I am reviewing Darkness to Darkness for the contest, For The Love of Words. My opinions matter in the judging of this contest, but, beyond that, only you can decide whether they are useful or not. As in any review, please feel free to disregard any comments or suggestions you don't find helpful. Thank you for participating in the contest.
First Impression
Darkness to Darkness makes the strange familiar in this engaging story about the life of plant.
Characters
Writing in the first person, from the perspective of a plant, is a challenging task but the author of this story succeeds in doing just that. What's more remarkable, is that this personification doesn't seem forced or plastic. That in itself warrants a great rating for this story.
For this story to succeed, the psychological journey of the plant must be layered, realistic and engaging and it is here that the author shines.
Plot/Setting
The plot is clear from the onset but isn't as integral to the story as the psychological journey of the plant.
The author deftly uses setting and detail to indicate or enhance mood. The passage, "The creature's intent was obvious, and deadly dangerous. I felt it's fell gaze single me out from all my other leafy counterparts in the clearing. I sensed my doom in those big, dopey eyes. I could feel the approaching danger, could sense the evil, blunt teeth waiting to grind my various body parts into a delicious green paste, but there was not a thing I could do to prevent it. The graceless animal gathered itself and charged towards me, strange limbs flailing," is a terrific example of this.
Technical
I did not spot any grammatical issues.
Final Thoughts & Suggestions
Darkness to Darkness is an unusual and well-crafted story. The author has a profound command of language and cadence which makes the story a pleasure to read. While the life of a plant may not spark the immediate interest of readers, I suggest that many parallels to human life can be found in this story.
Good luck in the contest. Results will be announced by July 2, 2009.
I am reviewing A Halloween Story for the contest, For The Love of Words. My opinions matter in the judging of this contest, but, beyond that, only you can decide whether they are useful or not. As in any review, please feel free to disregard any comments or suggestions you don't find helpful. Thank you for participating in the contest.
First Impression
A Halloween Story is a character driven, spine-tingling psychological thriller.
Characters
A Halloween Story invites the reader into the mind of John, a profoundly disturbed child who lives with his alcoholic mother. Despite John’s sadistic nature, the reader scrounges up some empathy for this character who sings to himself and must ward off his mother’s alcohol propelled sentimentality. At the same time, John is eerie in a psychopath kind of way and his inner thoughts and urges keep the reader glued to the page.
Plot/Setting
A Halloween Story expertly incorporates shoe-dropping, a device that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. The plot is swift and sharp, like the razor blades that are central to its success.
The story contains uniquely crafted details that enable readers to experience the setting through John, the main character. Passages like, “One. The faint tinkling of the ice in her cup. Two. Half mutters of a conversation she was having with herself. Three. The creak of the floor under her unsteady gait. Four,” and “For a second all he wanted was the dry sheets against his skin, and the quiet snore his mom made lulling him to sleep. He took a couple deep breaths and studied the moon. It was half eclipsed and a dusty yellow, and John thought it resembled a grin. He melted into the fresh wave of kids approaching the house,” draw the reader deeper into the story.
Technical
I did not spot any grammatical issues.
Final Thoughts & Suggestions
With few words, J.T Moore has crafted an incredible story that propels the reader into darkness. It is not just a swift read but a powerful one.
Good luck in the contest. Results will be announced by July 2, 2009.
I am reviewing Tomorrow's Child for the contest, For The Love of Words. My opinions matter in the judging of this contest, but, beyond that, only you can decide whether they are useful or not. As in any review, please feel free to disregard any comments or suggestions you don't find helpful. Thank you for participating in the contest.
Impression
Tomorrow’s Child is a complex, character driven story. Rich with detail, lushly crafted settings and carefully crafted prose, it hooks the reader with the opening paragraph and does not disappoint throughout the remainder of the story.
Characters
Tomorrow’s Child offers the reader two round characters, The Story Teller and Thevri. Having the inner perspective of two main characters added vibrancy and intensity to the story. The Storyteller is well developed, consistent, engaging and believable. Thevri foils the reader’s assumptions that she will be uneducated and backward and proves to be delightfully intelligent, and inquisitive.
Plot/Setting
Tomorrow’s Child is obviously one part of a larger story and in this section, the reader understands that the purpose of The Storyteller is to educate the tribes and if possible to locate Thevri. The overall conflict and climax of the larger story is at this juncture, unforseeable. Does that make reading Tomorrow’s Child challenging or offputting? No, not at all.
The setting is carefully crafted and flush with detail. Passages such as, “His long, grey beard, braided with bits of colored ribbon, beads and other treasures found or given on his journeys” and “As he mused about the past, he rummaged in a side pocket and drew forth a bit of dried venison. Breaking off a small portion he let it rest in his mouth to soften. Being down to a mere three teeth, he had to let it get soft before he could manage to gum it into something he could swallow,” paint a colorful picture.
Technical
There is a paragraph break missing between the 6th and 7th paragraph.
Final Thoughts & Suggestions
The plethora of tribes could have been confusing or challenging for readers to keep track of but the clear and simple narrative eliminates this potential issue.
Tomorrow’s Child is a well crafted story that firmly holds the reader’s interest.
Good luck in the contest. Results will be announced by July 2, 2009.
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