Review by lilianachernin -- Seven at Two Past Five

[lilianachernin]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Seven at Two Past Five" by Tara Basi.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Seven at Two Past Five by Tara Basi is an exceptional book. It is not often to come across one of these, so I am glad I did. I honestly can’t think of anything I didn’t like, so I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.

The book tells the story of Abi, also known as Seven, who lives in a ridiculously orderly world and her days follow the same routine. She is a button maker - this is her craft and passion, it takes up all her time, and she has never met another human being. Abi is enjoying her simple and disciplined way of life until one day it gets disrupted without warning.

All of a sudden Abi is taken out of her comfortable existence and thrown into an incredible new world where nothing really makes any sense. She tries to move forward but each new step seems to be an impossible challenge. This fact, together with the numerous references to the absurd rules of our modern life, makes you think a lot about the way our society works.

Seven at Two Past Five has the reader following the main character through her quest for truth and justice. What I liked most about the book is that it keeps you engaged throughout the story. I kept trying to guess the answers that Abi was looking for. Who is she actually? What is she being punished for? What is this extraordinary world? What is the deeper meaning behind all this? You may find some of the answers as the story unfolds but some things will stay unclear till the end. That’s the beauty of it, that’s what kept me turning the pages with curiosity and excitement.

Tara Basi has done a great job telling this story. The narration feels like describing a vivid dream, and it reminded me a lot of what a challenge it can be to tell a dream from reality. Loads of odd things happen one after another, all characters seem to be absolutely insane, and it is all very funny and sad at the same time.

Seven at Two Past Five is more than an amusing odyssey of self-discovery; it is a masterfully written, well-edited story that poses important questions about everything our modern world revolves around - money, religion, sex, power among others. It is like the adult version of Alice in Wonderland, and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates good sense of humor, challenging riddles and metaphorical thinking.

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Seven at Two Past Five
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