Official Review: A Port in a Storm by Tawni Silva

[VanessaB16]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Port in a Storm" by Tawni Silva.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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“A powerful notion, Time… Can’t stop it, can’t turn it back, can’t control it, yet we are bound by it, slaves to it. It is inescapable.”

A Port in a Storm by Tawni Silva is a science fiction book set in a not so distant future. This book is more of a longer short story given it is only 29 pages on a PDF file. The story gives readers a glimpse into the life of a man struggling to find meaning in his life. His tragic yet inspiring story allows readers to embark on a journey of loss and self discovery.

Despair, depression, and exhaustion are three words that describe main character Jeremy Port’s life. After being diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer, Jeremy tries everything to find a cure. To his disappointment, no doctors, drugs, needles, or treatments seem to come close to recovery. Jeremy realizes there is no miracle that will save him from himself, so he resorts to drinking. He drinks away the sorrow of being stuck in his own mind and the thought of the bad deck of cards he has been dealt in his life.

After a long night of drinking and arguments, Jeremy leaves the bar to go home and drink in peace. Outside the bar, waiting for him, is an old man. The old man tells him he has been listening to his story and feels sympathy towards his situation. Jeremy is too exhausted to pick a fight so he decides it is best to just ignore the old man. As Jeremy is about to leave, the old man reveals he has a cure for his cancer. This takes him aback and Jeremy begins to wonder what exactly the old man is talking about. The old man gives Jeremy a business card to a local clock shop. Thinking the card was a joke, Jeremy takes the card and leaves but cannot ignore the fact that this old man may be telling the truth.

A Port in a Storm is a brilliant book that teaches the value of memory. Jeremy learns that although it would be a relief to start fresh and forget all the terrible things that have happened in his life, his memories have moulded him into the person he has become. Without his past, he would not have developed a thick skin and definitely not be able to withstand the pain he is going through. Time is also a reoccurring theme throughout the book. Time is always in motion and is very short but must be endured in order to live life to the fullest. Time has formed Jeremy into a proud man and without time, he would have nothing but an empty corpse. Without the memories of time, Jeremy would be nothing but an emotionless human in a world of strong feeling.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it was very interesting from the start. I found myself needing to know what would happen next and how the events would change his life. The pace of the book was not too slow but not too fast, which gave the author enough time to explain the character’s thoughts without dragging the story too long. But, I feel as though the author did not spend enough time explaining the ending. The book ended leaving me with questions and theories of what the ending actually meant. Also, although the book was not very “action packed,” it kept me hooked and wanting to turn the page. I really liked how the clock shop reinforced the theme of time. The story was well written however some areas were awkwardly written and the tone was often filled with depression.

A wonderful book about realizing the worth in history and finding true meaning in life, A Port in a Storm by Tawni Silva, is a beautiful story of tragedy and desperation. I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. I wavered between 3 and 4 because of the meaningful story yet awkward delivery. I feel as though this book has great potential, and if the author were to expand upon the ending or even continue the story, the book would be engraved in people’s memories.

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A Port in a Storm
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[bookowlie]

Nice review! The premise of the story sounds so interesting!

[gali]

Nice review indeed and the book sounds interesting.

[Cee-Jay Aurinko]

The book sounds really captivating, VanessaB16. I enjoyed reading your review.