Poppy's Story - Kristina McMorris - ★★.½

AUTHOR: Kristina McMorris

SERIES: Good Intentions Collection, #2

GENRE: Short Story

PUBLICATION DATE: April 27, 2023

RATING: 2.5 stars.

In a Nutshell: A short story that tells us more about Poppy, one of the minor characters in the novel, ‘The Ways We Hide’. Works perfectly as a standalone. The story has some interesting themes, though I would have like a greater exploration of certain emotions and a limited range of topics. Decent as a one-time read.

Plot Preview:

1962, Virginia. Ever since the news highlighted some potential danger to the US through the USSR and Cuba, Poppy has been left unsure of her pregnancy. She wonders not just whether it is the right time to bring a child into the world, but also whether certain events from her past make her the right person to be a mother. As the story progresses, she realises that unless she faces the past, she cannot prepare herself for the future.

The story comes to us in Poppy’s third person perspective.

This is the second standalone story in the 'Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.”

The introductory note by the author reveals how she came up with the decision to write Poppy’s Story. Until I read this note, I had no idea that Poppy was a minor character in the author’s WWII novel, ‘The Ways We Hide’, a book I have read but only remember vaguely. Thankfully, the story is a standalone, and though there are allusions to Fenna Vos, the main character from the novel, there is no gap in understanding the events of this story even without knowing who Fenna is. 

I liked Poppy’s character, especially her portrayal as a teacher and her struggle to accept some events from the past. However, as she takes so long to ponder over an important decision, a substantial portion of the story feels very repetitive in its exploration of her thoughts. 

Moreover, the story took on too much. I don’t want to reveal much beyond the missile uncertainty, but there seemed to be a wide array of things troubling Poppy, and this overload of topics killed the importance of each individual issue.

One hurdle in connecting with Poppy came from my side. I have no idea about the “Cuban Missile Crisis” of 1962, and the story doesn’t offer any details except the bare minimum. (Not that I blame it – it is just a short story of 44 pages, after all.) Perhaps those who are aware of the events of 1962 will be able to understand the environment Poppy lives in and the reason for her reaction. 

I did, however, connect slightly better with her fears about the impending motherhood. The world always seems a scary place when you think of bringing a baby into it, so it was interesting to see how Poppy grappled between her past trauma and her present confusion to ensure her future peace of mind. Then again, did I feel emotionally impacted by Poppy’s fears? No. Somehow, the writing keeps her distanced from us.

Poppy’s husband Everett could have been an interesting character, but we barely get to know him. The story is, as the title suggests, Poppy’s, and Poppy’s alone. But certain more details about their married life and Everett’s general nature would have helped us understand why she was so unwilling to trust him with her news. It couldn’t have been just that one reason. 

All in all, a decent story with some good themes, but it doesn’t pack as big an emotional punch as I had hoped for. It might have worked better had I connected more with Poppy. If you read this, I hope you do. It’s free, so there’s nothing to lose at least in the financial sense.

This standalone story is a part of the ‘Good Intentions’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers. 

This collection is not going well for me so far. Fingers crossed for the next story! All the remaining stories have strong ratings on GR, so I do have hope.