Review by Kelyn -- Seven at Two Past Five by Tara Basi
Posted: 03 May 2019, 15:43
[Following is a volunteer review of "Seven at Two Past Five" by Tara Basi.]
4 out of 4 stars
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This is Abi’s story. Officially, her name is Seven at Two Past Five but to herself, she is simply Abi. An elderly button maker, Abi has lived a life of absolute, unbroken solitude and perfect order. On this morning, however, something delightfully unusual has occurred. For as long as she can remember, Abi has experienced the Terrors, horrendous nightmares from which she awakes each morning terrified and soaked in sweat. Today she awoke peacefully, dimly able to recall a gloriously pleasant dream. It is a welcome respite she can only hope continues. The usual pattern of her day resumes, consistent until she arrives at her workshop. Here she meets with yet another difference. This one is not nearly so pleasant as the first. Rather than her customary supplies and instructions for the day, she finds a black envelope containing an accusation of “Disturbance Potential” predicated by the Terror’s absence. She has received a judgment stating that their disappearance is a willful and deliberate act on her part and that she must immediately return to them or face further judgment and penalty.
Baffled and greatly disturbed by this blatantly unfair ruling, Abi does the unthinkable. She initiates a series of encounters with others to demand an appeal. What follows is a preposterous and often surreal journey through an oppressive justice system whose functioning crosses the borders of sanity into the ludicrous. In navigating its labyrinthine paths, we can detect disturbing hints of similarity to our own. Successfully navigating the ever-increasingly tangled and nonsensical mountains of red tape and a ridiculous bureaucratic obstacle course of arbitrary rules quite deliberately set between Abi and her vindication require her to face her worst fears, uncover new truths and re-discover her true name and purpose. (Navigating that last sentence should give you some idea of what you’re in for.)
Seven at Two Past Five by Tara Basi is an intriguing novel in the best tradition of Roger Zelazny’s Roadmarks and Creatures of Light and Darkness with a generous dose of nonsense and insanity from Alice in Wonderland and a taste of The Giver tossed in and mixed well. In my lifetime, there have been only a few books which compelled me to read them a second time. Seven at Two Past Five is such a book. Abi’s journey is odd, disjointed, circuitous, and a challenge to follow. So too are the philosophical messages secreted in the novel itself. It is a book that almost requires re-reading to discover its many nuances. Twice now I have delved into Abi’s psyche, discovering with her the things she has forgotten, not just about her own life, but about larger realities as well. Each time, I’ve found something I hadn’t quite connected before. It is not an exaggeration to tell you; the last two pages gave me chills both times. It is not a book I will easily forget.
Tara Basi is an excellent storyteller and a master of description. I love how her writing style and voice draw the reader away from being a mere observer and into the story. Many times, I felt like I was in the room with Abi, being just as frustrated as she became with the psychobabble being spouted at her. Wanting to smack some sense into whichever administrative agent Abi was encountering at that time became a remarkably familiar emotion. Basi is no less accomplished in character development. Somehow, she breathes life not only into the main characters but also into every obtuse, conniving or plainly crazy official Abi encounters on the odd and twisting path of her appeal. Abi and those who try to aid her along the way are each relatable and charming in their own ways. The villain, if one can rightly dub him/her as one (no spoilers!), is both repellent and strangely compelling. One significant character trait Basi has included is the way her characters speak. Though it is similar to how we speak today, there is a subtly disturbing “wrongness” about it that conveys a continual sinister atmosphere throughout Abi’s journey.
