Official Review: The Waterbear by Wade C. Taylor

Post by **bookowlie** » 19 Apr 2015, 16:34

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Waterbear" by Wade C. Taylor.]

2 out of 4 stars

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The Waterbear: Some Kind of Love by Wade C. Taylor is a short novel in the Romance genre. It’s the first installment in the Samhain Shake series. Samhain Shake is a forty-something guy living in Panama City, FL, who views the world with an analytical interest. He often includes trivia and his perspectives about astrology, religion, love, and life in his conversations with his friends Constance and Warren. Constance is a religious slut who is having an affair with married Warren. They are an odd pair, since Warren is an atheist. She likes to talk about her Baptist religion, even though her sexual activities certainly don’t fit in with a “family values” lifestyle.

This isn’t your typical Romance novel. It’s wise and offbeat. There is a blend of light-hearted situations and deep thoughts. The reader sees the world through Samhain’s eyes, with his comments about astrological signs, racism, religion, and other topics. He has a lifelong love of astrology and relates the zodiac to pretty much everything. The pacing often gets bogged down by Samhain’s observations, but these passages are often insightful.

The highlight of this book is the perceptive, often witty banter among the characters. Their conversations are intelligently written and relatable. The characters are well drawn and I felt like I knew them, even though I have never met people like this before. Constance is a particularly interesting character. She constantly reconciles her own and other people’s actions with her Baptist beliefs, by interpreting her religion to fit the moment.

Unfortunately, the plot is weak and meanders all over the place. Much of this is due to Samhain’s long ruminations about different subjects. Also, a few of the passages are densely written. For example, a passage, which compares his mother’s heritage with President Obama’s, is extremely long-winded. The description of Samhain’s job history is just one boring, rambling paragraph. I found these sections dragged down the storyline a bit. Still, there are some interesting passages where Samhain thinks or talks about a particular topic. His reflections on singer John Lennon and "rockism" are a standout.

The typical Romance reader, who may be looking for a light beach read, will be disappointed. The romance sections are few and far between. Still, the book is a fresh, offbeat read. I am not a frequent reader of Romance novels, although I do like a good book, regardless of the genre. I selected this book as I was intrigued after reading the summary and author’s bio. Although I enjoyed reading some sections, overall the book didn't live up to my expectations.

I would like to mention that the word “waterbear” in the title is misspelled as one word; it should be two words. Although writers sometimes take poetic license for creative reasons, I am unsure whether this incorrect spelling was deliberate or just an error. Including a misspelled word in the title seems unprofessional in a published work.

I give this book a rating of 2 out of 4 stars. The plot dragged a bit, although parts of the story were interesting. If you are looking for a unique short read with offbeat characters, look no further.

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The Waterbear
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Rabidwerewolfie · Post by **Rabidwerewolfie** » 20 Apr 2015, 08:30

Not typically into romance myself, but you make this book sound amusing despite the disappointments. Does it get preachy at all or just rambling like an old man in a rocking chair muttering to anyone within earshot?

Post by **bookowlie** » 20 Apr 2015, 09:26

Thanks for taking the time to read my review! The perspectives are not preachy or "old man mutterings" at all. Many of the observations are interesting to read. However, the plot dragged due to the frequent observations.

-- 20 Apr 2015, 10:29 --

Rabidwerewolfie wrote:Not typically into romance myself, but you make this book sound amusing despite the disappointments. Does it get preachy at all or just rambling like an old man in a rocking chair muttering to anyone within earshot?

Lie you, I am not much of a romance reader. Still, the book is more of a general fiction story, with only a little romance.

PashaRu · Post by **PashaRu** » 20 Apr 2015, 11:05

Seems like the characters are the best part of the book. Too bad the rest of it doesn't hold up. Thanks for a great review!

Post by **bookowlie** » 20 Apr 2015, 11:17

Thanks Pasharu! Your comment about the rest of it not holding up is very true. The book had a promising start and then became disjointed along the way.

angelbeats1 · Post by **angelbeats1** » 20 Apr 2015, 22:05

Well organized review! I am confused as to why the cover photo is this book is a Tardigrade (Water Bear)... How does that even connect to the story? I clicked this book thinking that it was going to be some sort of non-fiction science book that informs the readers about the lives of Water Bears, haha.

Post by **bookowlie** » 20 Apr 2015, 22:56

I agree that the cover photo and title don't relate too well to the story. There are two fairly brief mentions of the water bear early in the book. In a conversation about Warren being an atheist, Samhain tells Constance that, with all that a tardigrade (informally known as a water bear) has to withstand, it would be shame if it didn't have a soul. He also includes a few pieces of scientific trivia about what a tardigrade has to deal with. At another point, Samhain mentions that his astrological sign is Aquarius and that Aquarius people are the Water Bearers.

Duende Knocking · Post by **Duende Knocking** » 20 Apr 2015, 23:22

angelbeats1 wrote:Well organized review! I am confused as to why the cover photo is this book is a Tardigrade (Water Bear)... How does that even connect to the story? I clicked this book thinking that it was going to be some sort of non-fiction science book that informs the readers about the lives of Water Bears, haha.

Same...

When I realized this was a romance book, I thought a mod had changed the cover image and book title as a joke!

Post by **bookowlie** » 20 Apr 2015, 23:52

I actually think the book would be a better fit in the General Fiction genre. A book's cover and genre categorization can be so important in marketing a book.

khardman6700 · Post by **khardman6700** » 21 Apr 2015, 20:49

This book sounds like it would be very fun and interesting based on your review. Also at times it sounds like the characters are confusing and contradict their own personalities.

Post by **bookowlie** » 21 Apr 2015, 23:31

Parts of the book were interesting.

TammyO · Post by **TammyO** » 22 Apr 2015, 17:00

Nice review. I am usually a lover of a really good romance novel, this doesn't sound very appetizing, however. I think I will pass on this one. It sounds like it needs a little more work. It's definitely not one I'd want to curl up with at the beach. I enjoyed reading your review though.

Post by **bookowlie** » 22 Apr 2015, 17:10

Thanks Tammy! The characters were interesting, even though the plot was a little weak.

zeldas_lullaby · Post by **zeldas_lullaby** » 01 May 2015, 21:56

Great review! Romance books aren't my thing, but I have to admit that this one has a cute cover. I'd never heard of the water bear before. (Is it just me, or does everyone else know about water bears?) What a cute little animal!

Anyway, I like your description of a female character as a religious slut. I'm always looking for new insults.

Post by **bookowlie** » 01 May 2015, 22:29

Don't worry, you're not the only one. I had never heard of a water bear before I read this book.

As for the religious slut description, Constance just really enjoys sex. I guess you call her a religious sex lover.