The book reviews which I have written in 2011 are posted below. To view a selection of further samples of work, please email info@kirstyhewitt.co.uk
'Instrument of Evil' by Lori Lowthert:
Lori Lowthert’s Instrument of Evil is the first book in 'The Evil Series' trilogy. It tells the story of self-confessed serial killer Rebekah Johnson, who is herself the ‘instrument of evil’ which the novel’s title refers to.
Rebekah is duplicitous, cold and calculated, and has the mindset that she can ‘get away with anything’. She manages to fool herself into thinking that the kills which she carries out are just research for her senior graduate thesis. Rebekah somehow manages to hide her secret life from everyone and there are no real consequences to her actions. Despite the fact that she is a compulsive liar, the reader still feels a nagging sense of empathy for Rebekah at every twist and turn the fast-paced story takes.
Instrument of Evil takes us through each of Rebekah’s murders with great amounts of detail. She is matter-of-fact about everything she does. Her chosen victims are usually random, and different methods of murder are used each time - from goading someone to shoot himself whilst she is working for a suicide hotline, to luring a prostitute back to a hotel room and suffocating her. Lowthert includes very graphic descriptions of the murders Rebekah carries out, which are extremely gruesome in places.
Rather than just launching straight into the story, the reader is given a lot of background information about Rebekah’s life, which helps them to understand the choices she makes and the events which lead her to be the character she is. Like an ordinary teenager, Rebekah caves into the peer pressure of those around her and soon begins to spin a web of lies which she gets fully caught up in.
The novel itself reminded me somewhat of Jeff Lindsay’s Dexter series due to its content and chatty, informal style, but I found it rather difficult to warm to the protagonist at first. Rebekah often comes across as incredibly spoilt and it is clear that she resents those around her who receive more attention than she does.
In terms of the choice of narrative perspective, Instrument of Evil is told from the first person perspective of Rebekah and is distinctive from the outset. The reader is catapulted into her life from the first page and is quickly absorbed into her world. She is often abrupt and to the point, with no holds barred. Some of the narrative was a little repetitive at times, but it was humorous and amusing throughout.
The dialogue in the novel seemed a little stilted in places and was not always reminiscent of a realistic conversation. There are perhaps a few too many mundane details included - the constant description of meals, for example - but the majority of the novel’s plot and style is fresh and creative.
Lowthert’s writing style, although not the most eloquent at times, fits the story well. She has created a believable narrative voice and makes Rebekah sound like a plausible American teenager. The novel contains the usual mixture of teenage angst, peer pressure and a constant string of adolescent whims and problems - dramatic arguments with parents and friends, for example. Lowthert is incredibly good at setting the scene, particularly whilst the protagonist is in Paris on holiday. She creates vivid descriptions of the landscape and architecture, almost allowing the reader to believe that they are in the city themselves. The novel itself is incredibly well researched, particularly when the author deals with the more scientific details of the plot.
Instrument of Evil is a promising beginning to a trilogy which I can foresee as being incredibly exciting and packed with many twists and turns. The second book in the trilogy, Judgment of Evil, will be published later this month.
'Everblossom: A Short Story and Poetry Anthology' by Larissa Hinton:
Everblossom by Larissa Hinton is a collection of short stories and poems, all of which circle around one central theme. It is split up into three separate sections which meander through the life-cycle of a flower 'from bud to blossom and then back to seed', a lovely idea for a collection. It includes some of Hinton’s early work and does therefore not just deal with the growth and fruition of a flower, but with the evolution of the writer herself. 'The beginning of the end' is also a continuing reverberation throughout.
Everblossom is essentially about human emotions and the fragility of life, and features very varied subject matter. The paranormal appears briefly, as do faeries and shape shifters. There are echoes of magical realism throughout.
The first set of poems and stories deal with childhood - the wonders of rainbows, playing in sandpits, dancing and laughing and the like. Most of the writing in this collection contains morals, primarily the importance of enjoying one's childhood and later life. Particularly poignant is 'Born Without a Heart' which deals with the aftermath of the death of a baby, and 'Forget', where a young girl foresees her father’s death, shunned by her mother in the process.
'From Mother to Fetus' is a wonderfully sweet and touching letter written from a mum-to-be to her newborn child. It deals with racial stigma and overcoming problems which are likely to be encountered during the child’s life, particularly with regard to the relationship between mother and baby.
The narrative style is interesting and Hinton places a modern twist upon the usual generic prose styles. In stories such as 'In the Beginning, There Were Fairy Tales', a traditional "once upon a time" structure has been used, but there is also the added dimension of an informal narrative voice, thus adding a contemporary flavour. Some of the sentences seemed a little clumsy but others were incredibly poetic. A few of the stories are so short that a heightened sense of empathy and pity is unable to be built up. The reader has no real idea who the characters are or how they function in some cases. Sadly, there are a few grammatical errors throughout which made the writing seem less polished than it should have done. There were also few discrepancies in the collection - a character being called Lucia and Lucille in the same story, for example.
With regard to the poetry included in Everblossom, an introductory poem has been included at the beginning of each section which was rather a nice touch. Hinton's poetry is incredibly contemporary in terms of style. It is mainly written in free verse and there are no rhyming patterns as such. The poems themselves are very evocative on the whole, but I did find that the structure of 'Sideways Glance' seemed rather muddled. Some of the poems are definitely stronger than others.
To conclude, the Kindle version of this book only comes in at 63 pages which I personally think is too short to be deemed an 'anthology'. 'A short story and poetry collection' would have seemed far more appropriate as a subtitle. I personally would have liked to have seen a little more atmosphere built up in each of the stories as many of them seemed more like snapshots or tiny fragments. It was, however, a promising collection which can easily be read in one sitting.
'Polly!' by Stephen Goldin:
Polly! tells the story of Herodotus Shapiro, a Jewish man who loathes his name so much that he is simply known as ‘Rod’. The novel begins with Rod waking to a fire in the bookstore beneath his flat. It transpires that Rod himself, whose partner has recently walked out on him and whose insurance details do not cover the damage wrought by the fire, owns the bookstore.
Rod, who is not named immediately in the story, watches his entire life ‘going up in smoke’, both literally and metaphorically. On a sudden drive to Nevada to visit his brother, he seems very edgy and on the brink of something momentous. The consequent breaking down of his car seems to be deliberately metaphorical.
Although the story opens with Rod and features him throughout, the reader is automatically more intrigued by the ‘Polly’ of the story’s title. She lives in a seemingly unassuming house in the middle of nowhere, which Rod visits in order to search for a phone when he gets stuck in the desert. Rod soon discovers that she lives in an endless opulent maze, which contains such things as a vast library, a private gallery displaying many famous paintings, an enormous cinema and theatre with dozens of seats, and a helicopter pad on the roof.
Polly is an intriguing character. She has acrobatic equipment in her gym, keeps a snowman - Mr McCool - in her front garden in July, has an ornate jewelled throne in her bathroom and uses toilet paper made from silk. She is an enigma - an eclectic mixture of interests and hobbies. She speaks fluent Japanese, collects such things as Samurai swords, and is reputed by her many house guests to have numerous jobs - a nurse, a counsellor, an art teacher and a karate whiz amongst them.
A bizarre cast of characters is introduced throughout Polly!. The book is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, as everything is clearly not as it seems. The reader constantly feels a sense of foreboding that something more bizarre is just around the corner.
Polly! is told from the third person perspective and uses quite a chatty narrative style which is rather amusing in places. A magical realism, almost a mirage effect, has been created throughout the novel. The reader is forced to suspend their belief as soon as the eccentric character of Polly has been introduced. The novel deals with the mysterious and features not-exactly-commonplace occurrences - a lion walking ‘casually’ around the house, for example.
With regard to Goldin’s writing, a good mixture of longer sentences and short choppy ones has been used to build up tension in places. The majority of the senses - touch, smell, sight and sound are used from the outset. This helps to create a clear picture for the setting and unfolding events of the story itself. The dialogue seems very fresh and the characters interact well with one another. The structure of the novel is interesting as there are page breaks but no real chapters as such. This allows the novel to be viewed as one continuous journey for both of the main protagonists.
Echoes of dialect can be found in Polly’s voice but the effect is subtly achieved. Goldin merely uses a few ‘ain’t’s, ‘’em’s and double negatives to suggest her accent, and does not overdo it. A similar effect is achieved with the French maid, Fifi, who speaks several simple French words and is easy to understand. The writing style is consistent throughout.
Polly! is certainly a well written novel and the twist towards the end is surprising and rather unexpected. I personally did not find it as satirical as the book’s blurb makes out, but it definitely held my attention. The various twists and turns throughout are captivating and the overall effect is well executed.
It is available in both paperback and ebook formats.
