My favorite line is “Fuck you, Stephen Spielberg; death has no special effects” (Smolens). It added a lightweight tone to the extremely heavy subject. It served as a breather for me. There was also a mix of brevity and specifics which was cool to see. Although I enjoyed this piece, there were some aspects of it I have to disagree with.
A characteristic I found distracting was the fragments. They worked in some places and others felt forced. It was overused. However, it still did not affect the quality. The ending was not as strong as I thought it would be. At the end, there was a very unique metaphor introduced, and the author continued to use it until the conclusion, but it was a poor execution. The last line could have been exponentially stronger compared to the rest of the story. The format of the text was intimidating, and I spotted many places that could have been benefited with a paragraph break.
Overall, I loved this flash fiction. It did very well with being consistent and emotional but not full of pity. It was full of great imagery and other figurative languages. I love reading works that use personification, and it was prolific in this story. This is now one of my favorite pieces, and I plan to read more from the author. If you would like to read it, click here.
