One In, One Out

A Short Story

Fiction - Drama
30 Pages
Reviewed on 04/16/2024
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Astrid Iustulin for Readers' Favorite

Due to the One Child Only mandate, Fen, a Chinese woman, is forced to give her newborn second daughter Ning up for adoption. She does not know what will happen to the child and whether she will be treated well by the adoptive parents. In the meantime, Paula and John, an American couple who cannot have children, learn that their country is working with China to allow the adoption of Chinese children. Ning is the little girl they adopt and raise, although they call her Susan at first. As she grows up, she will reveal a lively intelligence, and it will not be long before she shows curiosity about her origins. What will Ning find out? S. R. Mallery will tell you about it in One In, One Out.

I was very impressed with One In, One Out. Even though this is a short story, S. R. Mallery flawlessly reveals the fates of Ning, Fen, Paula, and all the other characters. I was struck by how the author described Fen's psychology and the contrast between her misery and the American couple's happiness. Ning is well-characterized and has qualities that make her very likable to readers (I appreciate individuals who are eager to learn). The story is so realistic that you feel like you have met the characters in person, so they remain in your memory for a long time, together with the reflections this book inspires. Anyone who likes short stories told with attention to detail should read One In, One Out. I am sure this book will meet their expectations.