'The Circling Song' by Russell Cruse:
The Circling Song begins in 1914, the outbreak of the First World War, and tells the story of Private Henry Lawrence. Lawrence is told to keep a record of what he deems ‘meagre marks’ and ‘scribblings’, and thus the novel opens using the format of a journal.
In The Circling Song, there is a constant ‘before’ and ‘after’ sense of an at-first unknown event. We find after a while that Lawrence has a head injury sustained from a ‘projectile’. The span of the story itself deals with Lawrence’s struggle of returning to his unit, and the toil of the doctors who wish to study him as a ‘nervous case’ who is ‘worthy of study’. Lawrence soon becomes a hot topic of discussion within medical circles and much of the correspondence within the book details his case.
Lawrence is clearly the protagonist of The Circling Song, and others in the story orbit around their involvement with him or his case. The reader is introduced to several other characters as the story picks up speed. Perhaps most notable of these characters is Professor Maxwell Cavendish who specialises in the treatment of head injuries. Another character, Pennyworth, is intent on making it common knowledge that shell shock is a real condition which affects many thousands of soldiers on the Western Front.
The story is split up into relatively small sections which deal with a certain time period - for example, Winter 1914-1915. This makes it incredibly manageable to read and it is also incredibly easy for the reader to keep track of the timescale of the events which occur.
The Circling Song is clearly well-researched, and much of the scientific and medical terminology used throughout is thorough and correct. Cruse’s description of the equipment used by a typical World War One soldier and the conditions which he has to encounter on a daily basis is technically precise, which adds a realistic depth to the story.
The Circling Song does not just use the simple structure of a monotonous daily diary. It also contains officers’ reports, correspondences between doctors and a seemingly knowledgeable Major, casualty forms, transcripts of interviews and extracts from other works. All of these narratives blend together effortlessly. The mixture of styles work very well and no method used detracts from another. The characters themselves are all believable, and their voices are all distinct. A love even begins to blossom within the letters which is a nice touch.
The narrative itself is incredibly poetic. Lawrence’s turns of phrase are startling and sometimes beautiful. He appears to have an alternate perception of the world around him and an uncanny knack for stating things that are not obvious to others. He focuses on minute details - for example, how many breaths he has taken during an interview and how many stars are above him in the sky.
With regard to the author, Cruse’s writing is harrowing and evocative. He has certainly mastered the art of both fictional and factual writing. The novel itself is executed incredibly well.
To conclude, The Circling Song is an incredibly interesting novel. Even the most minute details in the correspondence and other narrative styles contribute to the overall story. It is an incredibly masterful piece of prose which sets strong foundations for Cruse’s future literary efforts. It is currently available in Kindle format.
David Lloyd’s As I Died Laughing is set in Canada. The novel opens with two sisters, Pam and Emily, who have found an old diary in a trunk. They are worried, first and foremost, about being found out by their mother.
The action of the story soon gravitates away from the siblings, however, as a few too many different characters are introduced in blindingly quick succession at the start. In consequence, the narrative voice quickly becomes muddled and almost erratic, switching from Pam and Emily, to their mother, to a man named Michael. At first, the majority of the characters are not connected to one another and the story seems a little fragmented in consequence. Michael soon becomes one of the main protagonists, who creates a virtual character in order to feel closer to his wife. It is clear from the outset that their marriage is not a happy one. The plot itself is rife with pretence, lies, communes, art, conferences, affairs and instability.
After a while, it becomes apparent that Israel is the main focal point in As I Died Laughing, and each of the characters seem to gravitate towards or away from it. Israel becomes almost a character in itself in the narrative which is rather a clever touch. A good mixture of cultures has been used.
With regard to the character names in As I Died Laughing, I did find Michael and Michal, and Mark and Mary to be a little similar, particularly for a novel-length piece. The author himself is also actually a named character within the story, which seems to blur the line between fact and fiction in rather a confusing manner.
As I Died Laughing is told from the third person narrative perspective. Some fragments of the narrative contain characters referred to as merely ‘he’ and ‘she’ which is a little confusing, particularly at first. The dialogue works well on the whole and the characters interact well with one another. The dialogue of one particular character, a waitress named Janette, does seem incredibly stilted and unnatural, however. Unfortunately, the dialects used, particularly with regard to the Israeli characters, do not seem authentic in places. Some characters use many colloquialisms throughout their speech and others use none at all, which makes their speech seem a little unnatural.
