"Riven" by Matthew Sweet

"Riven" is a short story about a man going to a contemplation retreat. The main idea is quite simple, yet the story surprised me with the events' turn. With a lot of exposition, this book might not be for everyone. However, being friendly and short, it isn't something one would regret spending time on.

Especially considering that the story makes the reader walk in the shoes of someone who made a terrible mistake and tries to overcome it. It instills the feeling of having wronged a close one and makes the mind retrace the steps from the future so that this doesn't happen in the present. One can say that this fictional person going through a retreat could save someone from repeating the protagonist's fate.

Overall, solid short fiction with an excellent aftertaste.