Review of The Strophes of Job

[Joule Mwendwa]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Strophes of Job" by Ted Morrissey.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The villagers consider Hollis Woods a dangerous place of paralyzed luck, the home of hopeless souls, and the devil's dwelling place. It gained its name after the Hollis children mysteriously disappeared into the woods one by one many years ago. Neighbouring Hollis Woods are residents bound by secrets. Midwives and families swear to protect each other's flaws, but the Hollis Woods secrets remain a puzzling question for everyone. The ghosts are haunting the village. They are sending a message. Answers need to be sought.

The Strophes of Job by Ted Morrissey is a fictional mystery novel narrated from different characters' points of view. The book weaves marital infidelity, crime, and supernatural phenomena together to give a final jaw-dropping story. Vengeance, both from the living characters and the children's ghosts, wonderfully drives the book's plot. Through the author's excellent delivery, you can feel the tension of the infuriated characters, such as Robert, after realizing his wife's pregnancy with someone else, and Rebecca, Sarah's sister, who almost killed Billy.

Moreover, I like the plot's weather choice. The snowing scenes, where characters run up and down in the cold looking for emergency midwives and topped with ghost encounters, make the story visualizable and exciting. Additionally, the character development is top-notch. I wrongfully accused characters initially, only to realize that at the end. How they are introduced in the plot and connected activity-wise or family-wise reflects Morrissey's excellent literary creativity. My favourite was Bobby, who was innocent and disabled but quite aware of the abnormalities at home and in the village.

This is one of those books you just want to reread. I encountered no issues to complain about, and the editing was also exceptional. Therefore, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. The book will be an excellent read for lovers of mystery stories.

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The Strophes of Job
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