Review of Nine

[That Reviewer]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Nine" by Tom Baumgartel.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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When it comes to short story collections, I have come to understand something: even though the theme behind the stories may be as diverse as the flora one finds on the planet, the author's ability to pique a reader's interest and keep them connected to the book from the beginning to its conclusion is a vital component. Without that, most readers will likely drop a book faster than a hot piece of coal because there is no spice in the stories.

Nine, a collection of short stories by Tom Baumgartel, piqued my interest. With such an intriguing title, it wasn't a surprise to find precisely nine short stories in the book. The book had a diverse range of stories set in varying timelines, from the early nineteenth century right up to the present day. Each story had a unique theme to which a reader could relate. From the pain of loss to the questionable coincidences that led to a mistaken identity, there was a story for everyone.

I did enjoy the author's captivating writing style. His ability to stay in tune with the language of each timeline was awe-inspiring, especially when I considered that the majority of the stories were written in the form of first-hand accounts. The quality of attention given to the development of each character in the book was also worthy of note. Every character had either an origin or a background story that was clinically put together and stylishly inserted for the reader to pick up as they move from one story to the next. The author built up anticipation in each story right up to the climax. For a single novel, it would be relatively simple. For a short story, it would be no mean feat. But to do it consistently all through nine different stories, the author should get a million accolades.

Followers of the fiction genre will enjoy this book. There is a diverse range of topics that will appeal to them. Romance novel lovers will also find that a couple of the stories in the book will do more than grab their attention.

With its impeccable style and diverse storylines, Tom Baumgartel's Nine does far more than is expected when it comes to holding a reader's attention. It keeps one glued to each story with anticipation, and the moment they are done with that, the urge to instantly delve into the next one is too strong to resist. Just like a deep-sea diver coming up for air, you will find the content of this book very refreshing. It's so impressive a piece of literary work that I have nothing negative to say about it. With only a handful of errors, I can say the editors have done a good job. All in all, I rate Nine 4 out of 4 stars.

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Nine
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[SirLifted]

I really love the way this reviewer started the review. The introduction is really captivating. That the book is a 4 out of 4 for a short book that has a series of short stories in it speaks a lot. Nice review.

[Umesh Bhatt]

I love short stories. Would go through it at a later time. Thanks for the nice review.

[Aisha Yakub]

I agree. I've read short pieces which I least preferred to longer read. Captivating the readers should be one of the author's primary concern, which in this case was. Great review.

[Mbenma Esther 080]

I love reading interesting short stories that I will find hard to drop. Thanks for the review.

[Swathi A 1]

I really impressed with this review,the point about each story is a story for every one which had a unique theme to which a reader could relate.awesome review.

[Obinna Chima Agoms]

Wow! What an introduction. I completely agree that it is challenging writing short stories that keep the readers attention all through. Kudos to the author. This is a fantastic review.