Review by serendipity 27 -- The Diary Of An Immortal (19...

[serendipity 27]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959)" by David J Castello.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

The Diary of an Immortal (1945-1959), serves up a tale of desire, destiny, and horror. Castello invites the reader into a world of the supernatural and mixes up a perfect blend of fantasy and historical fiction. This novel will capture the attention of those interested in World War II and the teachings of Buddhism.

David J. Castello’s novel, The Diary of an Immortal (1945-1959), follows the story of Steven Ronson, a twenty-one-year-old combat medic during World War II in 1945. Steven is surrounded by the horrors of the war as he sees emaciated corpses and destroyed towns. After the Dachau concentration camp is liberated, Steven discovers letters detailing a formula that holds the key to immortality. He then discovers golden pills that contain the formula for immortality, which he decides to take. This choice sets him on a long journey that will leave the reader breathless. Castello writes about the early jazz scene in Manhattan and then transports the reader to the wintery landscape of Tibet. There is a battle amongst immortals that Steven unknowingly becomes involved in, and he must learn how to give into his own mortal fears to defeat immortal evil.

Castello does a wonderful job with the characterization of the main character, Steven, as he is constantly battling with his own internal struggles. Steven wishes to live longer because he wants to feel alive again. For him, immortality is not about power or revenge, but about recapturing lost time. His very existence challenges the natural order of things, so he must find his place in this new life. The author goes into the differences between Eastern philosophy and Western philosophy. In Eastern teachings, death is not a punishment, but a reward for ascending to the next stage in the circle of life. In Western thinking, however, death is seen more like a final punishment. It’s fascinating to read about the differences between Chinese philosophy and the more typical Western way of thinking.

The author does a great job capturing the attitude of the time. During the horrific battle scenes, the reader is immersed into the devastation that occurred during the war. The reader can almost hear the screams of the wounded and the tortured cries of those that suffered. It was difficult to read at times, but it lent a rich and varied nuance to the tone of the novel. The overall theme in the novel is good versus evil. There are two immortal Buddhist monks who are grappling with each other over different ways of thinking about immortality. The author was able to weave in historical facts seamlessly into the novel, which added depth and clarity. The historical background of the novel during the communist revolution in China was fascinating to read about. The author gives the reader a wide tableau of exotic landscapes and locales. His writing style was very clear and flowed nicely throughout the story.

I rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars. The author delved into complex issues that made one think long after the last page. I like that he took the time to fully flesh-out the historical background and details of what was going on during that time period. Some authors rush over those facts, but Castello did a good job of incorporating those details. Fans of history and fantasy novels will enjoy this novel. For those who do not like reading about gory battle scenes, I do not recommend this novel. There was nothing that I did not like about this book and it was well edited. There were no obvious grammar mistakes. I look forward to Castello's next piece of work.

******
The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes

Like serendipity 27's review? Post a comment saying so!

[GPM]

The author gives the reader a wide tableau of exotic landscapes and locales. His writing style was very clear and flowed nicely throughout the story.
I share this opinion. Nice one!