Book Review: She died and then showed me — Samar Reine
In this first book of the Pioneer Ranch Saga, Samar Reine takes us on a journey exploring Peyton Chase’s life as she knows it. Peyton is a strong personality but like most other people, she too has baggage from her childhood. Her relationship with her parents was a loving one yet there were complications that she deals with on a day-to-day basis. Upon passing of her father, she is overwhelmed with dealing with this loss as well as the financial liabilities she inherited from him. She understands his actions and demeanor better now that she has the necessary perspective to look back and evaluate the situations, he was in.
Her relationship with her mother, who is an enigma, is everything to Peyton. It motivates her, it is the reason she is who she is, and it is also the most testing part of her life. A negative reinforcement loop that she has created to cope with the eccentricities of her mother’s personality.
She oscillates from a state of despair to a state of desperation and back trying to navigate the maze of relationships, revelations, and reconciliation. What she stumbles upon on the way are surprises about her own personality. Cherries on the cake in a true sense. Aspects she did not even know existed but come roaring out at the appropriate times.
A soft tug at the personal dilemmas and relationships to remind us that we are humans; flawed beings that yearn for perfection.
Be prepared to get enthralled by incredible, vivid imagery of scenic beauty, detailed and lively descriptions of characters. However, sometimes, the metaphors seem a bit forced. The writing style is wonderful and evocative. Characters are intriguing with a palpable level of mystery. If you let the situations ruminate in your mind, shades of grey overpower the overtones of black and white. Incredibly complex relationships that the general population is a part of have been showcased with elegance. Interestingly, the relationship dynamics evolve over time with just as much ease. One important aspect of the writing is that it is leisurely written. The book is designed to be enjoyed, not rushed through. An undercurrent of the inevitable curiosity looms over the story but the situational dilemmas and tension keeps you engaged in the moment as well. Alongside the ‘what’ you will also find yourself asking ‘why’ and ‘why not’ quite frequently.
People looking for a novel that they can enjoy and not rush through will love this one. The author takes her time to build up the situation and the conundrums that Peyton, the central character, faces. I would give the book a 4-star rating and recommend readers to relish the writing and not get entangled in the mystery alone.
