The Scenic Route - Christina Baker Kline - ★★★★

AUTHOR: Christina Baker Kline

GENRE: Short Story.

RATING: 4 stars.

In a Nutshell: A great short story about overcoming grief and having second chances with family. Steady pace, interesting characters, nice setting, great writing.

Story Synopsis:

After a car accident changed her life, Jess took to the road. Since four years now, she has been living in her van, travelling wherever her heart desires and trying to forget the grief of the past. Many know her through her Instagram persona that depicts a woman enjoying the thrills of a nomadic life, which barely resembles her actual lifestyle. Then one day, someone from the past re-enters her life, and Jess is forced to take some tough decisions.

The story comes to us from Jess’s first person perspective.

This is a surprisingly impactful short story. Just about 43 pages long, it stills pack in a lot, including parenting issues, grief over broken relationships, loss of a child, “vanlifing”, forgiveness, and second chances. Despite the plethora of topics, the story never feels overwhelming as the core focus stays on Jess through her first person narration. The story also moves between flashbacks and the contemporary timelines, but this too is handled excellently. The pacing never dips, and the plot progression is steady till the end.

I loved the depiction of the nomad lifestyle of “van lifers”. I have always wondered how and why van dwellers live within a vehicle. Are they escaping something? Seeking some deep answers? Tired of being stuck in a routine? Enjoying the fruits of a retired life away from the urban rat race? This story casts an excellent light on what vanlifing actually involves. Though not a lifestyle for me, I still found it fascinating to learn what vanlifing actually involves. I especially loved how the story highlighted the difference between “houseless” and “homeless.” The author’s research is quite clear as she incorporates several key features of an itinerant lifestyle into the narrative.

Jess’s character is penned quite well. Her torn emotions over the past and the present, over what happened and what could have happened, over her present and the uncertainty of the future – all come out well in this little story.

To a certain extent, the story also explores the discrepancy between what influencers post on Instagram and what is actually their reality. As someone who has never warmed to the app because of all the inauthenticity on display, I enjoyed how the book subtly highlighted the fact that not everything on the app is to be believed. Don’t let this make you assume that this is a story about an influencer. It is not. (I wouldn’t have read it otherwise!) It is primarily about a woman who is trying her best to leave her past behind, but can’t.

There were a couple of scenes in the final quarter that didn’t work too well for me. Some of the characters’ life choices also needed more explanation. These might not have been a problem had the story been longer.

All in all, definitely recommended. This is a poignant read exploring human decisions, reactions, and emotions. It will work well for women’s fiction readers.

I have had this author on my radar since some time now, and this, my first exploration of her writing, proved more than satisfactory. I look forward to reading her full-length novels.

The digital version of this story is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.