Official Review: Islands in the Grass by Arviss R. Stuart

[debo9967]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Islands in the Grass" by Arviss R. Stuart.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Islands in the Grass by Arviss R.Stuart is a book in the fiction genre. The book takes the reader on a family saga revolving around Steve Sharpe and his family.

Steve Sharpe had no other option but to enlist in the army if he wanted to escape the law. Now, after almost nine years in service as an Army Ranger and numerous awards decorating his uniform, he is eager to retire but where would he go? Mary Ann Clark is heiress to a ranch in the Prairies but she needs someone with experience and a strong will to revive it. War brings both of them together and they decide to start afresh as husband and wife, rebuilding the Clark Ranch. Billy, Steve’s colleague and best friend, falls in action and leaves Steve with the responsibility of bringing up his daughter, Michelle. The story takes the reader through the journey of Steve and Mary Ann they raise an adopted girl along with three other children and struggle to keep their ranch afloat. Will Steve finally find peace which has been eluding him since childhood?

The author’s writing style is simple but it could have been better structured. The first few pages introduce the characters which play a pivotal role in the story and then continue with the story in the present day. I found getting through almost one-fourth of the book a bit exhausting, since the initial part of the story is rather incoherent. While the beginning served as a necessary background about Steve and his life in the military, the scenes seemed to alternate back and forth between time, leaving the reader a bit perplexed with regard to the timeline. My interest in the book shot up after Steve and Mary Ann have their first child, Cynthia, and the actual story began. The book is written in third person from multiple viewpoints. A sizeable chunk of the book is written in the form of flashbacks.

Once the story kicks off properly, it is captivating and fast paced. The book focuses on family loyalty, friendships, love and life’s struggle. The author introduces a supernatural element in this story but it is so beautifully understated that it seems almost natural and doesn't take away from the main script. There are plenty of highly charged scenes in the book, few predictable but most unexpected. Steve’s character is a mystery and much of his past is never revealed in the book, which only adds to the enigma surrounding his character. There are moments in the book where it seems that Steve is overburdened with responsibilities, Atlas-like, and the author has portrayed these scenes beautifully. The other characters are also well developed.

The unpredictability, irony and the twists of fate make this a remarkable story. Yes, the story is intertwined with the ugliness of wars, but it is a story about family which would impress any reader who likes stories focusing on family bonds. I would have rated it higher but due to the lack of flow in the initial section of the book, I rate it 3 out of 4 stars.

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Islands in the Grass
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Like debo9967's review? Post a comment saying so!

[ananya92]

The storyline seems interesting. Nice review.

[debo9967]

Thanks

[Lovely_Loreley]

Great review! This sounds like a loving tale, too bad it started off so confusing.

[Levi]

Great job on the review, I find the story intriguing. I love tales of good and evil or personal self-sacrifice and brotherhood, and because of that, your review made me want to experience their world and the taking on of a friend's child. Also with issues such as flow, each reader is different and therefore some may not take issue with the structure, so if this is one of the only issues, then the author has done a great job. Well done Debo!

[debo9967]

Thanks both of you

[bookowlie]

Nice, insightful review! I think it's frustrating to feel like you are slogging through the beginning of a book. I wish some authors to pay more attention to grabbing the reader's attention in the first 1/4 or 1/3 of the story. Still, the plot does look interesting.

[debo9967]

Thanks

[Jesska6029]

It's a shame the beginning of the book didn't flow, but I am happy it picked up! This story seems really interesting. Nice review!

[debo9967]

Thanks!

[stuartars+3093]

I have learned a great deal from the two reviews of this book. Receiving honest criticism is hard for a new writer.
Making clear concise breaks between scenes is one.
Arviss R. Stuart