Review of The Heart of the World

[Rayah Raouf]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Heart of the World" by Michael Tillotson.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The Heart of the World by Michael John Tillotson is a fictional fantasy book about an orphan boy, the enchantment of magic, the discovery of unexpected friendships, a man with the extraordinary ability to transform into a cat, and quite a few bad guys.

The story begins with a mysterious gift, a powerful necklace, bestowed upon a young boy named Afios by a strange woman, Sofia, deep within the woods. As he grows older, he longs to find and thank Sofia. The mysterious necklace has a unique power and teleports him to safety whenever he gets into trouble. Unfortunately, it teleports him into a battle between three girls and a weird monster. Throughout the fight, the necklace thinks he is in danger again and teleports him and one of the girls, Emily, away. This unexpected event begins an exciting adventure, taking Afios from a lonely, orphaned boy to somebody surrounded by friends who will undoubtedly play a significant role in his life.

It is important to note that the book has two parts. The initial portion of the book delves into character development, magic, and the richly crafted world. The first part establishes a solid foundation for what follows. It is in the second part where the suspense, action, and long-awaited revelations come alive. The second part of the book is what I enjoyed, and it left me eagerly turning each page.

The Heart of the World is not a book you can breeze through. There are 784 pages, and it took me a long time to get through it all. The first half left me bored and frustrated, especially with the characters. I understand this was part of their development, but these moments disheartened me, and I even contemplated giving up.

However, the second half of the book rewarded my perseverance. I yearned for the suspense, action, and compelling answers. Looking back, I wish the initial half had been more concise, as its prolonged nature nearly dissuaded me from completing the book. Without mentioning spoilers, the events that unfolded in the second part were fantastic. I can't help but appreciate the ending of the book. It wrapped up the story in a satisfying manner. The author tied up loose ends and brought the character arcs to a close.

In my opinion, I would recommend this book to a younger teenage audience. It’s important to note that there is occasional use of explicit language. Some words are edited using stars but are present. I found a few errors in the book, but they did not affect my reading experience. The book seems to be well-edited.

As an avid reader of fantasy, children's, and young adult books, I was genuinely excited about the premise. However, I found the prolonged nature of the first part dragging. I feel it would put people off continuing the book. I’d still recommend it to those who are patient and drawn to the later stages of a story. Therefore, I give the book 4 stars out of 5.

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The Heart of the World
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[Stephen Pokoo]

Your review offers valuable insights, enhancing our understanding of the book and its themes. It's a helpful guide for fellow readers. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful critique.

[Miracle Oge Adaeze]

784 pages? That's quite a length. This book must have enough substance to be that long. Well, it's in two parts and I guess the author will do justice to the story.

[NetMassimo]

This book is like two novels in one, though it seems like the first one is overlong and can be appreciated if you want to follow a certain kind of development for the protagonist. I'm probably too old for this kind of story, so I think I'll skip it. Regardless, thank you for your great review!

[Gee-Q Mdluli]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the book. I've never read it, and looking at the cover, I wondered what it could be about. Your review has convinced me to check it out even if it does have slower parts. Thanks again for your insight.

[A new me]

I would admit I'm not a fan of this type of genre. In addition, the page count is not something I fancy. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this honest review, thank you for it.