Official Review: Don Juan In Hankey, PA

[omshanti 1]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Don Juan in Hankey, PA" by Gale Martin.]

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I enjoyed reading this book very much! Don Juan In Hankey, PA is a hilarious account of 4 very different people in a small nondescript town trying to keep their opera house thriving. As someone who has no interest in opera whatsoever, after reading this book, I am actually considering going to a performance to check it out!

The story centers around 4 main characters: Oriane, Deanna, Vivian and Richard, the main members of the Opera Guild. It begins with them in the planning stages for an opera- Don Giovanni, that may make or break them. If the show goes well and they can entice people to come to the opera they will earn enough to stay open for another season, and if it doesn’t go well they will have to close the doors. The story chronicles their challenges- and antics- from the planning stages to opening night.

I enjoyed how the author developed the characters, each one growing in a different way, one from meekness to self-assurance, one from overbearing to empathetic, one from anxious and flighty to grounded and capable, and one from pompous to humble. The minor characters were woven seamlessly into the story and I felt did an excellent job of supporting the main characters. The result was a cast of characters that a reader can relate to- with some surprises thrown in- in a town that could be anywhere in America.

The author’s style was light, witty, and at times laugh out loud funny. The language was appropriate and easy to understand even if it wasn’t familiar to the reader. I felt that the author took a subject which I perceived as dull (only old stuffy people go to the opera don’t they?) and made it into a hilarious madcap adventure to see what was going to happen next…will the show really go on?

One suggestion I would make is to put the glossary at the front of the book, I read the book not realizing that there even was a glossary, it would have been much more helpful at the beginning so I knew it was there and could refer to it if need be. I would give this book 4 out of 4 stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light, witty, funny read. Enjoy!

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[sahmoun2778]

Good review. It sounds like a fun book for summer reading.

[Sunjay]

I enjoyed the review and opera it is really good. I like listening to opera it makes me be calm. I enjoy their voices. It must be hard to put all that work wether for them to close or open the opera. I also reccomend "the last picture show" its a theatere in wich people are tending less and less except for two persons. Both of them enjoy watching the picture show. Thanks for the review