Two Graves, by Zoe Kalo, is a short story in the psychological suspense “Retribution” series that centres on revenge and a famous work of literature; in this case Dante’s Divine Comedy.
After reading Daughter of the Sun, the first in the Cult of the Cat series, and enjoying it I was looking forward to reading the new psychological thriller novella, Two Graves, but was left disappointed. This is a completely different style than the Cult of the Cat.
The premise of the story is that Angelica, a 23 year old music student, is looking for revenge after a very tragic event that occurred 7 years previously (I don’t want to give all the story away). She has plotted revenge and after playing a concert at a billionaire’s house it is time to kill her target. This leads her on a trip around a very bizarre house, based on Dante.
The book is approx. 70 pages long and flicks between 7 years in the past to the present and at times is very hard to follow, it feels like something has been missed out (almost like it was written as a longer story and had lots cut out).
The story follows Angelica’s misery and pain, and her wanting revenge. The house represents her descent through 7 years of hell she has suffered.
Overall, as I have already mentioned it was hard to follow in places (I would go back a few pages in places to see if I had missed something). There are large parts that are interesting but I do think this is a story that could have been a bit longer to fully convey why Angelica wanted revenge.
The first half of the story was too slow without anything really happening, while the second part got much more interesting with her wanderings through a very bizarre house. This is a short story that you will either love first time or it will be something you forget soon after reading, sadly it just wasn’t for me.
Rating: 3/5
RRP: £2.32 (Kindle edition)
Two Graves is available to buy on Kindle from Amazon here.
About the Author
A certified bookworm, Zoe Kalo has always been obsessed with books and reading. Reading led to writing—compulsively. No surprise that at 16, she wrote her first novel, which her classmates read and passed around secretly. The pleasure of writing and sharing her fantasy worlds has stayed with her, so now she wants to pass her stories to you with no secrecy—but with lots of mystery…
A daughter of adventurous expats, she’s had the good fortune of living on 3 continents, learning 4 languages, and experiencing a multicultural life. Currently, she’s working on a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature, which she balances between writing, taking care of her clowder of cats, and searching for the perfect bottle of pinot noir. She is the author of the YA fantasy series CULT OF THE CAT.
Connect with Zoe Kalo on the web: www.ZoeKalo.com / Facebook / Twitter
Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book for the purposes of writing an honest and impartial review.
