Snow

by Áine Greaney

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

This is the first short short I have read by Áine Greaney and while it isn't my favorite short story in my recent reads, it does have some strong elements that kept me engaged with the story until the end.
Ms. Greaney does an excellent job of setting up the location in Ireland. I felt like I could see the street where Delores's family shop is located. And I could feel the cold of a Dublin winter as the snow fell on the late night scene. This small corner of Dublin becomes a character in the story.

The struggle for me was the number of unanswered questions. What happened between Dolores and her father? There's obviously something that caused her to move to America and there definitely a deep seeded guilt (and maybe a reason for her avoidance), beyond her father's illness, forcing her to stay in Dublin when she has a husband and a life back in New York. And then there is the mysterious Ferguson. Why did he buy the place across the way? Has he always been a loner? Why does he fancy Dolores? Heck, why does Dolores fancy him?

But then I tell myself to stop asking questions and enjoy the story for what the author is sharing with me in just a few short pages. And realize, because I am asking questions and wishing to know more, there is a magical, secret conversation happening between me and the author.

Because of her ability to paint a beautiful picture of Dublin during a snowstorm and stirring my desire to know more about the characters in the story, I give Snow by Áine Greaney a thumbs up.