Review by mratdegraff91 -- My Author Is Dead
Posted: 15 Aug 2017, 21:04
[Following is a volunteer review of "My Author Is Dead" by Michel Bruneau.]
4 out of 4 stars
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My Author Is Dead by Michel Bruneau
Adam is not an ordinary kid. In a world where children are raised to follow strict rules set by the on Author who created all things, he does not fit. Adam questions this set of beliefs and frequently breaks small rules that are treason if caught. One of the major rules is to not associate with Kafkaists who are equivalent to nothing in the eyes of the Perfectionist and Authorian. Unfortunately, as a kid, he has a chance encounter with the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, and she is a Kafkaists. Surely the author wouldn’t create such a beauty? Several years later he meets this girl again in the process of kidnapping her younger brother. Can he come up with a plan to save her brother and help her Kafkaists family while avoiding the strict rules that if caught breaking he could be killed or tortured? Also, can he hide his struggling belief from his family and the rest of the townsfolk while formulating a plan?
Adam is the main character of this exciting story. We meet him at the age of seven and follow him into adulthood. He has never quite fit in with his surrounding culture. The author created his character to be an honest, trustworthy, and intelligent young man. There are several definitions scattered throughout the novel signifying Adam’s knowledge following the memorization of a Dictionary. The villain of this story causes quite a bit of trouble for Adam. Cassandra is a young lady who comes from a Perfectionist family. Her primary goal in life is to stir up trouble and catch whoever she can neglecting the rules to turn them in for punishment. She enjoys their pain.
Another important character is Grandpa who supports Adam throughout his struggles. He gives him advice that is seen as heresy but is extremely helpful in Adam’s dilemmas. Also of importance is June, Adam’s love interest during the story. She struggles to believe in Adam during the crisis following the kidnapping of her younger brother Adam. She is also the principal driving force for Adam to continue with his plans despite possible torture.
The storyline itself is easy to follow. The headlines of each chapter allowed the plot to transfer from one scene to the next easily. The small bit where Adam meets the author was the only time I felt the storyline had somewhat of a break. This section was crucial to the climax and tied in easily following.
One central theme that stuck out during the novel was that of faith. I felt that the belief that one Author created all had several similarities to Christianity. I felt that Adam’s struggle with the belief system is something seen with someone struggling with their faith in God.
Something I enjoyed while reading was how descriptive the main character was of the surrounding environment. The townsfolk are described well, and even the layout of the town was fantastic. A lot of thought went into the creation of the town especially Main Street. The author used Adam's voice to describe how the town was constructed on wet lands, that following the rain, would turn Main Street into such a mud pit, people rarely made it out alive.
Something I did not like was the section detailing different types of torture. I felt that it was very gruesome and I struggled to finish reading the section. I also found a few errors throughout the novel but not enough to detract from the story. They were easily overlooked and if reading quickly can be easily missed. In all, I feel that this novel deserves a 4 out of 4 star rating. The characters were delightful, the storyline easy to follow, and the setting was very descriptive.
My Author Is Dead by Michel Bruneau would be perfect for anyone interested in dystopian novels, a creative narrative, and those looking for an easy read. It is very detailed when reaching the torture scenes and there are sections where blood and gore are slightly overwhelming, so if you are not a fan of such things this book is not for you.
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My Author Is Dead
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4 out of 4 stars
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My Author Is Dead by Michel Bruneau
Adam is not an ordinary kid. In a world where children are raised to follow strict rules set by the on Author who created all things, he does not fit. Adam questions this set of beliefs and frequently breaks small rules that are treason if caught. One of the major rules is to not associate with Kafkaists who are equivalent to nothing in the eyes of the Perfectionist and Authorian. Unfortunately, as a kid, he has a chance encounter with the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, and she is a Kafkaists. Surely the author wouldn’t create such a beauty? Several years later he meets this girl again in the process of kidnapping her younger brother. Can he come up with a plan to save her brother and help her Kafkaists family while avoiding the strict rules that if caught breaking he could be killed or tortured? Also, can he hide his struggling belief from his family and the rest of the townsfolk while formulating a plan?
Adam is the main character of this exciting story. We meet him at the age of seven and follow him into adulthood. He has never quite fit in with his surrounding culture. The author created his character to be an honest, trustworthy, and intelligent young man. There are several definitions scattered throughout the novel signifying Adam’s knowledge following the memorization of a Dictionary. The villain of this story causes quite a bit of trouble for Adam. Cassandra is a young lady who comes from a Perfectionist family. Her primary goal in life is to stir up trouble and catch whoever she can neglecting the rules to turn them in for punishment. She enjoys their pain.
Another important character is Grandpa who supports Adam throughout his struggles. He gives him advice that is seen as heresy but is extremely helpful in Adam’s dilemmas. Also of importance is June, Adam’s love interest during the story. She struggles to believe in Adam during the crisis following the kidnapping of her younger brother Adam. She is also the principal driving force for Adam to continue with his plans despite possible torture.
The storyline itself is easy to follow. The headlines of each chapter allowed the plot to transfer from one scene to the next easily. The small bit where Adam meets the author was the only time I felt the storyline had somewhat of a break. This section was crucial to the climax and tied in easily following.
One central theme that stuck out during the novel was that of faith. I felt that the belief that one Author created all had several similarities to Christianity. I felt that Adam’s struggle with the belief system is something seen with someone struggling with their faith in God.
Something I enjoyed while reading was how descriptive the main character was of the surrounding environment. The townsfolk are described well, and even the layout of the town was fantastic. A lot of thought went into the creation of the town especially Main Street. The author used Adam's voice to describe how the town was constructed on wet lands, that following the rain, would turn Main Street into such a mud pit, people rarely made it out alive.
Something I did not like was the section detailing different types of torture. I felt that it was very gruesome and I struggled to finish reading the section. I also found a few errors throughout the novel but not enough to detract from the story. They were easily overlooked and if reading quickly can be easily missed. In all, I feel that this novel deserves a 4 out of 4 star rating. The characters were delightful, the storyline easy to follow, and the setting was very descriptive.
My Author Is Dead by Michel Bruneau would be perfect for anyone interested in dystopian novels, a creative narrative, and those looking for an easy read. It is very detailed when reaching the torture scenes and there are sections where blood and gore are slightly overwhelming, so if you are not a fan of such things this book is not for you.
******
My Author Is Dead
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like mratdegraff91's review? Post a comment saying so!