With this story Ruth Sims achieved something almost unheard of; she wrote an entire novel in only 15 pages. The story of Mr. Newby who is seeking vengeance for a life of abuses lasts more or less 40 years, from his childhood spent in an orphanage, to his carefully planned life to achieve only one goal, to teach a lesson to a particular boy, now man, who Mr. Newby identifies with all the men and women who did him wrong.

This story has an ancient feeling, it reminds me the classics, like Dickens or Fielding, but it’s indeed a contemporary story; the character of Mr. Newby is at the same time someone you can feel pity for, but also being scared of: he is not a likeable man, I think that, if you meet him in real life, he is probably someone you will not be able to make friend with. Mr. Newby is eaten alive by hate and he has not time for being friendly, not until his vengeance is accomplished.

This is probably the first time when I was not so sure to want for the main character to find his happily ever after, since it meant for someone else to be plunged in hell; I wondered if the guilty of being an unpleasant boy was enough to be fated to a life of unhappiness, but then, the adult man was not better than the boy. In any case, the hate was eating alive Mr. Newby, and hate is always a bad character.

In any case, as I said, the accomplishment of this story is to be as compact as a pamphlet, but full of events as an encyclopaedia. How the author managed that is a mystery for me, probably the sign of a real and huge talent.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CJU3BC/?tag=elimyrevandra-20

I purchased this because I had enjoyed Sims' first novel, "The Phoenix." While the two genres are completely different, I have to say - I loved this story! And anyone who has been bullied in their life will probably understand why. Didn't we all dream of revenge? Of seeing our tormentor get a comeuppance? This short story delivers that revenge in a most satisfying way. And no, the bully doesn't die, where would the fun be in that? The story is tightly paced; readers get just enough info to sympathize with the protagonist and the ending is cleverly managed. Highly recommended! And you can't go wrong with the price. ( )