Official Review: Lingering Poets by Logan Lamech

ritah · Post by **ritah** » 08 Dec 2019, 23:06

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lingering Poets" by Logan Lamech.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Recently-divorced postal worker, Samuel, struggles with endless bouts of depression and loneliness. Pushing him over the edge is the constant pain and disappointment of unachieved dreams. Constantly feeling like he is walking a tightrope in all areas of his already-unfulfilled life, Samuel often contemplates suicide. To cope with his bleak reality, he sometimes creates fantasies surrounding the packages he delivers and their respective owners. Oddly enough, one of his daydreams seems to hold water in reality. Surprised by this possibility, Samuel makes it a goal to investigate the situation further. This leads him, his friend David, and the old neighborhood Posties on a mission—a mission that could change their entire lives and secure their financial future. The mission also gives Samuel the opportunity to break the monotony and stagnancy his life encapsulates.

Logan Lamech’s Lingering Poets is a compelling work of fiction that vividly captures the human condition in more ways than one. Giving readers a deep dive into the mental state of a man at his wits’ end, his distaste for life, and its mediocrities, an air of hopelessness lingers. Despite the dark clouds that shadow the main character, the content is ironically illuminating and filled with gems of wisdom and unspoken truths at every turn.

Undoubtedly an author to watch, Logan impressed me with his first-rate writing style. The beautifully-written prose oozed depth and at times leaned on the poetic, which often left me with a lot to think about. Moreover, the evocative descriptions brought the characters’ world to life.

An aspect that blew my mind was how true to life the main character was. Reading about some of his experiences, deductions from life, and thought process made me feel in certain ways that the author had cracked my mind open. In addition, the supporting cast of characters had interesting personalities and relatable moments. I also appreciated the backstories that shone a light on different aspects of their personalities. I genuinely cared about what happened to them and the drama that followed them.

Quite the page-turner, the narrative has no dull moments, even in moments when it dwells on a character’s thoughts or prolonged exchanges of ideas between characters. Convinced by a good portion of the book that this is a purely character-driven novel, I was surprised and intrigued to see a carefully-crafted plot unfold later on. The plot had a good amount of twists and turns that made it even more of a thrill to read.

I have some criticisms about the novel. First and foremost, the novel is in dire need of additional proofreading and editing. Though the book is exceptionally well-written and the author’s skills are apparent, there were too many errors. Most of the errors included homophones and missing prepositions. Another issue I had is that the author repeatedly made the characters aimlessly stare at the stars and sky. It just seemed odd to me.

All things considered, I have to rate this otherwise magnificent book 3 out of 4 stars. If it weren’t for the numerous errors, I would have happily awarded it 4 stars. This is a book I genuinely believe everyone should get their hands on, purely for the masterful content and brilliant writing. That being said, the narrative does contain graphic and mature content that some might find upsetting. I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy both character- and plot-driven narratives, books with elements of drama, crime, and suspense, and stories that touch on human frailties.

Moderator's Note: The book has since been edited again and the alleged errors have been corrected.

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Lingering Poets
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AntonelaMaria · Post by **AntonelaMaria** » 10 Dec 2019, 11:26

This sounds like really emotional read. I am looking for something more upbeat right now. Great job with the review.

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:22

I like the sound of this one. It seems to delve deep into the author's pysche and explore his feelings of despair. I like that the book is character-driven and has an air of mystery. Thanks for the engaging review.

sirbobthewise · Post by **sirbobthewise** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:23

Depression and suicidal ideation are highly sensitive topics, but it sounds like the author navigates it well, while still being able to share some truth. Likewise, I find it interesting to see how Samuel attempts to bring some color to his life, and I’m curious to see what kind of mission he fixes his gaze on. It seems like the story is very multi-layered, with strong characters and an interesting plot. While it’s unfortunate that the book needed another look-through for editing, it sounds like the author’s writing skills allow for the reader to fully engage with the story. Congrats on the BOTD!

Post by **Gift Nwagu** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:25

I really love the concept of the writer playing around with the concept of imagination. Sometimes we underestimate the value of the mind and the healing capabilities it has. Great review!

Leen282 · Post by **Leen282** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:29

I downloaded the book and read the first chapter. I agree with you that it's well written with unfortunately quite a number of errors. I will continue reading, the author already grabbed my attention.

Bookreviwer2020 · Post by **Bookreviwer2020** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:32

Sounds interesting and emotional. Your review gave a good overview of the book.

Timothy Rucinski · Post by **Timothy Rucinski** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:33

From the review and from reading the first chapter of the novel, I'm going to put this on my to-be-read list. The story appears to be compelling and the characters seem to be richly drawn and complex. My kind of book!

Phelicia Gloria · Post by **Phelicia Gloria** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:40

Sounds to be a very great book though emotional, I will consider it in future. Thanks for the great review.

Miks_solon · Post by **Miks_solon** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:45

I love how an author uses his influence in writinf sensitive topics such as suicide. Mental illness is very relevant today. The author demonstrates a highly poetic literary piece. The writing style matches the emotions of the book. Congrats!

Elvis Best · Post by **Elvis Best** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:48

Masterful and first rate writing, I def need to read this book for myself. Sad to hear about the errors that plagued the book. I sometimes wish authors would take the time to have their book properly edited and proofread.

Amy+++ · Post by **Amy+++** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:50

This book isn't my genre so I am going to pass.

Wuoketch · Post by **Wuoketch** » 14 Jun 2020, 08:51

I would really want to give this book a try. The story sounds interesting and at the same time emotional with a message everyone would want to read. Thanks for the great review.