Jan Ellison
Author of A Small Indiscretion
About the Author
Jan Ellison graduated from Stanford University and San Francisco State University's MFA Program. She has published short fiction and received the 2007 O. Henry Prize for her first story to appear in print. Her first novel, A Small Indiscretion, was published in 2015. (Bowker Author Biography)
Works by Jan Ellison
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Ellison, Jan
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- Tujunga, California, USA
San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA - Education
- Stanford University
San Francisco State -- MFA - Awards and honors
- O. Henry Prize
Members
Reviews
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 3
- Members
- 312
- Popularity
- #75,595
- Rating
- 3.5
- Reviews
- 59
- ISBNs
- 7
- Languages
- 1
Told from the perspective of Annie Black in a letter to her son, "A Small Indiscretion" spans multiple continents and follows Annie's life over twenty years, leading to the confession of a family secret brought to light by her son's involvement in a near-tragic automobile accident.
First, kudos to Jan Ellison for writing with a beautiful, powerful voice. The prose had me awe-struck at moments, had me identifying with Annie Black as a mother looking back on what it was to be her own woman. The observations about daily life, marriage, and motherhood lend sympathy to Annie's plight as she brings the reader along through her sometimes questionable past. Annie is a woman who has loved and who has been loved, not always realizing the impact of her reckless choices where men were concerned.
Characters are what made this story for me. The author does an incredible job weaving a complex tapestry of individuals whose paths become tangled. I suspected the ending of the book early on, as I assume most will, but this novel isn't as much about an A to B plot as it is about love and redemption. What is forgivable within the confines of a marriage? How do we perceive love after twenty years of life versus twenty years of marriage? How do our choices affect others?
Plot was a bit lacking for me. The author writes in intricate detail, often crossing the fine line between stunning and verbose. The actual point of Annie's letter came late, dragging me along solely with the quality of writing and the fact that I liked her as a character. There were points I was sure I might shelf the book. I'm glad I didn't. Fairly, I normally read mysteries, thriller, and horror novels that are much more fast-paced than this type of book. I can't say that didn't contribute to the fact that I felt that this was overall a slow read.
The first part of the novel (as this story is told in two parts) was somewhat frustrating in its going back and forth between past and present, often within the same chapter and without warning. It was easy enough to figure out who and when after a few lines, but it seemed that there should have been more attention to time and how it was conveyed.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I found the story believable, the characters three dimensional, Annie's story just compelling enough to compensate for the slower pace and mundane detail, and the resolution to be satisfying. I went back and forth between three and a half and four stars, but the prose puts it over the top. Four stars for a well-written debut.… (more)