Review of Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets
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Wajida Begum
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Review of Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets
[Following is a volunteer review of "Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets" by Marc Kage.]
Jabir Soni is an enthusiast and professional photographer with a struggling business, while his wife, Michelle Evan Soni, is a publicist with maximum debts that she has been able to hide from anyone. While Jabir is struggling to set up his own photography business, Michelle's concealed financial woes are about to unravel their lives. What secrets might she be hiding, and what will happen if they reveal themselves?
Desperate for a fresh start, out of the city's hustle and bustle, Jabir and Michelle moved into a quiet village called Melford. It is where old pal Aaron joins a partnership with Jabir to fertilize new seeds of hope, both financially and emotionally. But is a new town enough to get away from old troubles, or do some secrets follow you no matter where you go?
Before long, Michelle's past catches up with her: having resorted to unsavory activities in Boston to stay ahead of her debt, she now is working with Hector, one of the ominous personalities whom it appears has a hold over her in their new town. Can Michelle move on from the past, or will her actions drag them both into deeper trouble?
Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets by Marc Kage is an exciting novel—equal parts suspense, tender emotion, and moral intricacy—all in able hands. It would be pretty moving, showing a couple struggling with financial difficulty and the dark secrets that threatened their fragile stance.
They were perfect characters: developed, flawed, then redeemed. Soni Jabir was epitomized as a sincere, diligent photographer who simply got ensnared far too deeply in his financial woes. His character was very human and was probably a perspective most of us yearn to emulate. Moving from Boston to Melford is a hope, but that journey is tinged with the constant worry that their problems might not be that easily left behind.
Michelle Evan Soni is a dynamic, deep character whose secrets create a foundation for the novel's suspense. Most telling is the fact that her actions led to mortgaging their home to handle the debts she had been hiding. She was a desperate woman who would go to any lengths to protect her family. Kage weaves a balanced representation of Michelle, one that neither demonizes nor glorifies but rather plays around both edges, bringing the reader into sharper insight into Michelle's motivations. Her involvement with Hector opens another door for misadventure and danger. The reader is no longer certain of any of her actions and must second-guess her every decision and worry that she is deeply involved in these underhand dealings.
Soon, he realizes that, though meant to be a fresh beginning, Melford turns out to be anything but, with the idyllic picture of the town revealing a host of its own problems. Aaron, a friend of Jabir's, throws an employment lifeline, but even this new lease of life is overshadowed by the secretive dealings of Michelle. Here, Kage has painted an atmosphere of hope with shadows from the past to keep readers on edge. What really stands out in Bespoke Betrayers and Sartorial Secrets is the pacing. Kage manages to build suspense without losing the thoughtful and introspective movement of character development. There is good handling of the tension between Jabir and Michelle, so the plot moves in such a way that the reader is never sure what is done next or what either character will do next.
The writing itself in the book is spectacular. Clear, concise, and engaging, it allows the story to just glide along the pages. The dialogue is realistic in its tone and, therefore, goes a long way in the development of individual characters. The descriptions are vivid enough to allow the reader to obtain a clear picture of bustling Boston and the quieter but no less complex town of Melford. Exceptional editing makes the reader's experience smooth, as not once is it broken by grammatical errors or awkward phrasing.
The morality issue is equally handled to perfection in Marc Kage's novel. Michelle's ethically debatable actions are driven by her deep need to provide for her family. Such complex portrayals oblige the reader to consider not her situation but rather the choices she makes without the ability to define them in black and white. This nuanced approach to character and moral dilemmas weaves his story much deeper than just materialism and provides the reader not only with amusement but also with some thought. Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets is actually quite an accomplished book with really well-drawn characters, a gripping plot, and beautifully written prose. Marc Kage wrote this novel in such a manner as to combine a story driven by both heart-wrenching fascination and thrills that even the most astute wouldn't want to miss reading. Without a doubt, this book deserves a five out of five-star rating, from excellent storytelling to exceptional editing. There was nothing I disliked about this book.
