A young man that just wants his father's approval, a woman who just wants the best for her misunderstood daughter, a young girl forced to see the harsh side of humans-Chad V. Broughman's short story collection slighted. brings together twelve stories with suspenseful yet twisted realities. He explores mental illnesses, loss of childhood innocence, and the complex reality of humans.
These stories show what it means to be misunderstood and forced to make decisions that show the reality of human nature. There is a feeling of relatability that runs through many of the stories and makes readers think back to some of the decisions they might have made. Broughman skillfully brings in characters that readers can relate to and draws them back to the reality of a human's decision-making process. He understands and works with the complexities of the human psyche which leads readers to face realities they otherwise would not realize.
"I try not to feel anything, no sadness, no anger, no love; yet I feel all three, welled up and perched in my throat," Broughman writes in the story "unfolded." This is the reality that many people have to face when they see someone they are not particularly close to close to death. Broughman uses this to get people to think about how they would feel in these particular situations. It gets the readers to wonder and feel the need to carry on reading.
