Review of The Heart of the World
Posted: 12 Oct 2023, 11:46
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Heart of the World" by Michael Tillotson.]
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.
******
The Heart of the World
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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.
******
The Heart of the World
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon