You don't need a degree in quantum physics to relish this mind-bending novella by Alberta author Eileen Schuh - all that is required is that you sit tight and hang on as desperate mother Chorie navigates time and space in an attempt to save her dying daughter.
Or maybe not. Maybe Chorie is just having a psychotic episode, and little Krystaline isn't really dying, after all. It's so hard to tell when reality keeps shifting, and the choices that Chorie has to make exact increasingly terrible, painful costs. What does a mother and wife do when her life starts falling apart and everything she thought she once held dear is taken from her? What happens if she sees the chance to tweak her version of reality and uncover a different outcome? What does she choose to do?
What would YOU choose to do?
A speeding bullet of a story, driven by crackling, emotionally-charged dialogue and strong, well-drawn characters, Schrödinger's Cat is a delicious back-and-forth between possibilities. Chorie's initial confusion is palpable and believable, and as she is swiftly motivated to create/manipulate change, the reader can't help but wonder what action he or she would take in Chorie's place. (As an aside, I loved the use of scent as a device to trigger Chorie's movement between realities - what a nice creative touch).
Oh, and the zinger of an ending? It will knock your socks off! (Don't say I didn't warn you).