In terms of Lloyd’s writing, a good mixture of sentence structure has been used - some are short and to the point and others are longer and more descriptive. Some of the sentences did seem a little clumsy, however. There are also several instances of grammatical errors throughout - for example, ‘ringed’ instead of ‘rung’ and ‘skinning’ instead of ‘skinny’. The punctuation is sometimes a little imprecise in parts.
The chapters themselves are broken up into sections with rather poetic headings borrowed from more famous works - ‘Everything That Rises Must Converge’, for example - which is a refreshing touch.
When email messages are included in order to move the story along they are not separated from the main body of the text. It seems that As I Died Laughing is perhaps not as well executed as it could have been.
The novel does, however, have a lot of potential, and is particularly promising for a first novel. With a little polishing and fine-tuning of punctuation and grammar, As I Died Laughing could be a far more engrossing story.
The Jade Rabbit by Mark Matthews is told from the first person perspective of Janice, a senior member of staff at the Moonlight Crisis Shelter in Detroit, Michigan. She is very empathetic and constantly puts herself into other people’s shoes.
There are many different elements to the novel, and the story itself is not about one event. The past and present are intrinsically linked to one another. The Jade Rabbit discusses the idea of race and racial prejudices, particularly with regard to ethnic Chinese children being absorbed into American society. There are several mysterious elements to the story which intrigue the reader and add depth to the plot. It is also a journey of self-discovery for many of the characters, particularly Janice, who is constantly striving to understand her past. The Jade Rabbit also serves to highlight human kindnesses and the burdens of loss and grief.
Janice herself did not have the best start in life. She was left by her Chinese mother and spent the first ten months of her life in an orphanage before being adopted by the Woodward family. She is a fully formed, realistic character, augmented by her believable back story, her hobby of intensive running and her longing for a child of her own.
The first characters introduced in The Jade Rabbit are Douglas Canticle and his daughter Hailey. Hailey is an adolescent staying at the shelter, and it soon becomes apparent that she is pregnant. Some of the characters are very philosophical in their speech, particularly Janice’s husband Randall and his mother. Surprising character details are peppered throughout the novel - for example, Randall being the author of a book regarding the social history of barber shops. Matthews’ character descriptions are consistently great throughout.
With regard to the dialogue of the characters, it is incredibly realistic, and interactions between different characters are executed well. The dialects used throughout the speech really help to flesh out the characters. A male author writing from a first person female perspective works incredibly well and adds an extra layer of depth to the novel.
Matthews transports the reader into Janice’s world from the start of the novel. The writing is very descriptive and poetic in parts. Whilst I was reading I found a few grammatical and spelling errors and a couple of issues with the inconsistency of character names, but these have since been rectified by the author.
The Jade Rabbit is incredibly well researched, particularly with regard to the more psychological aspects of the novel. Matthews is incredibly understanding of the human psyche and the many elements and emotions which combine in order to create a person. He highlights the fragility of human beings in an often sad and poignant way. There is a nice inclusion of social history and a good mixture of cultures was encompassed, primarily Chinese and African American. The title of the novel is based on an old Chinese fable, which is a lovely touch. It brings the Chinese culture to the forefront of the novel from the outset. Janice herself is called ‘Jade Rabbit’ by her best friend, which further accentuates the folk history of her native land.
In conclusion, the story itself really drew me in. I did find some of the running descriptions a little repetitive after a while, but they did add to the story in some ways. It was very well written and the characters were all three-dimensional.
Doing Max Vinyl begins in Illinois in early June. It opens with Max Vinyl cashing in $3 million for selling 20% of his company. He has just broken up with ‘the girl of his dreams’ who is fired from his company for trying to ‘sabotage’ it.
Max is a complex character, and many different elements contribute to his personality and sense of being. He is both President and owner of TRS Inc., which deals with recycling computer equipment, and he also does such things as collect classic cars and help his elderly Aunt and Uncle out financially. He is a very sensitive character who hides behind a strong professional façade.
Brooke jumps straight into the story from the beginning. His descriptions of the characters are in-depth and he really paints a vivid picture of their appearances and goals. Small character details are introduced frequently as the plot unfolds. Many of the characters also have believable pasts which helps them to seem more three-dimensional to the reader. Max and the other characters who feature in the novel - Ike Mullin, Annie Ogden and Alden Sterling, for example - seem unconnected at first. These characters intertwine and then consequently separate throughout. Annie Ogden - an army vet who is currently residing in Chicago - is introduced in the fourth chapter, and soon becomes a main component of the story itself.
