Fractured

Ossowski (Left) considers how a person’s destiny is shaped by their decisions in this muddled time-jumping thriller. Salmon, who goes by Sam, is caught in two versions of reality: one in which she follows her mother’s plan for her to go to college and become a lawyer, and another in which she follows her heart to be with the man she loves. The story opens with Sam squatting near a lake, near a man she doesn’t recognize but who feels very familiar. After running away, her world goes dark, and suddenly she is back in her normal life with roommate Susan, planning their imminent move to New York City. As Sam packs up her things, she begins to recollect more memories, and she comes to the realization that Sol—the man from what she thought was a dream—does exist, and that she also recalls many intimate details about him. As Sam tries to make sense of both realities, she realizes she must choose a path. Unfortunately, the plot is weak from the start, never explaining the mechanism or point behind the fracturing of Sam’s reality. Sam’s voice is also stunted by her flat, emotionless response to what is happening to her, leaving the reader at a distance. A redemptive ending and many twists fail to save this frustratingly opaque story. [em](Sept.) [/em]