Review of Thrumming Heart

[Hubre De Klerk]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Thrumming Heart" by Paolo Debernardi.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Thrumming Heart by Paolo Debernardi is a book consisting of seventeen short stories over a total of 112 pages. It's a quick read of just over 2 hours and will fill you with a variety of stories to think over. There are some love stories, happy endings, not-so-happy endings, gruesome stories, shocking stories—you name it, it is in this book. You are definitely going to be entertained.

I had a few questions pop into my head while reading some of the short stories. How do you feel about loved ones who have passed on? Have you ever thought that you saw them again or that someone reminded you so much about them that it felt surreal? These are the feelings I got from the very first story. Story two left me feeling conflicted. When do you stop waiting for someone, especially if you are the one who broke the trust to begin with? Story three just made me realize that revenge isn't the best policy if it can cost you everything. Story four delved into aliens. How do you feel about aliens, abductions, incredible technology, and mind-wipes? Story five left me feeling incomplete as I wanted to find out more, but it did leave me with the realization that the memory you leave behind proves who you really were. I enjoyed story six the most, as I was surprised and shocked by the ending, and it also left me feeling violated. I didn't really enjoy story seven, as I couldn't put myself in the situation where your passion for your creation overruled everything, including your family.

During story eight, an unexpected turn in Lucas and Doris' love story left my head spinning and full of unanswered questions. "Expect the Unexpected" is the name of the ninth story, although I felt this way about most of the stories in this book. In book ten, "The Traveller", I was left feeling disappointed by the actions and unthankfulness of the traveller towards his only friend, when the friend is the one who helped improve his life to begin with. Story eleven was good and showed that there is good in others, which I appreciated after the previous story. Book twelve told the story of being thankful, even when everything is going terribly. Dreams could be your happily ever after. Story thirteen is one of these that left me reeling and with my mouth hanging open. The voice in your head isn't always right, so be careful what you listen to. Story fourteen is about things that were once lost but then found again. Story fifteen proved in an eerie way that you need the light to chase away the darkness. Story Sixteen was definitely a close second for me. What would be going on in your mind if you had only minutes left to live? Story seventeen left me a bit confused. It was a good story, but I thought story sixteen would've been a better story to end the book with.

I enjoyed how some of the stories had the same character names that were used in a previous story, and my mind tried to connect the dots between them. Each story is its own, but the idea that there might be a link intrigued me very much, and it kept the wheels in my head turning. All of the stories were short but mostly had unexpected twists. There were some trigger points like sexual abuse, murder, vivid descriptions, and suicide in these stories. There weren't many profane or explicit scenes, but they were evident. This book is definitely not for sensitive or young readers.

I did find quite a few grammar mistakes, which hurt my enjoyment of the stories a bit. At times, the stories felt like they were written by different writers; some flowed seamlessly, and others felt either incomplete or just a bit bumpy. This wasn't a lot, but it did bother me a bit. My only other dislike of this book was the similarities between the different characters. Blue eyes, blond hair, a red beard, and/or curly hair were some of the main characteristics of most of the characters in the book. Due to these reasons, I would rate Thrumming Heart by Paolo Debernardi 3 out of 5 stars. There was absolutely no reason to deduct another star, as most of the stories were intriguing, full of suspense, and full of surprises. Most of the stories left me flabbergasted by the unexpected endings or the sudden vivid descriptions that were thrown into the mix.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy short stories in a variety of genres. There are hints of love stories, heartbreak, fantasy, murder, crime, detective work, etc.—you name it, and it is most probably in this book!

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Thrumming Heart
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[Kigen Valarie]

How amazing that you have listed all the stories and what they talk about. This makes it easier to decide if I'd be willing to read this book or not. The matching names for characters in different stories would confuse me a little but you've given me an idea: try to piece together the connection they might have. Not only have I enjoyed your review but I've also learnt something new. Thank you so much.

[Billy_J_Mathebula]

Thanks, you made it easier for me to understand the whole book but I hate to read the book of short stories in different genres.

[NetMassimo]

An anthology of short story can be intriguing but when the stories are diverse you might like some and dislike others. Certainly, the author should do proper proofreading. Thank you for your honest review!