Official Review: The Skull Collector by Paris Singer

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lolashoes
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Official Review: The Skull Collector by Paris Singer

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[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Skull Collector" by Paris Singer.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Rumor has it that the little girl’s parents are killed after they vanished one night. Needless to say, the little girl is distraught and miserable. A stranger takes advantage of her vulnerable state and sells her to a sinister Doll-Maker who lives in the woods. Aware of the girl’s situation, the Doll-Maker makes her an offer she can’t refuse. In exchange for skulls (the secret ingredient for his precious dolls), he will bring her parents back to life.

The Skull Collector by Paris Singer, is a dark tale about a nameless little girl who goes to great lengths to see her parents again. However, since she’s young and doesn’t know any better, her efforts might just be for nothing.

Every night, the little girl walks through the frightening forest to collect skulls from the neighboring cemeteries. Between the mysterious violinist and his crows that steal her skulls, the bizarre creatures that lurk in the darkness, and the cemetery groundskeeper, her macabre mission proves to be a difficult task. Nevertheless, the little girl is determined and not fazed by these threats. The wave of anticipation and happiness that rushes through her at the thought of reuniting with her parents, is enough to keep her going.

This is an engaging and well-written novel. The author has a way with words, and his descriptive style to boot makes it easy to be fully immersed in the story. The characters have depth and some are really quirky, which make them a perfect fit in the spooky world the author created.

There are some scenes in the story that are repetitive. For instance, the little girl’s nightly trek in the dark forest. The author gave a detailed account of each time she walked through the woods, even though some of those times were uneventful and didn’t add anything to the development of the story. There is no mention of when or where the story took place, and I think these are some really important elements in a story. In addition, I’m not so keen about the fact that the little girl doesn’t have a proper name, it seems so impersonal.

Overall, I enjoyed this dark and fast-paced tale immensely. The eerie theme of the story pulled me in and I’m strangely fascinated by it. I’m pumped to read more of the author’s other works. I recommend this novel to the young adult readers and up, who love dark and gothic fiction. I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars.

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The Skull Collector
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Heidi M Simone
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Post by Heidi M Simone »

Great review! This read seems a little too creepy for my taste. A nameless girl collecting skulls? Wow. I also don't like when scenes are repeated, so that's a good point to raise. Thank you for the review!
"There is nothing as powerful as a mother’s love, and nothing as healing as a child’s soul." – Unknown
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lolashoes
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Post by lolashoes »

hsimone wrote:Great review! This read seems a little too creepy for my taste. A nameless girl collecting skulls? Wow. I also don't like when scenes are repeated, so that's a good point to raise. Thank you for the review!
Thank you! Yes, it was indeed very creepy but the creepy element was part of its charm. I'm glad i got to read this book for free. :)
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