Review of Hattie Vavaseur
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Charlize Venter
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Review of Hattie Vavaseur
[Following is a volunteer review of "Hattie Vavaseur" by M. Rebecca Wildsmith.]
Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith transcends the space between life and the supernatural. Set in the 1920s, this fictitious murder mystery has been reimagined in a captivating, thrilling, and evocative manner. Hattie Vavaseur, the main protagonist, finds herself in peculiar circumstances, she is in a place that she considers to be hell. She has a great loss of memory and attempts to resolve the mysteries of her own existence. Ms. Vavaseur is taken to a neglected manor where all the staff knows who she is, but she hasn’t the slightest idea who they are. Strange things happen to Hattie at this manor; although she is an elderly woman, she begins to regain symptoms of youth and some of her memories. It seems she has a painful history that plagues her, one which did not happen the way she thought it did. Beyond all these strange happenings, Hattie also has an unpleasantly tense relationship with the master of the manor: a man with quite the temper to him. Numerous murders are committed and their unraveling become all the more interesting.
The book is filled with positive attributes. In this murder-mystery novel, the reader can identify many small details that the author has honed in on to promote the sense of mystery and intrigue. For example, pay close attention to the clipart of each new chapter: each one holds a clue of its own. The storyline is strong and the tone remains congruent. The character development throughout the novel is commendable, encompassing a good sense of the characters’ psychological development. The insertion of the French language into the book was classically and professionally done. The book has various small clues scattered throughout it which reveal themself through close reading. The moments of suspense are well constructed and well placed to deliver a pleasant and thrilling reading experience. The vocabulary is precise and descriptive, adding a strong punch to each sentence: the English language is well utilized. It was a very peculiar and interesting take on an age-old topic. The numerous twists in the novel were just lovely.
Unfortunately, there are some negative points too. It took a while to get used to the direct dialogue from Teddy, it was something I had to adjust to before being able to get back into the eloquent flow of the reading. Although the vocabulary is excellently used, some of it feels out of place and almost forced: as if the vocabulary was too advanced for the tone of the book. Some word repetitions became irksome which interrupted the flow of the reading. It could be said that the syntax was out of place. I do not doubt that this book will enjoyed by numerous readers out there, it is only that I have a specific approach that focuses on detailed analysis. These are only points that I, subjectively, found irksome. Overall, it was an enjoyable and captivating read.
I hereby rate Hattie Vavaseur a full four out of four stars. The book felt professionally edited, gave a whole new perspective on an age-old topic, had brilliant character development and imagery, and was an eloquent and easy read.
The target audience for this book includes adults and young adults (definitions may need clarification for young adults). I recommend the novel to those who seek supernatural mystery, suspense, and a message that true love is transcendent.
******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith transcends the space between life and the supernatural. Set in the 1920s, this fictitious murder mystery has been reimagined in a captivating, thrilling, and evocative manner. Hattie Vavaseur, the main protagonist, finds herself in peculiar circumstances, she is in a place that she considers to be hell. She has a great loss of memory and attempts to resolve the mysteries of her own existence. Ms. Vavaseur is taken to a neglected manor where all the staff knows who she is, but she hasn’t the slightest idea who they are. Strange things happen to Hattie at this manor; although she is an elderly woman, she begins to regain symptoms of youth and some of her memories. It seems she has a painful history that plagues her, one which did not happen the way she thought it did. Beyond all these strange happenings, Hattie also has an unpleasantly tense relationship with the master of the manor: a man with quite the temper to him. Numerous murders are committed and their unraveling become all the more interesting.
The book is filled with positive attributes. In this murder-mystery novel, the reader can identify many small details that the author has honed in on to promote the sense of mystery and intrigue. For example, pay close attention to the clipart of each new chapter: each one holds a clue of its own. The storyline is strong and the tone remains congruent. The character development throughout the novel is commendable, encompassing a good sense of the characters’ psychological development. The insertion of the French language into the book was classically and professionally done. The book has various small clues scattered throughout it which reveal themself through close reading. The moments of suspense are well constructed and well placed to deliver a pleasant and thrilling reading experience. The vocabulary is precise and descriptive, adding a strong punch to each sentence: the English language is well utilized. It was a very peculiar and interesting take on an age-old topic. The numerous twists in the novel were just lovely.
Unfortunately, there are some negative points too. It took a while to get used to the direct dialogue from Teddy, it was something I had to adjust to before being able to get back into the eloquent flow of the reading. Although the vocabulary is excellently used, some of it feels out of place and almost forced: as if the vocabulary was too advanced for the tone of the book. Some word repetitions became irksome which interrupted the flow of the reading. It could be said that the syntax was out of place. I do not doubt that this book will enjoyed by numerous readers out there, it is only that I have a specific approach that focuses on detailed analysis. These are only points that I, subjectively, found irksome. Overall, it was an enjoyable and captivating read.
I hereby rate Hattie Vavaseur a full four out of four stars. The book felt professionally edited, gave a whole new perspective on an age-old topic, had brilliant character development and imagery, and was an eloquent and easy read.
The target audience for this book includes adults and young adults (definitions may need clarification for young adults). I recommend the novel to those who seek supernatural mystery, suspense, and a message that true love is transcendent.
******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Mysteries Of the First Instant by Daniel Friedmann
