Official Review: Gillyflower by Diane Wald

Yoli García · Post by **Yoli García** » 13 Jul 2019, 04:08

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Gillyflower" by Diane Wald.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Nora Forrest is a woman who seems to have it all: a happy marriage, lovely family members, a decent job, good friends, and health. Nora is also a dreamer and an artist. She dreams about some famous people, like any other fan. One of her idols is Hugh Sheenan, an older Irish actor whose career she has been following for years. When Nora learns that Hugh will appear in a play on Broadway, she is ecstatic. Her mother even gets her tickets on the front row. But something unexpected happens during the play that changes Nora and Hugh.

Gillyflower by Diane Wald is a short fiction novel consisting of 148 pages and published by She Writes Press. The story is told from four different points of views which belong to Nora, Hugh, Rick, and Leon. Rick is Nora’s husband, and Leon is Hugh’s long-time friend and personal assistant. The characters narrate, analyze, and reflect on what happened during and after the play. They also elaborate on their backgrounds, allowing the reader to understand them. For a short novel, Wald did an excellent job giving depth to the characters.

The themes the story covers were my favorite aspect of the book. More than anything, this is a story about the power of unexplainable, almost magical, connections between human beings. Have you ever had an instant connection with a person that feels like it was meant to be? What do you think about it? Is it real? Is it possible? Did the universe conspire to put this person in your life? Wald subtly seduces the reader with the connection that exists between Nora and Hugh.

As the reader follows the story, she or he starts to wonder if what has happened is only a dream. Dreams are another important theme in the story. Wald makes the reader question whether we have the right to make our dreams come true or if these are meant to remain in the abstract world. More than that, the reader ends up wondering if logic puts us off of our dreams. After all, human beings are fearful of the things that they cannot rationalize.

I also found it interesting that Wald chose to write the story from different points of view because it allowed the reader to understand the characters and know what they thought and felt about the situation. Reading Rick’s point of view, for example, filled me with curiosity. I wanted to know if he understood what was happening to his wife or if he was the kind of person who cannot see beyond his ego.

Wald’s writing is rich and seductive, and I have no complaints about it. I did not find grammatical errors in the book, but I did find more than ten spacing issues. These, however, do not detract the reader for getting immersed in the story. The only thing I did not like was that Hugh was too old for my taste.

I rate Gillyflower by Diane Wald 4 out of 4 stars because it is about the dreamlike, rare connections human beings make with other human beings. These extraordinary, yet intense, connections put reason to the test and make people feel alive. Wald’s Gillyflower reminds us of this phenomenon. I did not deduct a star because an editor can quickly fix the spacing issues for the next edition of the book. I would recommend this novel to fans of romance and dreams, and those who believe in invisible ties that defy comprehension.

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Gillyflower
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QuirkyPenn · Post by **QuirkyPenn** » 13 Jul 2019, 12:11

I have had that connection with another person and been frightened by it. It sounds like a wonderful book. A really good review.

Erin Dydek · Post by **Erin Dydek** » 13 Jul 2019, 15:44

Your review has me curious to check out this story and explore the themes for myself. I'm interested to see how the four different perspectives add to the story. It sounds like a creative way to tell the story in such a short span of pages.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 13 Jul 2019, 16:58

A short novel with great characters that are full of depth? That's hard to pull off. I'm curious how the author approaches these instant connections. Thanks!

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 13 Jul 2019, 22:20

I know we're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but the cover looks dreamy and pretty which seems to be appropriate given that the book explores dreams and instant connection with another person. It's also amazing that the author is able to present four meaningful and moving viewpoints in 148 pages. I've added it to my reading list. I enjoyed reading your moving review. Thanks!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 13 Jul 2019, 22:30

Your review definitely makes the book sound very interesting while providing a descriptive summary and overall structure of the story, good job! I'm always excited about stories that manage to get a lot done with so little. They showcase some impressive mastery of storytelling, knowing exactly where, when, and how much to focus on specific characters or scenes to achieve the desired results. I'll definitely try this one out as soon as possible.

Wriley · Post by **Wriley** » 14 Jul 2019, 10:34

This book sounds interesting and unique. I want to know these characters more just from the review. Telling the story from four points of view is smart and I've never read a book like that. The review was great by basically teasing the reader with little detail.

janelwhite · Post by **janelwhite** » 14 Jul 2019, 13:52

Thank you for that wonderful review. It has piqued my interest in reading this book. I find it interesting that it is written from four different perspectives. The question you pose about connections and whether people are meant to meet is thought provoking! Can’t wait to read Gillyflower.

Brenda Creech · Post by **Brenda Creech** » 14 Jul 2019, 14:22

Thanks for the great review.This book sounds intriguing. I am curious to know about the characters and their views. I plan to add this to my want to read shelf.

Meg98 · Post by **Meg98** » 14 Jul 2019, 21:42

This sounds like an interesting and insightful book! I will check this one out. Thanks for this great review!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 15 Jul 2019, 11:13

The character development is impressive, and I like the idea of presenting the different points of view. This sounds intriguing. Great review!

Laila Hashem · Post by **Laila Hashem** » 17 Jul 2019, 15:11

I feel like there's a dark plot twist, but the cover is very colourful and cheery. But, I always did love a story told from multiple perspectives.

Erin Painter Baker · Post by **Erin Painter Baker** » 14 Aug 2019, 12:29

I love the idea of exploring whether or not we have the right to make our dreams come true. This is a wonderful review. You have made me interested in reading a book that I don't think I would have even looked at a second time otherwise.