The novel is action packed and a good mixture of cultures is soon introduced. Much of the intriguing plot revolves around a stolen satellite navigation system, and features such aspects as stalking, breaking and entering, theft, duplicity, and secretive missions made on behalf of Max Vinyl.
Doing Max Vinyl is told from the third person perspective. It focuses upon the title character from the outset. The narrative is fast-paced and helps to move the story along. I found some of the narrative, although consistent, to be slightly repetitive in places. Everyday items are named in many simultaneous sentences rather than being substituted with ‘it’, which makes the writing seem a little clumsy in places. The dialogue between characters reads just like a normal conversation. There are no stilted answers or clumsy sentences. A lot of thought has evidently put into making the novel seem as realistic as possible. The chapters themselves, each of which deal with a separate character, are given headings rather than the generic ‘chapter one’ layout, with such titles as ‘Lost GPS’, ‘Family Loyalty’ and ‘Dante’.
With regard to Brooke’s writing, the punctuation is all spot-on apart from in a couple of instances, where questions are not followed by question marks. The subject material which Brooke uses is modern and current. The subject-specific vocabulary, particularly when detailing aspects of Max’s business, shows that Doing Max Vinyl is well-researched. Brooke’s historical research was also good and added an extra layer to the novel. I found some of the character names to be a little similar - for example Tranny, Manny and Annie. There were also a couple of spelling mistakes - ‘worthwile’ instead of ‘worthwhile’ and ‘Cheenos’ instead of ‘Chinos’, but the rest of the writing was of a relatively high standard.
In conclusion, the book itself definitely holds the attention of the reader, and paves the way for more exciting Annie Ogden Mysteries.
Total Blueprint for World Domination is a motivational self-help manual for teens. It is marketed as an instruction manual for success. The book itself is relatively short, but all of the information needed is present. Stockman’s main theme is achieving world domination and ‘empowering yourself to create the world you want’, as well as following your chosen path, however difficult it may be, rather than an easy one.
The book itself is incredibly positive and contains many tips to make young adults feel more confident. It is very educational, and brings in elements of the adult business world to further illustrate points. Many questions are asked about what motivates the reader, and lots of activities are included throughout the text. A numbered plan is also included. This makes creating a path for the future fun and manageable, rather than completely terrifying.
Within the text, examples are given of celebrities which teenagers may find inspiring - for example, Jamie Oliver and Lady Gaga. Inspirational quotes are also sprinkled throughout, from such masters of their crafts as Van Goethe and Einstein. Examples of history and morality tales have been used to further reiterate points.
Stockman’s narrative style is chatty and incredibly upbeat, allowing the book to connect well with its intended audience. It is told in the right style with regard to the subject matter, as the reader is not overloaded with too much information at once. The paragraphs themselves are short and to the point. They do not necessarily link with the preceding or following paragraphs, but the book itself flows very well. No negatives are brought in within the text, just bucketfuls of self-belief.
From the outset, fragments are told in the format of ‘scenes’. Each scene is a motivational command - for example ‘aim’ and ‘learn’ - which is followed by a short paragraph detailing how each can be achieved. Each scene outlined at the start of the book goes on to create a chapter. There is a page containing short, concise bullet points at the end of each chapter, which summarises the information already given. These pages include questions directed to the reader and a small piece of motivational writing and advice at the bottom. I felt that this was a nice touch.
Total Blueprint for World Domination is written well. By referring to the reader as ‘you’, they are targeted from the outset. It is clear, particularly using this narrative style, that the readers are the masters of their own destinies.
Stockman is incredibly understanding of the teenage psyche and is creative in trying to help the reader overcome their fears, worries and anxieties about their future plans. She is also comprehending of the fact that different methods of confidence building and planning work for different people. Personal author examples have been included in the book which enables the reader, however sceptical they may be at the outset, to see that mistakes are rectifiable. Stockman’s sheer appreciation and enjoyment of life comes through on every page.
There is certainly a market for such a book. It is incredibly difficult in some cases to decide what you want to be when still in your formative years, and Total Blueprint for World Domination aims to help readers find direction and to create achievable goals. Teenagers will certainly benefit from such positive guidance. Total Blueprint for World Domination pushes them in the right direction and helps their dreams, however big, to be achieved. The concept of the book is wonderful.
Cardsharp is the first book in the Vincent Ward Adventure series. The prologue of the novel begins on the eve of Vincent’s sixth birthday. The reader is plunged straight into the action of a house fire, where Vincent’s parents rescue him from the relentless flames and later perish trying to rescue some of the paintings by many famous artists which filled their home.
