Review of If Only
Posted: 02 Mar 2022, 14:31
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "If Only" by Matthew Tree.]
If Only by Matthew Tree is historical literature with an intertwined tale of Malcolm Lowry’s letters to his Father’s accountant, Mister Patrick, and the interrogation of a young man decades later, found with the letters mentioned above and a bag of explosives.
A young man behaved strangely at St. James Park in London and was detained by the police. They found a bag of Russian explosives and ten letters on him — the letters were correspondence from Malcolm Lowry to Mister Patrick, the young man’s grandfather. He was interrogated by a psychiatrist, Dr. Murray Bishop, and a detective chief Inspector on these possessions. The authorities don’t believe the letters to be genuine but find it so after analysis. That heightens the investigation, as the young man has traveled to each location on the letter. In seeking truth, Dr. Bishop finds out the connecting logic between Malcolm and the young man, who takes a more violent approach. Is this a case of a highly planned terrorist attack? Or a case of a man who has lost the sanity of his mind? Read up on this book to find out.
Matthew Tree creates a drawing, engaging story with an otherwise complicated writing technique. Also, his word bank is affluent and vivid in the description. The characterization was also superb. Malcolm Lowry happens to be a dead historical character, writer, and poet, who we get a glimpse into his life, struggles, and achievement. The character of the young man was also an interesting one. I loved his mind’s inner workings and erratic behavior.
I love the two plotlines that sort of merge together, as one preceded the other in a teaser-like manner. Fleeting from one story to another wasn’t confusing at all, and the thrill was unrivaled. I like the character of Malcolm; his character resonated with me the most and his insightful letters. It’s pretty telling that he possessed a rich mind, albeit dulled a bit by alcohol yet still shining brightly.
My favorite scene was when Dr. Bishop finally connected the dots. I felt relieved on his behalf after so much mental work. I admired the fact that each letter serves as a teaser in uncovering the psychopathic tendency of this young man and his arid school of thought.
Unfortunately, I would rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I deducted a star because of the errors that distorted my reading flow. Also, long narrations go on without much basis and point. I had to go back a good number of times to reread and get the hang of what is implied, especially the long inner tirades of the young man. In my opinion, those parts were not necessary, as they were confusing and sometimes out of point. Besides that, there is nothing more to dislike about the book.
I recommend this book to a mature audience of historical fiction.
******
If Only
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
If Only by Matthew Tree is historical literature with an intertwined tale of Malcolm Lowry’s letters to his Father’s accountant, Mister Patrick, and the interrogation of a young man decades later, found with the letters mentioned above and a bag of explosives.
A young man behaved strangely at St. James Park in London and was detained by the police. They found a bag of Russian explosives and ten letters on him — the letters were correspondence from Malcolm Lowry to Mister Patrick, the young man’s grandfather. He was interrogated by a psychiatrist, Dr. Murray Bishop, and a detective chief Inspector on these possessions. The authorities don’t believe the letters to be genuine but find it so after analysis. That heightens the investigation, as the young man has traveled to each location on the letter. In seeking truth, Dr. Bishop finds out the connecting logic between Malcolm and the young man, who takes a more violent approach. Is this a case of a highly planned terrorist attack? Or a case of a man who has lost the sanity of his mind? Read up on this book to find out.
Matthew Tree creates a drawing, engaging story with an otherwise complicated writing technique. Also, his word bank is affluent and vivid in the description. The characterization was also superb. Malcolm Lowry happens to be a dead historical character, writer, and poet, who we get a glimpse into his life, struggles, and achievement. The character of the young man was also an interesting one. I loved his mind’s inner workings and erratic behavior.
I love the two plotlines that sort of merge together, as one preceded the other in a teaser-like manner. Fleeting from one story to another wasn’t confusing at all, and the thrill was unrivaled. I like the character of Malcolm; his character resonated with me the most and his insightful letters. It’s pretty telling that he possessed a rich mind, albeit dulled a bit by alcohol yet still shining brightly.
My favorite scene was when Dr. Bishop finally connected the dots. I felt relieved on his behalf after so much mental work. I admired the fact that each letter serves as a teaser in uncovering the psychopathic tendency of this young man and his arid school of thought.
Unfortunately, I would rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I deducted a star because of the errors that distorted my reading flow. Also, long narrations go on without much basis and point. I had to go back a good number of times to reread and get the hang of what is implied, especially the long inner tirades of the young man. In my opinion, those parts were not necessary, as they were confusing and sometimes out of point. Besides that, there is nothing more to dislike about the book.
I recommend this book to a mature audience of historical fiction.
******
If Only
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon