Book Reviews and More: Memories of the Abyss

Friday, 18 October 2024

Memories of the Abyss - Cedar Sanderson

Memories of the Abyss

Cedar Sanderson

StonyCroft Publishing

ASIN B00E6H093Q

This is the twenty-fifth volume from Cedar Sanderson’s masterful pen that I have read. This one was originally published or has a copyright date of 2013, long before I heard about her and her works.

The description of this volume states:

“Violet is trapped in the prison of her own mind. Her body is dwelling in the insane asylum, but when her friend Walter is killed, she must make a decision to avenge his death, or stay safely locked in her own broken soul. He'd drawn her out of her shell, and she finds she still has honor left… But will anyone believe the crazy woman?”

About Cedar at the front of this volume we are informed:

“Cedar Sanderson, mother of four, family entertainer, student, and author, grew up without television in the Alaskan bush. A remote upbringing with no television, and learning to read at age four have skewed her world toward books. A house full of books and a part-time librarian job keep that going to this very day. She writes what she wants to read herself, and hopes someday her children will like her books. She writes because she can’t help it, gets a story stuck in her head and has to write it out or it bothers her. Which led to enjoying the crafting of stories over the years, but she didn’t seek to become published for a long time – she was content just to write. Now, she’s sharing some of her work.”

Unlike some of her other short works she does not give us any information on the origin of this story. Which I consider a pity as there is so much I would like to know about this story and how it came to be? I am also curios about the events after this story. I finished this a few days ago and am still often thinking about it.

This was a very powerful and moving little story. From the get go we do not know what type of ending there will be. But the events that transpire over these few pages leave a lasting imprint.

This novel has the chapter or section headings of:

Memories

Ripples and Riffles

Voiceless Questions

A Prison of the Mind

You don’t Belong Here!

The Raven’s Cry

It was a story that was very hard to put down. The way Sanderson captures domestic abuse and psychological control is jarring and from other people I know and my own past very accurate. And yet it is written in a way that draws readings in and captures their attention without the abuse being the focal point or overly presenting it. I seldom highlight in books when reading fiction. There was one passage I did highlight in this work and a few others I debated. The one I did is:

““We are all bent and broken here, but some of us are shattered. Inmates and keepers alike. The edge of sanity is ill-defined,” she whispered, her dry voice so soft Vi had to strain to hear her. “I’ve seen it all, my dear. Heard things no-one ought to have to keep secret inside them, boiling and burning...” She clutched at her chest, and Vi reached out to the frail old woman, concerned, but stopping short of actually touching. “You don’t belong here!” The old woman’s voice was suddenly, shockingly piercing. “You are too good for us! Get away from me...” She staggered to her feet and Vi watched in horror as she fled into the hall, unsteady and crying.”

I myself have always felt a sense of deep brokenness, and no amount of success academically, in my career or family seems to abate that sense. This novel resonated with me on a very deep level.

I first encountered the works of Cedar several years back in Cracked: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories, and after reading her piece there knew I had to track down and read more from her pen. I was asked recently why I keep mentioning this anthology in my reviews of Cedar’s books, in part it was just an excellent anthology, in part there are several contributors whom I am trying to read all their books now, and in part because I am so thankful to have stumbled upon Cedar’s works in it!

This is another great read from the pen of Sanderson. I have been greatly impressed with all of Sanderson’s writing that I have read including those published under the name of Lilania Begley. I can easily recommend this story, but be warned it is not for the faint of heart.

Books by Cedar Sanderson:

Lab Gremlins

Warp Resonance

The Dwarf's Dryad

One-Eyed Dragon

Memories of the Abyss

Little Red-Hood and the Wolf-man

The Violet Mouse

Stargazer

The Eternity Symbiote

Plant Life

Sugar Skull