Review by Dia Moroz -- Yesterday by Samyann
Posted: 09 May 2017, 13:18
[Following is a volunteer review of "Yesterday" by Samyann.]
2 out of 4 stars
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Review of Yesterday A Novel of Reincarnation by Samyann
In the book, we accompany the main heroes, Amanda and Mark, as they untangle their intertwined past after a random life-saving encounter. Their chance meeting leaves them both with the impression that they have known each other before. Amanda is reluctant to pursue their relationship because her harrowing past makes her believe that she is not destined to have a happy life. Mark convinces her to try regression therapy with Amanda’s beloved godmother who happens to be a successful therapist. Together they revive a past life of Amanda and follow the trail of a young girl living in the era of the Civil War.
The story is switching between the present where it is mainly concerned with resolving the love life of Amanda and Mark, and the historical part where the heroine makes a difficult journey from South Carolina to Chicago only to be a witness of the great Chicago fire. The author does a great job in changing the spirit of the narrative and the accents and personalities of the people involved. The contemporary story of Amanda and Mark, however, reads very much like a predictable one-dimensional love romance. She is beautiful, unbalanced and spends most of the time crying, simultaneously kissing and pushing Mark away with quite some drinking in between. He is unyieldingly patient, loving and persistent, managing at the same time to come across as domineering and arrogant. To emphasize his manly passionate emotions most of his sentences start either with “Christ” or “Sh--”.
The historic part of the book, on the other hand, is a beautiful read. The story is eventful, captivating and believable, with many unexpected twists and turns. The events and even many details are well researched and painted in lively colors. All the involved characters have distinct personalities and their actions make sense. It’s a shame they don’t get more (or all) space in the book.
The concept of reincarnation that holds the whole story together doesn’t get much detailed attention so if you are looking for a spiritual food for thought, look elsewhere. It would seem that the past life experience is an excellent and original enrichment to a historical story, giving it some connection to present and bringing it even closer to the heart of a contemporary reader. The way it is done here, however, I found it mostly an unnecessary distraction preventing me from getting back to the old times. Also, there is an element of mystery when Amanda is trying to trace back the origin of an antique clock that is a tangible companion of her life story. It promises some nice detective work where Mark as a cop could shine. Alas, we are only shown glimpses of what could be a thrilling research. Another let down is a number of logical inconsistencies like when Amanda or Mark are suddenly surprised by events or facts they have known for several chapters.
Overall, the historical part of the book is definitely worth attention and made quite a lasting impression on me. The price to pay is getting over the cheap love romance that I found boring and predictable. I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars.
******
Yesterday
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Dia Moroz's review? Post a comment saying so!
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Review of Yesterday A Novel of Reincarnation by Samyann
In the book, we accompany the main heroes, Amanda and Mark, as they untangle their intertwined past after a random life-saving encounter. Their chance meeting leaves them both with the impression that they have known each other before. Amanda is reluctant to pursue their relationship because her harrowing past makes her believe that she is not destined to have a happy life. Mark convinces her to try regression therapy with Amanda’s beloved godmother who happens to be a successful therapist. Together they revive a past life of Amanda and follow the trail of a young girl living in the era of the Civil War.
The story is switching between the present where it is mainly concerned with resolving the love life of Amanda and Mark, and the historical part where the heroine makes a difficult journey from South Carolina to Chicago only to be a witness of the great Chicago fire. The author does a great job in changing the spirit of the narrative and the accents and personalities of the people involved. The contemporary story of Amanda and Mark, however, reads very much like a predictable one-dimensional love romance. She is beautiful, unbalanced and spends most of the time crying, simultaneously kissing and pushing Mark away with quite some drinking in between. He is unyieldingly patient, loving and persistent, managing at the same time to come across as domineering and arrogant. To emphasize his manly passionate emotions most of his sentences start either with “Christ” or “Sh--”.
The historic part of the book, on the other hand, is a beautiful read. The story is eventful, captivating and believable, with many unexpected twists and turns. The events and even many details are well researched and painted in lively colors. All the involved characters have distinct personalities and their actions make sense. It’s a shame they don’t get more (or all) space in the book.
The concept of reincarnation that holds the whole story together doesn’t get much detailed attention so if you are looking for a spiritual food for thought, look elsewhere. It would seem that the past life experience is an excellent and original enrichment to a historical story, giving it some connection to present and bringing it even closer to the heart of a contemporary reader. The way it is done here, however, I found it mostly an unnecessary distraction preventing me from getting back to the old times. Also, there is an element of mystery when Amanda is trying to trace back the origin of an antique clock that is a tangible companion of her life story. It promises some nice detective work where Mark as a cop could shine. Alas, we are only shown glimpses of what could be a thrilling research. Another let down is a number of logical inconsistencies like when Amanda or Mark are suddenly surprised by events or facts they have known for several chapters.
Overall, the historical part of the book is definitely worth attention and made quite a lasting impression on me. The price to pay is getting over the cheap love romance that I found boring and predictable. I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars.
******
Yesterday
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Dia Moroz's review? Post a comment saying so!