Reviewed by Timea Barabas
“Ellipsis” by Kristy McGinnis is a wonderful piece of fiction that reads like real life. The novel tells the story of a girl becoming a woman. And through this not so out of the ordinary life are presented some of the horrors of ordinary life. Purchase Here.
The novel opens up with the blossoming of Nell Sanger, a college student who has all her future mapped out. She took on some side jobs to help support herself, one of which was modeling for art students. That is where she met Narek, a gifted art student from Armenia. The two immediately felt connected by the many things they have in common and were intrigued by each-others cultural and personal differences.
But this is not a simple love story. It is a complex tale about the many forms love can take and the challenges that these bring. The love for and of a boyfriend, former lover, child, mentor, fellow women, the love of self. As you go through the pages of the book, there is an overwhelming sense that tragedy, loss is inescapable. Happiness, on the other hand, is harder to hold on to. Will Nell be able to experience joy, or will all her happiness end up being trapped somewhere in the past?
“Ellipsis” also brings into question the nature of personal time. In the face of a great loss and the crumbling of a future carefully constructed over years, the past is drastically re-evaluated. When put in this situation, Nell oscillates between two alternatives. As the future crumbles, so does the past upon which it was built. It becomes obsolete. However, she is also tempted to invest past events with additional value. Her memories, at least, are there and she cannot be robbed by those.
The author gets straight to the point. She sticks to a leisurely language but masterfully uses it to shuttle her message to the inner being of the reader. The story itself and the raw emotions take the center stage in the book. Kristy McGinnis brings into focus rather big and very important themes, dangers that still lurk in society. While violence and tragedy blow into focus, the underlying narrative focuses on prevention.
“Ellipsis” is an emotional read that might easily steal a few tears from the reader. The author succeeds in holding the reader captivated and on the edge of each sheet, eager to read what will happen next.