The Last Straw by Mary immediately starts off with extreme intensity. The character is screaming at someone to ‘get away from her.’ I found the opening extremely suspenseful, especially the unknowingness. As the reader, you have no idea what the situation is, and who the character is fighting against.

I loved how Mary used specific details to make the scene come to life, such as describing her attacker’s appearance. I felt as if I was right there with her in the car ride. What I liked the most was when the narrator understood she’s been strong for too long, and let out all of her emotions in the back seat. You expected the attacker to be a boyfriend, or even her mother’s boyfriend, but the twist at the end where it turns out it is the narrator’s father makes you see the entire story from a different perspective.