and this was my Happy Ending

and this was my Happy Ending
Kevin Staniec
ISM Quarterly
ISBN: 0-9776007-0-X
Literary Fiction, Poetry, Experimental
Reviewed by Elizabeth Young

"and this was my Happy Ending" is a little book based on a big premise: Love. Written in a lyrical stream-of-consciousness style we get a peek at the complex emotional roller-coaster of relationships through the eyes of author Kevin Staniec.
As the protagonist makes his way through love's many complex sides we are taken through an internal journey of a man who seems overwhelmed and unsure of his heart. He is forever searching for the meaning of love. We never know if this is for one particular woman or for all of them that had found refuge in his heart. In the end, this fact isn't that important. The writing is luscious and, at times, musical. It is a style that may make some readers impatient, trying to move the language along to get to the "good parts" but that is precisely why his writing is perfect for this story. His point is that love cannot be reduced to easily digestible sound bites or uncomplicated tales. Each of the chapters begin with a definition of a word and ends with no real conclusion of it, instead it moves into memories, disappointments, and the belief that somehow this relationship, this person, this time, it will be different. It is, in it's own way, a story of eternal hope.
It is definitely an interesting and refreshing read and worth checking out if you enjoy experimental and risky writing on a sentimental topic.