Although she seems to try to reduce the significance and impact of certain things—"I had a booth on oddities row," the fat man, the juggler, the flexible trapeze artist—these elements all have their place in the story. They provide structure and create a specific atmosphere. If you can manage to elevate the apparent banality to the level of impactful, lyrical language, then one can truly talk about an authentic voice—at least in terms of its ability to capture attention.

The phrases "They said my fortune telling was bogus," "my booth was simple," and "dull buildings" further emphasize the minimization of the locations and even of her profession as a fortune teller. This is where the magic intervenes, which is viewed as the product of imagination. And the impact and credibility result from her capacity to be creative.

Darlene's inner struggle comes into strong contradiction with how the crystal ball manifests its power. At this point, the story abruptly breaks away from the crude reality and challenges my imagination.

I believe this is what the author intended. And it certainly worked for me.

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .