Review of Blockhead

[Moyin2021]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Blockhead" by Kyle J.S. Bardell.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Blockhead by Kyle Bardell is a young adult coming of age tale that traces the dynamics of familial relationships and the growing pains of adolescence. It revolves around the life of Bronco, a farm heir who craves freedom from the position she has been relegated to in life. In quest for her freedom, she encounters new worlds, forming relationship with people who show to her that the world is not black and white. From tempestuous relationships to rising fast through the ranks due to her insight, the novel traces her development from a young, uninformed girl who hates her family to one risking her life to fight for theirs.

I liked the story and how it is situated in a world distanced from real life. Bronco’s juvenile behaviours that truly cemented her as a teenager were properly documented. The fact that love for one’s family is at the core of the novel made reading it really interesting. By setting the story far away from reality, the author had the license to bend the story in any direction as the inexplicable is displayed in an appealing manner in the novel.

While this is a great story, I found its presentation boring for the most part. The action only picked up towards the end. The narrative was also quite loaded with too many statements at once that it was difficult to figure out which character was speaking and who their remark was directed at. This made it confusing a few times. There were also quite a number of errors that slowed down the reading and prevented a smooth engaging experience. The use of certain field terms for farming were also too technical for me to grasp.

I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. The author can definitely do better by assessing the plot, lexis and narrative in such a way that makes it more appealing and easier to read for the general public. Asides that, it was a beautiful story and would be a good read for fantasy lovers everywhere.

I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading fantasy novels with larger than life characters who have lives that can only be heard about in fiction. Lovers of the unconventional, who do not like to conform to the norm in their choice of entertainment would enjoy the novel. It is suitable for young adult and older readers alike as there are no extreme forms of violence or sexually explicit scenes in the novel.

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Blockhead
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