******
Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Jabir Soni is an enthusiast and professional photographer with a struggling business, while his wife, Michelle Evan Soni, is a publicist with maximum debts that she has been able to hide from anyone. While Jabir is struggling to set up his own photography business, Michelle's concealed financial woes are about to unravel their lives. What secrets might she be hiding, and what will happen if they reveal themselves?
Desperate for a fresh start, out of the city's hustle and bustle, Jabir and Michelle moved into a quiet village called Melford. It is where old pal Aaron joins a partnership with Jabir to fertilize new seeds of hope, both financially and emotionally. But is a new town enough to get away from old troubles, or do some secrets follow you no matter where you go?
Before long, Michelle's past catches up with her: having resorted to unsavory activities in Boston to stay ahead of her debt, she now is working with Hector, one of the ominous personalities whom it appears has a hold over her in their new town. Can Michelle move on from the past, or will her actions drag them both into deeper trouble?
Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets by Marc Kage is an exciting novel—equal parts suspense, tender emotion, and moral intricacy—all in able hands. It would be pretty moving, showing a couple struggling with financial difficulty and the dark secrets that threatened their fragile stance.
They were perfect characters: developed, flawed, then redeemed. Soni Jabir was epitomized as a sincere, diligent photographer who simply got ensnared far too deeply in his financial woes. His character was very human and was probably a perspective most of us yearn to emulate. Moving from Boston to Melford is a hope, but that journey is tinged with the constant worry that their problems might not be that easily left behind.
Michelle Evan Soni is a dynamic, deep character whose secrets create a foundation for the novel's suspense. Most telling is the fact that her actions led to mortgaging their home to handle the debts she had been hiding. She was a desperate woman who would go to any lengths to protect her family. Kage weaves a balanced representation of Michelle, one that neither demonizes nor glorifies but rather plays around both edges, bringing the reader into sharper insight into Michelle's motivations. Her involvement with Hector opens another door for misadventure and danger. The reader is no longer certain of any of her actions and must second-guess her every decision and worry that she is deeply involved in these underhand dealings.
Soon, he realizes that, though meant to be a fresh beginning, Melford turns out to be anything but, with the idyllic picture of the town revealing a host of its own problems. Aaron, a friend of Jabir's, throws an employment lifeline, but even this new lease of life is overshadowed by the secretive dealings of Michelle. Here, Kage has painted an atmosphere of hope with shadows from the past to keep readers on edge. What really stands out in Bespoke Betrayers and Sartorial Secrets is the pacing. Kage manages to build suspense without losing the thoughtful and introspective movement of character development. There is good handling of the tension between Jabir and Michelle, so the plot moves in such a way that the reader is never sure what is done next or what either character will do next.
The writing itself in the book is spectacular. Clear, concise, and engaging, it allows the story to just glide along the pages. The dialogue is realistic in its tone and, therefore, goes a long way in the development of individual characters. The descriptions are vivid enough to allow the reader to obtain a clear picture of bustling Boston and the quieter but no less complex town of Melford. Exceptional editing makes the reader's experience smooth, as not once is it broken by grammatical errors or awkward phrasing.
The morality issue is equally handled to perfection in Marc Kage's novel. Michelle's ethically debatable actions are driven by her deep need to provide for her family. Such complex portrayals oblige the reader to consider not her situation but rather the choices she makes without the ability to define them in black and white. This nuanced approach to character and moral dilemmas weaves his story much deeper than just materialism and provides the reader not only with amusement but also with some thought. Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets is actually quite an accomplished book with really well-drawn characters, a gripping plot, and beautifully written prose. Marc Kage wrote this novel in such a manner as to combine a story driven by both heart-wrenching fascination and thrills that even the most astute wouldn't want to miss reading. Without a doubt, this book deserves a five out of five-star rating, from excellent storytelling to exceptional editing. There was nothing I disliked about this book.
******
Bespoke Betrayals and Sartorial Secrets
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Sojourner To Stoner by Gordon Schwerzmann
