This is a wonderfully written short story by Alice Hoffman. It is part of the Amazon Inheritance Collection and is my favorite story in the collection. Adeline is a young girl growing up in the early 1900s with a wonderful father and a selfish, cheating mother. When her father passes, Adeline refuses to speak as she follows her mother from one difficult situation to another. When Adeline sees her mother's cruelty rise to new heights, she learns to find her own way and her own voice.

Although this is a short story, it has the action, passion, and adventure of a full length novel. I shake my head in awe wondering how Alice Hoffman did it. The scenery is beautifully described, the characters jump off the page, and so much happens that you wonder how it all could have been done in 24 pages. Bring on more short stories, Ms. Hoffman.

My thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Alice Hoffman for a free copy of this book. My review is voluntary.