My Little Story: My Story Ends Where I Want is a coming-of-age short story by Maksim Kompanets, written in broken English. The story, which focuses on a young man named Otto, showcases the sadness of life and one family’s dysfunction. A main theme in the book is Otto’s tense relationship with his father.

Kompanets shifts back and forth between narrative sections in paragraph form and blocks of pure dialogue (such as dialogue you might find in a play, that is devoid of description). The narration is full of metaphors and philosophical language, as Kompanets reflects on life’s oddities, cruelties, and goodness. Some of Kompanets’ philosophical statements, such as “Don’t fall when you walk. And don’t hate until you love,” are somewhat ambiguous, and may be interpreted by the reader in many different ways. Throughout the book, My Little Story addresses fate, fear, and finding love and happiness.

You can find My Little Story here.