Seven at Two Past Five is undeniably not an easy read, but it is an enjoyable one. There was really nothing I disliked about it, and I unreservedly award it 4 out of 4 stars. The novel is well-written. I found only a few grammar mistakes, mostly involving commas, but they did not disrupt the flow of the story. It is a story which takes on a life of its own and keeps the reader spellbound through the very last word. Both the narrative and the language are complex. If you’re looking for fluff, I urge you to look elsewhere. This book will make you smile and chuckle, but it will also make you think. On my part, it influenced me to examine my own beliefs, opinions, and values. Readers who enjoy stories holding deeper meanings, dystopian worlds and those who are fans of Kafkaesque writing will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend the book, but only to those who are comfortable with tea parties on the ceiling and who embrace the bizarre.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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This is Abi’s story. Officially, her name is Seven at Two Past Five but to herself, she is simply Abi. An elderly button maker, Abi has lived a life of absolute, unbroken solitude and perfect order. On this morning, however, something delightfully unusual has occurred. For as long as she can remember, Abi has experienced the Terrors, horrendous nightmares from which she awakes each morning terrified and soaked in sweat. Today she awoke peacefully, dimly able to recall a gloriously pleasant dream. It is a welcome respite she can only hope continues. The usual pattern of her day resumes, consistent until she arrives at her workshop. Here she meets with yet another difference. This one is not nearly so pleasant as the first. Rather than her customary supplies and instructions for the day, she finds a black envelope containing an accusation of “Disturbance Potential” predicated by the Terror’s absence. She has received a judgment stating that their disappearance is a willful and deliberate act on her part and that she must immediately return to them or face further judgment and penalty.
Baffled and greatly disturbed by this blatantly unfair ruling, Abi does the unthinkable. She initiates a series of encounters with others to demand an appeal. What follows is a preposterous and often surreal journey through an oppressive justice system whose functioning crosses the borders of sanity into the ludicrous. In navigating its labyrinthine paths, we can detect disturbing hints of similarity to our own. Successfully navigating the ever-increasingly tangled and nonsensical mountains of red tape and a ridiculous bureaucratic obstacle course of arbitrary rules quite deliberately set between Abi and her vindication require her to face her worst fears, uncover new truths and re-discover her true name and purpose. (Navigating that last sentence should give you some idea of what you’re in for.)
Seven at Two Past Five by Tara Basi is an intriguing novel in the best tradition of Roger Zelazny’s Roadmarks and Creatures of Light and Darkness with a generous dose of nonsense and insanity from Alice in Wonderland and a taste of The Giver tossed in and mixed well. In my lifetime, there have been only a few books which compelled me to read them a second time. Seven at Two Past Five is such a book. Abi’s journey is odd, disjointed, circuitous, and a challenge to follow. So too are the philosophical messages secreted in the novel itself. It is a book that almost requires re-reading to discover its many nuances. Twice now I have delved into Abi’s psyche, discovering with her the things she has forgotten, not just about her own life, but about larger realities as well. Each time, I’ve found something I hadn’t quite connected before. It is not an exaggeration to tell you; the last two pages gave me chills both times. It is not a book I will easily forget.
Tara Basi is an excellent storyteller and a master of description. I love how her writing style and voice draw the reader away from being a mere observer and into the story. Many times, I felt like I was in the room with Abi, being just as frustrated as she became with the psychobabble being spouted at her. Wanting to smack some sense into whichever administrative agent Abi was encountering at that time became a remarkably familiar emotion. Basi is no less accomplished in character development. Somehow, she breathes life not only into the main characters but also into every obtuse, conniving or plainly crazy official Abi encounters on the odd and twisting path of her appeal. Abi and those who try to aid her along the way are each relatable and charming in their own ways. The villain, if one can rightly dub him/her as one (no spoilers!), is both repellent and strangely compelling. One significant character trait Basi has included is the way her characters speak. Though it is similar to how we speak today, there is a subtly disturbing “wrongness” about it that conveys a continual sinister atmosphere throughout Abi’s journey.
Seven at Two Past Five is undeniably not an easy read, but it is an enjoyable one. There was really nothing I disliked about it, and I unreservedly award it 4 out of 4 stars. The novel is well-written. I found only a few grammar mistakes, mostly involving commas, but they did not disrupt the flow of the story. It is a story which takes on a life of its own and keeps the reader spellbound through the very last word. Both the narrative and the language are complex. If you’re looking for fluff, I urge you to look elsewhere. This book will make you smile and chuckle, but it will also make you think. On my part, it influenced me to examine my own beliefs, opinions, and values. Readers who enjoy stories holding deeper meanings, dystopian worlds and those who are fans of Kafkaesque writing will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend the book, but only to those who are comfortable with tea parties on the ceiling and who embrace the bizarre.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Kelyn's review? Post a comment saying so!
Pick up the book to discover her secrets. Thanks for the lovely compliment and for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with me!