Official Review: Black Chalk by Albert Alla

[obiebookworm]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Black Chalk" by Albert Alla.]

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On February 10, 2000 Nathan Dillingham witnessed the murder of his high school classmates. The media reported that Nate, the wounded sole survivor of this horrific school shooting in Oxford, England, was a hero for killing the assailant. Yet eight years later, Nathan is ready to share the details of what happened on that fateful day, and it is not as anyone expects.

In his debut novel, Alla gives readers a first-person account about a person's struggle with an incident that not only affects our youth, but is also a frequent headline in the news. Equally unfortunate is the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which accompanies all harrowing situations. No doubt, Nathan is a victim of PTSD -- once full of future aspirations, but now too emotionally overwhelmed to complete high school. However, after recouperating in a hospital and then returning home four months later just in time to celebrate his eighteenth birthday, he feels that the best way to address his reoccurring nightmares is to leave England. Thus, he embarks on a journey that takes him to places and adventures he never imagined in his wildest dreams, not to mention partaking in a plethora of sexual encounters along the way.

It takes a surprise visit by his father and letters from his mother regarding the emotional and chemical instability of his brother to bring him back to his home town. After being away for eight years, Nathan states that it brings "the ghosts of the shooting to the fore of my consciousness." Nonetheless, moving on with life, he decides to follow his mother's lead by enrolling in a university program that would bring closure to his high school education and naturally segue into college studies. Once enrolled, it is clear that living at home is not compatible with his years of independence. Finding a suitable apartment, his mother provides Nathan with everything, including well-loved items from his bedroom, to create a cozy environment. The only thing that's missing is a girl.

Indeed, he finds the missing component to his apartment when he meets Leona. The electricity between them is high. He has never met anyone as thoughtful and caring as her. She seems to fill the cavernous and dark voids that have remained empty for way too long. And though their relationship quickly progresses into deep intimacy, Nathan is caught off guard when he realizes who Leona is. In spite of this, he confides in her the truth about the school shooting. His transparency takes their relationship to a different dimension, one that will engage readers to the very end.

Totally fiction, but amazing nonetheless, Black Chalk is a story filled with heart-wrenching themes and unresolved conflict, all interwoven with romance. Kudos and a five-star rating goes to Alla for creating a great story that I also envision becoming a great hit on the big screen someday. I rate his book 4 out of 4 stars.

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[neha+thomas+]

Very well written review.

[obiebookworm]

Very well written review.

Thanks!

-- 14 Sep 2014, 14:16 --

I hope you check out this book. It is very well done!