Official Review: The Crystal Heart: Beginnings

[S dot Lennon]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Crystal Heart: Beginnings" by Anthony M. Swinsinski.]

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The Varian people of Arathia were dying. There was no light and they lived in constant fear of the Ree-Kyae who thrived in darkness. The Man-God sacrificed himself, by ripping the Crystal Heart from his chest, so they may live and prosper in the light. The Ree-Kyae were driven by the light into hiding and the Varians thrived. Time passed and the hatred the Ree-Kyae had for the Varians only increased. Their chance for revenge came in the shape of a Varian traitor who was exiled from his community for raping a woman. Desperate after being tortured and pushed out while still bleeding, the traitor happened to venture into a cave for safety. They filled him with hate for his own people and he shattered the heart, killing himself in the process, and all was darkness again.

Years have passed and the Varians must once again survive in darkness, adapting to a nomadic lifestyle. Kinley, a young man in the tribe, has stumbled upon a small rock like nothing he has ever seen before. It cuts his skin but it immediately heals. Its presence does nothing but worry his best friend Arissa. Since finding it, he has experienced strange dreams that involve a man’s voice and visions of a land filled with light. Could he possibly have found a piece of the Crystal Heart? If so can that heart be mended?

The Crystal Heart: Beginnings is the first volume of a fantasy fiction series revolving around the existence of the Crystal Heart, which is the sole source of life in Arathia. The novel revolves around Kinley, Arissa and his mother, Enat, and the knowledge they eventually share regarding mending the broken pieces of the Crystal Heart. Their daily lives and struggles in a world filled with darkness were easy to conceptualize and empathize with. The third person narrative used by the author allowed for each of the main characters to be explored thoroughly and allowed for a well rounded experience.

I enjoyed this story. It was a well written, moved well and was easy to read. I’ve found with some fantasy novels, the descriptions of the world can be quite overwhelming and that was not the case with this book. Swimsinski, by keeping the narrative simple and the setting filled with darkness, allowed for a certain mystery that actually enhanced the suspense of the novel. This novel was not filled with action but it set the stage for the Crystal Heart series.

I give this novel 3 out of 4 stars. This is definitely a novel geared towards the young adult crowd and I think most readers will be able to appreciate the story and look forward to the sequel that is soon to come.

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