Review by Aisha_123 -- Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)

Aisha_123 · Post by **Aisha_123** » 05 Mar 2021, 15:18

[Following is a volunteer review of "Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)" by Barry Litherland.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) tells the story of three friends who might relieve a traumatic childhood experience. Phil, Wayne, and Tina have known each other since they were nine. However, Tina got separated from the trio as they moved on with their lives. The story starts when Phil and Wayne are almost three decades old. Tina came into town and met with Phil and Wayne after finishing university. Phil got to find out an old schoolmate, Alasdair Riley, was robbed. And only nights after, there was a burglary at Tina's house, and her father, Mr. Oldfield, was severely injured. An envelope with the letters "JAYDEE" on it got missing during the burglary, and Wayne is a suspect. Coincidentally, three other people want to get their hands on the envelope. To do this, they threaten Phil's life and that of his friends to get him to bring it. What will Phil do? What does JAYDEE mean? Will Mr. Oldfield ever recover and get to recount the details of the incident?

Barry Litherland's manner of storytelling is notably unique. The way he manages to switch between the present and past of Phil's life without confusing readers is impressive. The flow was consistent till the end. The book is written in the first person from Phil's point of view. Phil's past life focused on the year he was nine, how he knew and became friends with Wayne and Stevie. This part of the book is filled with a lot of emotions. Several questions about childcare will come to your mind while reading. This is one of the aspects of the book I liked.

Apart from the strong plot, the characters were well developed. Although it's from Phil's perspective, you could tell about all other characters, most especially Wayne. Phil used humor as a coping mechanism while Wayne used drinking for the unresolved trauma from their childhood. Yet, Phil still managed to ease himself through jokes. My favorite was when he figured out what'd happened and exclaimed, "Poirot? Pah! I spit on your shiny, Belgian Shoes". I had mixed feelings about Wayne's unpredictability. I was eager to learn who he really is, but at the same time, I was scared to know. He was a character that annoys you at first, and then you suddenly start to like him. His brother, Tyrone, on the other hand, is very questionable. I wondered if it was due to a lack of parental care for his wild, psychotic nature. Tina was also an enjoyable character to read. She showed courage whenever needed and was there for her friends.

The suspense, flow, storyline, and characters put together were executed flawlessly. I couldn't find anything to dislike about the book. Another remarkable thing was the suspense till the last page. The length—435 paged did not deter my interest. Also, the switch between the periods was from one chapter to the other. You'd think the continuation is in the next chapter, only for you to see a different time. It was infuriating as it was exciting. For these reasons, Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) by Barry Litherland deserves nothing but 4 out of 4 stars. I wouldn't give it a lower rate because of the outstanding execution of the plot. It was also well edited with no errors.

There are lots of profane words, so I would suggest it is not for sensitive adult readers. However, if you do not mind profanity and enjoy a good crime book, this is a great read.

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Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)
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Valerie Garske · Post by **Valerie Garske** » 16 Mar 2021, 12:00

I also really liked how the book was written. I is one of the best books I have read on this forum. We agreed on many of the points. enjoyed your review

Olgamiell · Post by **Olgamiell** » 16 Mar 2021, 13:34

I really enjoyed your review, you have a very nice writing style. I like how you told all the most important things about the book without revealing too much. The book itself seems pretty interesting, with an intriguing plot. I'd like to read it, I'm curious how it would end! Great job.

Etienneza · Post by **Etienneza** » 19 Mar 2021, 15:26

I found the plot a bit thin. I had to apply myself to read from cover to cover. The JAYDEE file disappears early in the book and is located a chapter from the end. Well done with BOTD!

Francis Aderogbin · Post by **Francis Aderogbin** » 03 Apr 2021, 15:38

This is a great review I must commend. I am somewhat curious about how the missing file was detected. I will lay a hand on the book.

Bigwig1973 · Post by **Bigwig1973** » 01 May 2021, 21:15

There were a lot of allusions in this book, some of them quite funny! I assumed that Poirot was a French name so I would have also read this as even funnier because he is a Belgian detective who pretends to be French, or vice versa. Whatever the case, it's still funny! I think you are correct in saying that the writer switches nicely from past to present. I imagine this is no easy feat! Nice review on a wonderful book!