Please find today’s 4973 word short story here: http://www.chekhovshorts.com/stories/187.html
Travis review
Today’s story is very different than The Peasants although both stories feature people returning to their childhood homes. Vera comes back to the steppe after inheriting her father’s estate. Having spent several years abroad she sees potential for her old home, but she is confounded by her conservative, meddling aunt and perpetually dissatisfied grandfather and eventually gives up on doing anything original. It was painful to see a woman who has power to make changes (especially with the abuse of the servants), but doesn’t use it. She reminds me of Anna from A Woman’s Kingdom. There is a heartbreaking scene with a illegitimate veteran that exemplifies the horrible nature of puritanical values as well as the sin of inaction. While this story is not spectacular, it has it’s moments as Vera slowly morphs into an uninteresting, unhappy woman of the steppe.
Rating: 6