Postscript, by Barbara Avon – Book review

Postscript is the second work by Barbara Avon I’ve read and I’m fascinated with the intricate way she weaves beautiful prose with tragic stories and soul-touching poetry.

Postscript is a psychological, bittersweet love story between two heartbroken people, James and Lina, each with a tragic past who find comfort in each other. To be honest, love stories are a bit out of my comfort zone as I prefer fantasy and adventure more. I read Postscript because I enjoyed Barbara’s other book Q.W.E.R.T.Y. that I reviewed here, and I’m fond of her unique writing style.

I wondered about the paranormal element of this book while reading, until the end when it clicked. I did not see that coming!

I loved the opening poem

Where do emotions go to die?

The sea is a vessel for tears millennia.

A Winter’s storm captures breaths of wrath.

Pain is poured into vats of steel.

Elation dances upon a Summer breeze.

Love is the stardust that lands upon a caregiver’s

nose,

Or upon a mother’s lips.

One of the things I appreciate in Barbara Avon’s writing style is the way she sets the scene giving enough details to see it clearly, yet not too many to distract from the story. Reading this book felt like watching an old classic Hollywood movie. Sometimes I got a film noir vibe and even thought about Sin City at times.

Here’s an example of setting the scene (I cut the actual scene) and it comes full circle:

“Six men and a lone woman lined the bar at Fox’s. The air was thick with smoke, and a certain melancholy lingered. The bartender played therapist, comedian, and expert host, as much to gather a few extra dollars for the tip jar, as to stave off the ghost called Loneliness. A couple of young kids stood at the Jukebox, feeding it quarters to elicit the latest Top 10 from the machine. A young couple occupied the pool table, flirting dangerously by using their cue sticks as poking devices.

[…]

The bar lights brightened. The jukebox went silent.

“Closing time was like a New Year’s Eve party on its last legs.

I won’t talk much about the plot rather than say it’s an emotional rollercoaster of joy and despair, a  love story between two broken people, survivors of different kinds of abuse, kindred spirits who lean on each other. The story is sprinkled with flashbacks from their past, whether it’s abuse episodes or turning points in their lives. You think you know where this is going, but trust me, you don’t. Watch out for the end!

One of my favorite scenes is probably their interpretation of an old painting (and I wonder if it was a figment of Barbara’s imagination or an actual painting that she saw or owned)

“What do you gather?”

He stared down at her, and ignored his racing heart. Her skin was perfectly unlined. Her lips spoke volumes without saying a word. “That sometimes, hell is right where the heart is. At home.”

I end my review with an endearing scene:

“How did we get here?”

“You ran, and I chased you.”

“No. How did we get here?” she asked, pointing to his heart.

“You ran…and I chased you.”