Official Review: Eternal Spring by Doug Galante

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[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Eternal Spring" by Doug Galante.]

The book, Eternal Spring, focuses on an isolated village, cut off in large from the outside world in the present day. The village, Scarlet Oak contains a spring which provides the drinker an extended life span and good health to enjoy. In order to keep the village running smoothly there are strict rules and procedures which the inhabitants must follow, these include no contact with the outside world – for fear of the spring being discovered– and attendance at monthly appointments for a portion of the water.

The introduction of the novel flows seamlessly through different eras in the villages history and the author effortlessly gives the reader a vivid picture of Scarlet Oak and its background. As soon as I started to read, I was instantly gripped by the unique world being described and how the story unfolded. The novel maintained the same pace throughout and it was an easy book to read as it developed so well.

Although it seems like an idyllic, pleasurable novel to read the sinister elements creep in slowly and make an appearance subtly at first. Some moments really highlighted the true character of Scarlet Oak, such as police being brought in to handle something as seemingly innocent as missing a water ration appointment. The build up to the climax of the book is a slow one, but as mentioned before the book moves at such a pace that there is no disappointment. The book rounds of well and I was pleased that the questions that I wanted answered were dealt with and expanded on.

I have rated this book a 3 as it was a very enjoyable read. There were a few aspects I felt for me were missing, although perhaps not necessarily for another reader. At times I felt that I didn't really know the main characters enough. There were occasions were I found it a bit frustrating that there was limited descriptions about personalities and relationships, as the characters made me want to know more about them and what makes them tick. This became a bit more of an issue as the novel progressed and the relationships between people became much more significant in the plot line.

There were also many aspects about Scarlet Oak that could have been explored more deeply. So many areas were discussed, but the village itself and the lifestyle was so intriguing that it would have been great to read more detail about the village and tackle the big issues that readers may want to know. For example, what allegiance do the village have to Government, education curriculum and religion. For me, these details would have made the book more enjoyable as, like I mentioned, Scarlet Oak is an intriguing place.

I would compare Eternal Spring to a cross between the film 'The Village' directed by M.N Shyamalan and the book 1984 by George Orwell. There were definite similarities between 'The Village' and Scarlet Oak and it raises real questions about human contentment and what we truly desire. Is it even possible for a true utopian isolated village to thrive without human nature taking hold? I mention a comparison with 1984 because I felt that the more sinister elements of the novel originated from a real attempt to control and cripple peoples natural curiosity for their 'own' good.

I would definitely recommend this novel, not only as an entertaining read, but also as a thought provoking look at mankind’s needs and desires. The story was well written and the author gives you confidence that he knows the world he is writing about inside out. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.

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