Official Review: The Ritual by Thadd Simpson

[EmilyMae]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Ritual" by Thadd Simpson.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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This story is excellent for the type of person who enjoys the quirky telling of a unique, fast paced event.

The Ritual by Thaddeus Simpson would be considered Fiction, and is also a wonderful short story.

Theme isn't something that is specifically addressed in this book, but I would say that a few things can be pinpointed. Appreciating what you have while it is there is the first thing I noticed. Although you may not feel like certain things are important or worth your time, you may think otherwise once they are taken away from you. That theme is shown in this book in a beautifully tragic way.

Through former astronaut Charlie Brick's eyes, we see exactly what can happen to somebody caught in an unfortunate situation. His ironic point of view throughout the story gives it a refreshing sense of familiarity, while the events told are exhilaratingly new. We get to see how somebody's perspective can change when an aspect of their life is drastically altered. While that can be very heavy, the writing style turns it into something easily talked about, which opens up your mind to create new thoughts and experiences.

After going through a very mundane morning routine with Charlie Brick, we already become one with the character. That being said, through every aspect of the trip to his hometown, Sedalia, we are experiencing exactly what he is. Getting a sense of adventure, readers cannot help but flip through every page of this epic story.

This certain writing style reminds me of John Green in a way. Original, fun, and thrilling, this story is certainly something to be remembered. Because of the feelings it left me with, I think I actually will remember this book for quite a while. I am left reevaluating some of my own morals, and how I act based on them. I feel like this piece is something that should become very well-known, and I believe the author has a very bright future ahead of him.

Honestly, I don't really have much to criticize about this short story. Besides the fact that the small town setting is very overdone, I feel like this reading material was original and well written. Without hesitation, I would rate this 4 out of 4 stars. Only a small selection out of the books I read get this rating, so it is definitely something the author should be proud of. Anybody with some free time would benefit from picking up this story.

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The Ritual
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Like EmilyMae's review? Post a comment saying so!

[hannahbm13]

I saw you that you had commented on one of my reviews so I decided to check out your page! I'm certainly glad that I did. This review is really good, and according to you, the story also sounds good. I've mentioned before that John Green is one of my favorite authors, and if what you say is true about the writing style in "The Ritual" being similar, then I definitely want to give it a try. The cover is also very interesting, so I think this is officially added to my to read list!

[Tanaya]

You always know a book is good when you remember it afterward. I've read plenty of perfectly decent books that end up being immemorable. So nice recommendation!