I Bring Sorrow: And Other Stories of Transgression

Transgression is the central theme in this stellar collection by Abbott (Concrete Angel; Shot in Detroit). Each diminutive story packs a wallop, with plots as varied as the characters that inhabit them. The standout tale "Pox" describes a harrowing attempt by a grieving mother to save her family from a smallpox epidemic. A bleak but surprisingly redemptive story, "Won't You Pardon Me?" focuses on a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who committed a sin years ago that he can never make right. Creating a bleak and dystopian future in diary form, "The Annas" transports the reader to 2097, where all but a select few humans remain. Abbott's craftsmanship is on full display in the short story milieu, with an underlying sense of tragic destiny in each of these selections. The pieces can alternatively leave one with a sense of despair or a tentative hope for better days.