Review of The Childgrove

[Bron Bakers]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Childgrove" by John Goldsberry.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The Childgrove is an intriguing book by John Corbin Goldsberry. It tells the tale of two boys in two distinct timeframes. John befriends Edward one summer, and the two of them quickly come to the conclusion that something strange is happening. They can see each other, and they can coexist only due to the existence of a strange time bubble. Edward's timeline is set in 1914, the present, while John's is set in 1966, the future.  Though John can enter and interact with the people in Edward's timeline, the latter cannot even visit John's timeline. The two boys soon become close best friends and discover that they have a deep connection between them. But before long, John shares with his closest buddy a fascinating secret that nobody else is aware of. He is plagued by visions that he cannot explain or control, yet they frequently offer some insight into what lies ahead. Soon after leaving the battlefield, Victor, Edward's uncle, arrives with unfavorable news. However, he also appears to be acting with ulterior intentions, such as robbing Edward of the inheritance his father left him. But in order to accomplish that, he would need to get rid of Edward, the only other person who was eligible to inherit the Powell family fortune. Edward and John need to work together despite the odds against them in order to stop him from succeeding. Can they make it out of the chaos unscathed? The Childgrove is a book that skillfully blends fact and fantasy, leaving you to question which is real. Grab a copy to learn more.

This book had quite a few positive and enjoyable aspects. I was only able to find a few errors, which led me to believe that the book was professionally edited. The author made use of good grammar and an exquisite vocabulary that allowed me to learn a lot of new things. The characters in this book were portrayed in a realistic manner and properly written, with well-rounded emotions. I would say my favorite character is Richard. Though it might be cliche to pick one of the main characters as a favorite, I do have my reasons. Despite losing both parents and part of his face getting burned, Richard remained strong. His journey is perilous, and his character has to overcome various struggles while helping his adoptive brother combat a drug addiction and suicidal thoughts. It felt great to see the duo get adopted into a family that wanted and loved them entirely. Regardless of Richard's flaws, I think readers might still get a lot of insight from him.

I appreciate the fact that the author highlighted the letters and notes in italics in order to avoid any confusion. They really helped me understand the book more. Though a lot of issues were explored in this book, I feel that a very underrated one is the importance of family. The author made sure that the book showed how essential it is to put family first, whether related by blood or not. When Edward and Richard see an act of racism firsthand, Edward decides to stand up for the less privileged. Richard immediately jumped in to protect his brother, and though that fight cost them both dearly later in the book, the brothers do not regret their actions. Edward thought he was doing enough for his adoptive brother, but he decided to wallow in self-pity instead of sticking by Richard. That is why their explosive argument in Chapter 27 was such a major turning point in the story. Edward thought it would be easier to heal alone, but he neglected the fact that his brother had gone through the same level (or even more) of trauma. Richard, on the other hand, hated his brother for soaking up all the attention with his behavior and being so self-absorbed. He also believes Edward is making up stories to suit his needs. Though the entire story may be fictional, most of it is based on the author's real experience that shaped him into the man he is today. At the end, it is obvious that no one knows the reason Edward and John were able to meet and interact with each other in the book. But I believe that this occurred because they needed each other more than anything else at the time. 

Despite the positive aspects, I also found some negative aspects. I noticed that the author indicated a change of scenes by leaving a small space. This confused me a number of times, and I would have just preferred if the author used dinkuses to show any change of scenes. For example, the six-year time jump was not properly indicated at the beginning of chapter twenty-four until a bit later. Also, after the argument between Richard and Edward, there was a time jump of a couple of years, which was not properly indicated. 

As a result of the reasons listed above, I have decided to rate this book four out of five stars. The book sets out to teach the importance of trusting the journey or process instead of solely focusing on your destination. Everyone has a purpose that will reveal itself in time. For the members of the Powell family, it was to provide aid to children in need and affected by the war. The book aims to inspire readers to follow their intuition and persevere through obstacles. I definitely look forward to reading it again soon. I recommend this enlightening book to any reader who enjoys historical fiction based on true facts. It will also be a great fit for anyone who enjoys thriller books.

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The Childgrove
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[rahul rana 2]

good Book

[Damis Seres Rodriguez]

I always found time-related fiction quite enjoyable. There's something about the endless possibilities of working on different timelines that always catches my eye. Ill make sure to get my hands on this book, if I can. Thank for the review!

[Osvaldo Borghese]

This book looks to be interesting, I will add to my shelves to read it in the future. Thanks for your detailed review.

[NetMassimo]

The intertwining of the two timelines with mysteries that blend facts and fantasy make for what seems like a fascinating story that also addresses some important issues.