Chapter one begins with an older Vincent stating that he is late for work at The National Gallery in London. The reader is left wondering what has happened to him in the interim between the prologue and first chapter. We do know that he is clearly well-educated as he holds a First class degree in an arty subject. He often has flashbacks of past events, some of which are incredibly hazy.
The title of the book is apparent straightaway. ‘The Cardsharps’ is a painting by Caravaggio who features rather heavily in the remainder of the book.
The action of Vincent’s adult life soon begins when a man in dark glasses enters the exhibition gallery with a pistol. His gang quickly begin to steal all of the paintings on show and Vincent pursues them, adamant to take the priceless pictures back. He soon becomes a hero and is assigned his next mission - travelling to Rome in order to uncover a lost journal of Caravaggio’s in the hope that The National Gallery will be able to find more of his paintings. The novel is filled to the brim with mistaken identities, kidnaps and baddies galore.
Cardsharp is incredibly action-packed and certainly captivates the reader, who feels that they are in the midst of the adventure from the outset. The story itself seems incredibly realistic and is full of so many twists and turns that the reader never knows what is just around the corner. Throughout, the characters are all three-dimensional and intriguing, and Westmoreland’s character descriptions are great. He paints a vivid picture of everyone whom Vincent comes into contact with.
Vincent’s voice tells his own story. He is an incredibly charismatic narrator, and the chatty style really enables the reader to get to know him. The English narrative voice is authentic sounding, and using words like ‘brolly’ instead of ‘umbrella’ was a nice touch. Westmoreland’s dialogue is great and really builds up the characters. It also reads like a natural conversation and does not seem the least bit fabricated.
Westmoreland’s writing features a lot of nice similes. He has used a mixture of longer sentences to set the scene and shorter ones to show the speed of Vincent’s quest. This works very well in the overall scheme of the novel. Onomatopoeias have also been used to maintain the fast-paced narrative. The writing style is great and really fits well with the story. The novel is well-researched and historically accurate, particularly when Westmoreland details Caravaggio’s life, which is rich in wonderful details. The geographical elements are also well-researched.
Unfortunately, I did find a few small mistakes throughout the text, but these have since been rectified by the author.
Cardsharp is marketed as a novel for ‘young teenagers’ but it does not fail to hold the attention of older readers. The story is very art-orientated from the outset and is a must-read for all fans of adventure stories, young or old. It certainly paves the way for the next Vincent Ward Adventure novel.
Marcia Gates: Angel of Bataan tells the true story of a brave and spirited American army nurse and prisoner of war during World War Two.
The interesting prologue outlines Marcia’s family, which sets the foundations for her story. The prologue itself is highly personalised and features anecdotes which add more depth to Marcia’s story. From the outset, she is shown to be headstrong and in control of herself.
Marcia was raised in Cambridge, Wisconsin. Like her three sisters, Elizabeth, Virginia and Katharine, she was well educated, and graduated from the Milwaukee Hospital of Nursing before joining the US Army in February 1941. After she was stationed in Fort Sheridan, Chicago, Marcia was sent to the Philippine Islands in the Pacific Ocean. She was consequently based in Manila.
In the book, the action around the Philippine Islands during the Second World War is detailed. Letters are included from Marcia’s mother to other sources around the world in order to try and find the whereabouts of her daughter when the family had heard nothing from her for a considerable amount of time. Due to her mother’s efforts, the family later found that Marcia was being held by the Japanese at a prisoner of war camp in Santo Tomas, Manila.
Despite the conditions in which she finds herself, Marcia is portrayed as being incredibly brave and optimistic throughout, and is merely intent on doing the best job that she possibly can. Marcia Gates: Angel of Bataan does not just focus on Marcia’s time as a prisoner of war, but also follows her life after her release.
Photographs are incorporated throughout the book. They were useful in helping to further illustrate points, but their positioning was sometimes a little odd - right in the middle of sources, for instance. Information from other sources has also been included - family details from Marcia’s sister and nursing pledges, for example. It would have been nice to have some direct quotes from Marcia’s sister rather than Bowersock simply paraphrasing what was said, however. The inclusion of postcards and letters received from Marcia by various friends and family members was a really nice touch and helped to set the tone of the period and the conditions in which she was living. Bowersock herself filling in some of the historical details worked very well in some places but seemed a little repetitive in others.
The author of this well-written biography is the niece of Marcia Gates, daughter of her twin sister Virginia. The historical details which form part of the book have clearly been well-researched. Although Bowersock’s writing encompasses all of the main points of Marcia’s life, she does so rather concisely. The reader is left wanting more details of what Marcia was like before she went to the Philippines. It seems as though large chunks of her early life have merely been skimmed over rather than written about in any detail. Marcia Gates: Angel of Bataan is relatively short in length and perhaps does not cover as many details as it could have done.
There is heavy emphasis placed upon America winning the war and no real mention of the efforts of her allies, which was a shame. It did seem a little biased in places as a consequence. Unfortunately, I found that some of the grammar and punctuation could do with tweaking in order to make the novel read more fluidly, as it currently seems a little stilted in places. The formatting of the novel also wasn’t great as the font size and style wasn’t always consistent.
Overall, Marcia Gates is certainly an intriguing character and a great subject for a biography. Bowersock should certainly be proud of herself for allowing such an account to be published. The story of her aunt really showcases the sheer determination and resilience of the human race, particularly under such difficult conditions.
Jah Na Sleep begins with a powerful prologue which ruminates about the protagonist's longing for death and her own total destruction which she terms an 'obliteration of consciousness'.
Tashi has recently lost someone to a tragic death. The reader does not know exactly who this someone is at the outset, but he has fallen seven stories from a tall building. It soon transpires that he was Tashi's fiancé, Peter, who was depressed and suicidal. She soon begins to see Peter everywhere and is utterly consumed by her grief. Unable to cope with her life in Montreal, Tashi sets off to Costa Rica to try and escape. She chooses a secluded village where she knows that barely any tourists will visit. Costa Rica becomes a metaphorical transitional journey for Tashi, leading from one chapter of her life to another. She soon becomes a more philosophical character who becomes intent on trying to understand more about life and death and the boundaries between. An enormous sense of foreboding is realised around one third of the way through Jah Na Sleep, and the story unfolds accordingly.
Jah Na Sleep is told from the first person perspective of Tashi, a Canadian woman. Her narrative voice is fresh and distinctive and contains many flashbacks from her past. We as readers are thrown right into her deepest thoughts from the beginning, and the story is consequently absorbing from the outset. The narrative voice worked well for the majority of Jah Na Sleep, but although Tashi was eloquent enough in her narrative, some words she used seemed very out of place and did not fit in with the rest - 'deleterious', for example. A few of the turns of phrase were also a little clumsy. I found that some of the narrative does become a little repetitive in places, particularly after the halfway point of the novel.
With regard to the dialogue between characters in Jah Na Sleep, it sometimes does not read as a natural conversation. It seems a little limited in scope, which is a shame. Tashi, who is particularly lucid in her own narrative voice, comes across as whiny and unintelligent in her speech. The protagonist is also far more articulate in her letter writing than in her dialogue which highlights a discrepancy within the novel.
Where McIntyre’s writing is concerned some of it is stunning, particularly with regard to her scenic descriptions and character outlines. She certainly has an ambitious writing style which has been well-executed on the whole. There is a good combination of long descriptive sentences and shorter ones to emphasise feelings. The majority of the writing itself is incredibly polished and has obviously been edited well. McIntyre really captures the atmosphere of Costa Rica. The novel is very geographically precise and has obviously been well-researched. Despite the length of the novel - 663 pages - it is a well-paced and relatively quick read.
There are a few small negatives regarding McIntyre’s style, however. Most of the French and Spanish words in the main body of the text are italicised, but foreign words used in the dialogue are not, which seems a little inconsistent. Black people are called ‘Blacks’ and white people ‘Whites’ throughout, which reinforces the separatism between the races. The personification of colours in this way serves to highlight racial prejudices and seems a little contradictory with some of the characters who are certain that racism does not factor into their personal relationships. I understand that this is a cultural difference which Macintyre has evidently researched in depth. Some explanation of this within the novel would be helpful, however. There were a couple of spelling mistakes and slight inconsistencies in the novel - a character who was introduced as 'Sylvie' later being called 'Sylvia', for example. A few of the letters written by Tashi to various suitors were incredibly long-winded, and would have been far more effective if they had included less information.
To conclude, I found the story itself to be rather strange in places, particularly after the halfway point. Such elements as psychic mediums, 'spiritual energies', 'messenger guides', 'searching for truth' and the concept of 'master and teacher', which seemed so alien to Tashi and her character before, soon become commonplace. This spoilt the novel somewhat for me and made my attention, which had been held so well at first, wane considerably. However, I understand that the writer cannot cater to everyone. Some people may really enjoy the spiritual journey which Tashi undergoes, but it was unfortunately not for me.
I really enjoyed the first half of the novel, but I didn’t enjoy the second half at all. ‘Jah Na Sleep’ is a Caribbean expression which means both the ‘creator does not sleep and I don’t sleep’. Although the title itself was intriguing I felt that it wasn’t overly fitting with the novel in an obvious way. I feel that some of the inconsistencies need to be ironed out in order to make Jah Na Sleep a more pleasing read. With a little professional editing, however, the novel will certainly improve. For a debut effort, it is rather an impressive book.
An Uncommon Family opens with the character of six-year-old Karla in Zurich, Switzerland. She begins to run after a character whom she believes is her mother, but who turns out to be a total stranger. It transpires that Karla’s mother and grandmother passed away in a car accident six months ago and she is being cared for by her Aunt Anna. The novel is essentially about Karla overcoming her grief and about Anna accepting that she now has full responsibility for her niece.
The novel revolves almost entirely around Karla as it is clear that the other characters would not know one another if not for the young girl. She is their link, the element which brings them both together. Karla loves drawing and painting and is seen as talented by the other characters. She is a very pious character and looks to God for answers. Karla’s story has many twists and turns as the novel progresses.
All of the characters in An Uncommon Family are broken in some way. They are fragile, abandoned and desperately trying to pick up the pieces of their lives. Although the characters are described well both in terms of past stories and appearances, something seems lacking at first and they do not seem fully fleshed out. The story itself really picked up around one third of the way through for me. I found the pasts of the characters far more interesting than their presents.
In An Uncommon Family, a third person omniscient narrator is used, which allows the reader to view all three main characters - Karla, Anna and Karla’s painting teacher Jonas - objectively. Polkinhorn’s narrative style and similes seem a little childish at first, but the effect helps the reader empathise more fully with Karla. Some of the dialogue did read like a natural conversation but in other instances - where Jonas is speaking to his next door neighbour, for example - seemed like rather clumsy exchanges.
I did have a few small issues with the overall reliability of the novel. Karla’s friend Maja seems a little too wise for a seven-year-old - the age she is when the novel begins - and her speech seems slightly too advanced to be realistic. Other characters, particularly Jonas, talk to Karla as if she is much older than she is and try to explain confusing concepts to her in several instances. He is incredibly blunt in his dialogue towards her and does not try to save her feelings or protect her from the horrid details of her mother’s and grandmother’s deaths. Some of the ‘coincidences’ - finding a painting teacher, the half-Danish widower Jonas Bergman, by chance in Zurich after Karla has an accident - do seem a little unlikely. Although the narrative voice was consistent, it sometimes seemed a little repetitive. Some of Anna’s dialogue was also a little clumsy in places.
The dialogue used is incredibly Americanised. Words such as ‘highway’, ‘icky’, ‘hon’, ‘sweetie’, ‘cool’ and ‘Mom’ and phrases like ‘neat, huh?’, ‘oh gee, what a bummer’ and ‘pulled a snit’ really don’t fit with the Swiss characters. I recognise that the author divides her time between Switzerland and America but the speech used sadly makes the characters seem less realistic.
There is an inclusion of several mundane, unnecessary details, some of which are either repeated from early narrative or character conversations, or seem obvious in context. Karla often speaks to her dead mother and tells her redundant things that the reader presumes she will have already known. Examples of this are the way in which she describes her father and says that Aunt Anna does not have any expensive furniture in her house. This is evidently all for the benefit of the reader - filling in details and so on - but it does seem a little wooden in consequence. Some details didn’t really add up overall - for example, how Karla is able to speak two fluent languages and then parts of another at the age of eight.
With regard to the style of the novel, the chapters themselves were rather short and concise. This made it easy for the book to be put down and picked up again without the story being lost. The atmosphere of Zurich is captured from the outset and Polkinhorn’s scenic descriptions are great. The wonderful descriptions of Christmas were a lovely touch. The historical details of World War Two were well-researched, as was the general geography of Zurich.
In conclusion, I found Jonas’ and Anna’s back story a lot more interesting than Karla’s. The novel definitely picked up for me when these characters began to speak about their pasts. I found that the pivotal essence of the novel is building relationships with others and learning to trust and love again.