Official Review: Solace of Stone by David de Wolf
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Official Review: Solace of Stone by David de Wolf
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Solace of Stone" by David de Wolf.]
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Solace of Stone is a sort of philosophical romance; love is a main theme of the book even though the cultivation of love between to the two main characters is not the focus. The two main characters are Charlotte and George, both of whom have troubled pasts with secrets that have affected the way their lives have turned out.
Charlotte is a strong female character, hardworking and unwilling to accept any sexism (or misogyny) directed at her. George is (to my mind at least) quite a morally weak character. He struggles with feelings of inadequacy that repeatedly cause him to make poor choices. The book for the most part follows each characters journey to overcome these foibles and resolve old problems. As a result we spend large portions of the book in either Charlotte or Georges heads as they agonise over the various problems in their lives (past and present). It is for this reason that I call it a “philosophical” romance, much of their internal monologues are devoted to questioning love, happiness and the pursuit of each.
Art and Architecture play a central role in this book and are used numerous times (to great effect) as examples to illustrate each characters changing views on love and happiness. The European setting is also used similarly and the text includes both French and Italian phrases in the dialogue to enhance the cultural differences between various people and locations. Locations are richly described and often with reference to the mood of the character as they see it.
The story is not told in completely chronological order, a number of important scenes that tie the characters together come first. This confused me slightly at first, however by the end of the book I felt that a second reading might yield more information that I might not have noticed the first time round. I think it is a very good sign for a book, if one immediately wants to re-read it.
If I have any criticisms, it is that occasionally the internal monologues waffle on slightly too much; for this reason I give the book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The extended philosophising did not put me off, as I found many of the ideas quite intriguing, but I don’t think it would be everybody’s cup of tea, particularly if you were expecting a light read. In summary, this is a well written, descriptive and interesting book, it is romance to a degree but not a light read.
***
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Charlotte is a strong female character, hardworking and unwilling to accept any sexism (or misogyny) directed at her. George is (to my mind at least) quite a morally weak character. He struggles with feelings of inadequacy that repeatedly cause him to make poor choices. The book for the most part follows each characters journey to overcome these foibles and resolve old problems. As a result we spend large portions of the book in either Charlotte or Georges heads as they agonise over the various problems in their lives (past and present). It is for this reason that I call it a “philosophical” romance, much of their internal monologues are devoted to questioning love, happiness and the pursuit of each.
Art and Architecture play a central role in this book and are used numerous times (to great effect) as examples to illustrate each characters changing views on love and happiness. The European setting is also used similarly and the text includes both French and Italian phrases in the dialogue to enhance the cultural differences between various people and locations. Locations are richly described and often with reference to the mood of the character as they see it.
The story is not told in completely chronological order, a number of important scenes that tie the characters together come first. This confused me slightly at first, however by the end of the book I felt that a second reading might yield more information that I might not have noticed the first time round. I think it is a very good sign for a book, if one immediately wants to re-read it.
If I have any criticisms, it is that occasionally the internal monologues waffle on slightly too much; for this reason I give the book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The extended philosophising did not put me off, as I found many of the ideas quite intriguing, but I don’t think it would be everybody’s cup of tea, particularly if you were expecting a light read. In summary, this is a well written, descriptive and interesting book, it is romance to a degree but not a light read.
***
Buy "Solace of Stone" on Amazon
Buy "Solace of Stone" on Barnes and Noble
View hassle-free sample of "Solace of Stone"
Latest Review: "The Maestro, The Magistrate & The Mathematician" by Tendai Huchu
