Review of Seven at Two Past Five
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madai guzman delgado
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Review of Seven at Two Past Five
[Following is a volunteer review of "Seven at Two Past Five" by Tara Basi.]
Seven at Two Past Five by Tara Basi is a fascinating and surreal tale told by the elderly button maker named Abi. Abi has lived her whole life in her small bunk-bed-coffin, leaving every day at precisely two past five for her workhouse. There, she spends her day fulfilling button orders until it is time for her to return to her bunk-bed-coffin to sleep. Every night, she is accosted by nightmares referred to as the Terrors, but she considers this a fair price for her perfectly content days making buttons in her beloved workhouse. One morning, she awakes to find that her dreams have been perfectly pleasant. Confused, but nevertheless happy with this change in routine, she arrives at her workhouse to find a foreboding letter stating that she has been accused of “Disturbance Potential”, and must be judged and punished for not experiencing the Terrors. Although terrified, Abi is determined to defend her dignity and innocence, and sets about traversing the absurd legal procedures that will allow her to appeal her judgment. Along the way, she meets her appeals process administrator, an incredibly optimistic yet strange young man named Zero. Together, they face a series of legal officials ranging from constables to priests who bombard Abi with cruel accusations.
Will Abi prove her innocence before her punishment is due? What are the Terrors, and why do the judges demand Abi suffers through them? If she is just not an elderly button maker, who is she really?
I could not possibly pick a favorite aspect of the book. Tara Basi's of the bizarre architecture and characters Abi encounters are both vivid in description and rich in personality. Every time Abi was swept off to a new location, I shared her wonder, her curiosity, and her dread at facing a new hostile stranger. Abi's internal monologue allowed me to share in her desperate and simple desire to return to her workhouse and do nothing more than make buttons. Every time Abi experienced horror, fear, and joy, I felt it too. I was hooked into the story even more by Basi's use of foreshadowing. Though almost every character Abi encounters seems to have a few screws loose, it is clear from their consistent references that there is some form of logic and history in the crazy world Abi has been forced to meet. This consistency allowed me to solve the mystery of the strange world alongside Abi. Basi walks the thin line between confusion and logic with great skill, weaving a story that is easy to follow but leaves many questions unanswered until the end.
The author also has a special talent for poetic language. While hoping Abi would survive her ordeal, I found myself pausing just to reread the metaphors, allusions, and symbolism Basi employed. It is truly incredibly how the story shifts effortlessly between beautiful surrealism to moments of silly and crude humor.
There is nothing I disliked about this book. Additionally, I did not find a single error in the entire work. In fact, I was so captivated by the story and its ending that I immediately resolved to read it again in the near future.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys surrealist, philosophical, highly imaginative stories that require the reader to read between the lines. Despite the philosophical and bizarre characteristics of the story, its protagonist is a kind, empathetic person I found easy to relate to. Given all its wonderful qualities and exceptional editing, I rate Seven at Two Past Five four out of four stars.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Seven at Two Past Five by Tara Basi is a fascinating and surreal tale told by the elderly button maker named Abi. Abi has lived her whole life in her small bunk-bed-coffin, leaving every day at precisely two past five for her workhouse. There, she spends her day fulfilling button orders until it is time for her to return to her bunk-bed-coffin to sleep. Every night, she is accosted by nightmares referred to as the Terrors, but she considers this a fair price for her perfectly content days making buttons in her beloved workhouse. One morning, she awakes to find that her dreams have been perfectly pleasant. Confused, but nevertheless happy with this change in routine, she arrives at her workhouse to find a foreboding letter stating that she has been accused of “Disturbance Potential”, and must be judged and punished for not experiencing the Terrors. Although terrified, Abi is determined to defend her dignity and innocence, and sets about traversing the absurd legal procedures that will allow her to appeal her judgment. Along the way, she meets her appeals process administrator, an incredibly optimistic yet strange young man named Zero. Together, they face a series of legal officials ranging from constables to priests who bombard Abi with cruel accusations.
Will Abi prove her innocence before her punishment is due? What are the Terrors, and why do the judges demand Abi suffers through them? If she is just not an elderly button maker, who is she really?
I could not possibly pick a favorite aspect of the book. Tara Basi's of the bizarre architecture and characters Abi encounters are both vivid in description and rich in personality. Every time Abi was swept off to a new location, I shared her wonder, her curiosity, and her dread at facing a new hostile stranger. Abi's internal monologue allowed me to share in her desperate and simple desire to return to her workhouse and do nothing more than make buttons. Every time Abi experienced horror, fear, and joy, I felt it too. I was hooked into the story even more by Basi's use of foreshadowing. Though almost every character Abi encounters seems to have a few screws loose, it is clear from their consistent references that there is some form of logic and history in the crazy world Abi has been forced to meet. This consistency allowed me to solve the mystery of the strange world alongside Abi. Basi walks the thin line between confusion and logic with great skill, weaving a story that is easy to follow but leaves many questions unanswered until the end.
The author also has a special talent for poetic language. While hoping Abi would survive her ordeal, I found myself pausing just to reread the metaphors, allusions, and symbolism Basi employed. It is truly incredibly how the story shifts effortlessly between beautiful surrealism to moments of silly and crude humor.
There is nothing I disliked about this book. Additionally, I did not find a single error in the entire work. In fact, I was so captivated by the story and its ending that I immediately resolved to read it again in the near future.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys surrealist, philosophical, highly imaginative stories that require the reader to read between the lines. Despite the philosophical and bizarre characteristics of the story, its protagonist is a kind, empathetic person I found easy to relate to. Given all its wonderful qualities and exceptional editing, I rate Seven at Two Past Five four out of four stars.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Drawn from Life by Sarah P. Blanchard
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Brandy_Nyongesa
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It is great that Abi met Zero who held her hand through the legal proceedings. I love Philosophical books. I Hope Abi finds the justice that she deserves. Great review.
Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
