Review of When The Owl Speaks
Posted: 09 Feb 2024, 11:34
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "When The Owl Speaks" by W. H. Jansen.]
Doug Pearson is a graduate student and is on his way to work for a PhD. He decides to go to the Artic to pursue his doctoral research and gather new data from the field. However, the situation gets more complicated when he reaches Kiviut Lake. Soon after his arrival, a string of murders and paranormal happenings in the small community push him into danger.
The plot was well orchestrated and managed to bring the complex storyline into a plausible concept. The art, its culture, and the people there were depicted with care. The world-building was immersive and detailed without dumping the information. The different subplots, such as romance, adventure, and crime, were interwoven skillfully into the lines of the main plot. The characters were well-developed and relatable. There was significant character growth by the end of the novel. I loved the addition of a glossary and questions for group discussions at the end of the novel. The narration was engaging and descriptive, with a good balance between telling and showing. The book was professionally edited, with no errors that I could spot.
Nevertheless, there are a few aspects that could be improved. Conversations were bland and boring; many times profanities were the only indicator of emotions in a person or a dialogue. While the whole point of Doug going to the Artic was to pursue his research, the subject he was going to specialize in was not mentioned. I did not know his bachelor's and master's degrees. Aside from his educational background, there was also little information on his family background, especially his parents.
I recommend The Owl Speaks by W. H. Jansen to people who like fantasy fiction with some crime. Both adults and teenagers can enjoy the book. Considering all the above arguments, I rate this book three out of five stars.
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When The Owl Speaks
View: on Bookshelves
Doug Pearson is a graduate student and is on his way to work for a PhD. He decides to go to the Artic to pursue his doctoral research and gather new data from the field. However, the situation gets more complicated when he reaches Kiviut Lake. Soon after his arrival, a string of murders and paranormal happenings in the small community push him into danger.
The plot was well orchestrated and managed to bring the complex storyline into a plausible concept. The art, its culture, and the people there were depicted with care. The world-building was immersive and detailed without dumping the information. The different subplots, such as romance, adventure, and crime, were interwoven skillfully into the lines of the main plot. The characters were well-developed and relatable. There was significant character growth by the end of the novel. I loved the addition of a glossary and questions for group discussions at the end of the novel. The narration was engaging and descriptive, with a good balance between telling and showing. The book was professionally edited, with no errors that I could spot.
Nevertheless, there are a few aspects that could be improved. Conversations were bland and boring; many times profanities were the only indicator of emotions in a person or a dialogue. While the whole point of Doug going to the Artic was to pursue his research, the subject he was going to specialize in was not mentioned. I did not know his bachelor's and master's degrees. Aside from his educational background, there was also little information on his family background, especially his parents.
I recommend The Owl Speaks by W. H. Jansen to people who like fantasy fiction with some crime. Both adults and teenagers can enjoy the book. Considering all the above arguments, I rate this book three out of five stars.
******
When The Owl Speaks
View: on Bookshelves