All The Pieces by Mary E. Kingsley

Release Date - May 2013

Mary E. Kingsley

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

All the Pieces tells a tale that takes some getting used to. The story starts with one character, bounces to another, and then keeps progressing until the entire tale is told.

Out of the darkness came a stranger. All Sary Ann knew was that the stranger handed her an ailing infant, and Sary Ann was determined to save that infant's life. Named Laidy, Sary Ann became a mother to that child, and no one could figure out where the child came from or why she was brought to Sary Ann's door.

Laidy goes on to have her own children. Anna Lee, nine years old, simply wants strawberry jam with her toast, but her mother is hesitant to let her have it, as it is the last jar made by the late Sary Ann.. When Laidy crumples to the floor screaming, Anna Lee takes off and ends up finding out the truth about her mother's past.

This is a short novella that doesn't take long to read at all. At 65 pages, I had the story read within an hour. The writing is detailed and definitely captures the setting, the Appalachians starting in the 1920s and reaching the Vietnam War. It's an enjoyable tale, but as previously stated, you need to be prepared for the bouncing around. Once I had all the characters down, it became easier, but given that it is such a short story, I was a good way into the book before I found myself reaching a rhythm where I knew the characters and their relationships to one another.