GRAY AND BURNISHED GRANITE SEAS by Tray Ellis

Publisher: Torquere Press
Date published: 18 September 2013
ISBN: NA
MM sweet
E-book
Reviewed by Helen
Weblink: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_111&products_id=3998
Obtained via publisher
Rating: 5

Escorted by a family friend, ninety-eight-year-old Frank Ross makes a pilgrimage from his home in Boston to the Navy Memorial in Washington DC to remember his lover Tom, who died in the second world war.

This is a really beautiful little gem. Today is the first time I have ever given five stars to a short story. I have always previously believed that no matter how good such stories are, they lack something by not being a little (or a lot) longer. But this time, this story is absolutely perfect. Not so much as the addition of a single word would improve it in any way.

This is a sweet MM story with a truly brilliant portrayal of the hero. Frank’s advanced age and physical infirmities are sketched in realistically, but it’s his mental acuity, his memories, that shine brightly and tell the story. The entire story is in his POV but we can clearly see both Tom, who holds his heart, and June, his escort for this journey. The setting is laid out with beautiful, descriptive word pictures of the geography of the story, and each tiny step of the pathway is crystal clear.

To be read with a box of tissues nearby. It will leave the reader with a thorough appreciation of this author’s writing skills, and a wonderful warm feeling inside.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.