Review of The Kite Documents
Posted: 22 Jul 2024, 04:42
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Kite Documents" by E.B.Williams.]
The Kite Documents by E.B. Williams is a science-fantasy novel centered on the lives of humanoids Sheyla Dawes and Chipale Jackson. Sheyla, like every other human, wants to be loved, but in her case, people always seem hostile towards her unless she gives them the toth’ka to drink. So when Sheyla met Chip when she joined the kite club at her school, he was friendly to her, unlike other humans who pay no attention to her. Without giving him the toth'ka, Sheyla knew Chip must be a non-human like that, but Chip wasn’t having any of Sheyla’s talk about his origin. Sheyla was convinced of her assumption when Chip visited her home and drank their signature fruit juice mixed with toth'ka, and both went into a dream world together. This gave Sheyla another purpose, which is to ensure Chip becomes her harness mate. Chip had other plans, and thus he joined the U.S. Army, but unknown to him, he had already consumed a drink, which made it easy for him to be traced no matter where he went. How will Sheyla deal with her emotions towards Chip? Will Sheyla ever find solace and acceptance in a world so different from her own? How will Chip get awakened to his true identity? What awaits Chip and his hybrid family, and how will they navigate the complexities of their dual existence?
The story centers on the life of Sheyla Dawes, a Daus living among humans on Earth. It shows how she struggles with her identity and abilities, as well as the challenges she faces with fitting into human society. The author explores the themes of loneliness, identity, survival, social dynamics, and the search for acceptance. For instance, Sheyla’s struggle to find her place in high school and her yearning for interactions with humans display a desire for belonging and acceptance. The plot of the book detailed her journey from a complete outcast to gradually discovering and understanding her own strength and identity. The character development is interesting as it shows the gradual process of development from high school teenagers to confident adults. The author develops the characters so expertly, especially Chipale and Sheyla, whose personal histories are intertwined. For instance, Sheyla’s lineage and her contribution to her colony show her important role in their survival and resurgence. Chipale character development helps give more insight into the human-Daus relationship and the complexities of their origin. The story line of the book is compelling, with exciting suspense that keeps the readers interested. The book addresses major issues such as prejudice and exploitation, as shown by humans' oppressive and aggressive acts towards the Daus people.
The author’s writing style is commendable as it gives depth to the story, making the book exceptionally evocative and immersive. The story development is well-paced, allowing for deep character exploration. The tone employed in the book is delicately filed with a balance of melancholy and hope; the tone of the book reflects the inner and external struggles of the characters. The portrayal of the societal issues faced by Sheyla is both heartbreaking and enlightening, such as the ridicule and bullying she faced for her appearance and speech. Another commendable aspect of the book is the detailed world-building involved. The author did a good job of beautifully and vividly creating a believable and richly textured universe and its different terrains, blending the texture of fantasy with the familiar. This is seen in the description of the Daus language and cultural beliefs, which add more insight to Sheyla’s and her father's characters.
There are certain flaws I find in the book, one of which is the repetitiveness of the same story being told over and over again. The back and forth created a break and made it hard to deeply immerse in the character’s story; sometimes the flow is broken from an uncompleted scene and then back to a previous scene. For example, when Chip and his unit in the army were faced by some attackers on their mission, the scene suddenly changed to Sheyla visiting Chip's auntie. Also, some characters do not have great depth, thus making it feel underdeveloped, and this can lead to a lack of emotional connection with certain aspects of the story. Additionally, certain aspects of the Daus culture are not well explored in greater detail. For example, the class distinction with the Daus community is mentioned but not fully developed, leaving the reader confused about these dynamics. This flaw, though minor, affects the overall reading experience, making certain sections less engaging.
The book is exceptionally well edited. I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars due to the few non-explorative flaws found in the book. I highly recommend this book to lovers of science fiction and fantasy or anyone seeking an emotionally resonant story.
******
The Kite Documents
View: on Bookshelves
The Kite Documents by E.B. Williams is a science-fantasy novel centered on the lives of humanoids Sheyla Dawes and Chipale Jackson. Sheyla, like every other human, wants to be loved, but in her case, people always seem hostile towards her unless she gives them the toth’ka to drink. So when Sheyla met Chip when she joined the kite club at her school, he was friendly to her, unlike other humans who pay no attention to her. Without giving him the toth'ka, Sheyla knew Chip must be a non-human like that, but Chip wasn’t having any of Sheyla’s talk about his origin. Sheyla was convinced of her assumption when Chip visited her home and drank their signature fruit juice mixed with toth'ka, and both went into a dream world together. This gave Sheyla another purpose, which is to ensure Chip becomes her harness mate. Chip had other plans, and thus he joined the U.S. Army, but unknown to him, he had already consumed a drink, which made it easy for him to be traced no matter where he went. How will Sheyla deal with her emotions towards Chip? Will Sheyla ever find solace and acceptance in a world so different from her own? How will Chip get awakened to his true identity? What awaits Chip and his hybrid family, and how will they navigate the complexities of their dual existence?
The story centers on the life of Sheyla Dawes, a Daus living among humans on Earth. It shows how she struggles with her identity and abilities, as well as the challenges she faces with fitting into human society. The author explores the themes of loneliness, identity, survival, social dynamics, and the search for acceptance. For instance, Sheyla’s struggle to find her place in high school and her yearning for interactions with humans display a desire for belonging and acceptance. The plot of the book detailed her journey from a complete outcast to gradually discovering and understanding her own strength and identity. The character development is interesting as it shows the gradual process of development from high school teenagers to confident adults. The author develops the characters so expertly, especially Chipale and Sheyla, whose personal histories are intertwined. For instance, Sheyla’s lineage and her contribution to her colony show her important role in their survival and resurgence. Chipale character development helps give more insight into the human-Daus relationship and the complexities of their origin. The story line of the book is compelling, with exciting suspense that keeps the readers interested. The book addresses major issues such as prejudice and exploitation, as shown by humans' oppressive and aggressive acts towards the Daus people.
The author’s writing style is commendable as it gives depth to the story, making the book exceptionally evocative and immersive. The story development is well-paced, allowing for deep character exploration. The tone employed in the book is delicately filed with a balance of melancholy and hope; the tone of the book reflects the inner and external struggles of the characters. The portrayal of the societal issues faced by Sheyla is both heartbreaking and enlightening, such as the ridicule and bullying she faced for her appearance and speech. Another commendable aspect of the book is the detailed world-building involved. The author did a good job of beautifully and vividly creating a believable and richly textured universe and its different terrains, blending the texture of fantasy with the familiar. This is seen in the description of the Daus language and cultural beliefs, which add more insight to Sheyla’s and her father's characters.
There are certain flaws I find in the book, one of which is the repetitiveness of the same story being told over and over again. The back and forth created a break and made it hard to deeply immerse in the character’s story; sometimes the flow is broken from an uncompleted scene and then back to a previous scene. For example, when Chip and his unit in the army were faced by some attackers on their mission, the scene suddenly changed to Sheyla visiting Chip's auntie. Also, some characters do not have great depth, thus making it feel underdeveloped, and this can lead to a lack of emotional connection with certain aspects of the story. Additionally, certain aspects of the Daus culture are not well explored in greater detail. For example, the class distinction with the Daus community is mentioned but not fully developed, leaving the reader confused about these dynamics. This flaw, though minor, affects the overall reading experience, making certain sections less engaging.
The book is exceptionally well edited. I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars due to the few non-explorative flaws found in the book. I highly recommend this book to lovers of science fiction and fantasy or anyone seeking an emotionally resonant story.
******
The Kite Documents
View: on Bookshelves