The Paper Gardens

The First is a novella of [b:The Returned|17182421|The Returned|Jason Mott|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372089735s/17182421.jpg|21762912], and as the title would suggest, the story is about the first of the Returned.

This short story, as well as the other two stories written in this mini-trilogy, take a look at the various ways people cope with death. That isn't me reading anything into the meaning of the stories, or making an interpretation. There's a preface that explains the purpose and meaning behind the series of prequels.

The story is supposed to be a more in-depth account of the first person to return from the dead, and the emotional reaction of Emily, who had just started to move past her dead fiancee, but nothing about it was very in-depth. Edmund just sort of returns, and while Emily reacts to his return, the two don't meet up until the very end. There's no real build-up of the emotions that are running through either of their heads. We're told what they're feeling repeatedly, but the story isn't long enough to really delve into the subject.

I'd say that maybe their story gets more attention in the actual book, but if that were the case, then this short story wouldn't really have a purpose.

The idea behind the series is interesting enough, but based on this one story I don't know if I'd read the actual book. I've got the other two novellas waiting to be read. Perhaps they'll sway me.