Review by Varsha Pathiyil -- A Bloody Book by Chris Bowen
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Varsha Pathiyil
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Review by Varsha Pathiyil -- A Bloody Book by Chris Bowen
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Bloody Book" by Chris Bowen.]
4 out of 4 stars
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This ‘bloody book’ kept me glued and wrenched my heart out at the same time.
Written by Chris Bowen, A Bloody Book is the tale of a 13-year-old. Beautifully narrated, the language is composed and poised, showing Maxx's sense of defeat and acceptance of his fate. He is portrayed as a simple boy who wants to tell his story, no pity nor tears expected.
It takes us through a high school boy's journey. It is about how an innocent lad, dreaming and hopeful ends up in “Reading hell”- a class reserved for the aloof and indifferent. Hailing from a broken family, with a baby sister to care for, Maxx tells us a series of events in his life which led him to just stop caring.
I loved absolutely everything about this book. It is short and precise without getting the readers bored with a genre that is not so uncommon within our bookshelves. However, it is not a cliché “Tom Sawyer, Oliver Twist” novel. This book has caught up with times and kept the current scenarios in check including the evils of murder, domestic violence, abandonment, and drug abuse.
There is despair mixed with a tinge of apathy, dampening every word in the book. Sometimes, trying to catch up in this fast world, we often tend to forget how blessed we are. We tend to forget that there is the other side to every coin. I remember waiting eagerly for the last hour in school and it wrecks me, to think that when that final bell goes off, there might be kids regretting every step towards their home.
Despite the dispirited theme, the author has made sure to bring forth the common factors in school life. However good or bad a school might be, every class has that one joker, that one bully and that one teacher who changes your world. Every school introduces one such person and so does Chris Bowen.
What I loved the most is how it felt as though I was reading a 13-year-old's thoughts. There is chaos and confusion and he keeps jumping scenarios like an “oh-I-forgot to-tell-you-this” moment. The author has marvelously maintained the portrayal of his character as an amateur writer, meanwhile showcasing his own impeccable writing skills.
I rate A Bloody Book 4 out of 4, as I could barely find any editorial errors. It is melancholy, thrilling and engaging. I would recommend this book to all who love PoV books. However, the scenes of domestic violence, drug abuse, and murder may not be suitable for some readers.
******
A Bloody Book
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4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
This ‘bloody book’ kept me glued and wrenched my heart out at the same time.
Written by Chris Bowen, A Bloody Book is the tale of a 13-year-old. Beautifully narrated, the language is composed and poised, showing Maxx's sense of defeat and acceptance of his fate. He is portrayed as a simple boy who wants to tell his story, no pity nor tears expected.
It takes us through a high school boy's journey. It is about how an innocent lad, dreaming and hopeful ends up in “Reading hell”- a class reserved for the aloof and indifferent. Hailing from a broken family, with a baby sister to care for, Maxx tells us a series of events in his life which led him to just stop caring.
I loved absolutely everything about this book. It is short and precise without getting the readers bored with a genre that is not so uncommon within our bookshelves. However, it is not a cliché “Tom Sawyer, Oliver Twist” novel. This book has caught up with times and kept the current scenarios in check including the evils of murder, domestic violence, abandonment, and drug abuse.
There is despair mixed with a tinge of apathy, dampening every word in the book. Sometimes, trying to catch up in this fast world, we often tend to forget how blessed we are. We tend to forget that there is the other side to every coin. I remember waiting eagerly for the last hour in school and it wrecks me, to think that when that final bell goes off, there might be kids regretting every step towards their home.
Despite the dispirited theme, the author has made sure to bring forth the common factors in school life. However good or bad a school might be, every class has that one joker, that one bully and that one teacher who changes your world. Every school introduces one such person and so does Chris Bowen.
What I loved the most is how it felt as though I was reading a 13-year-old's thoughts. There is chaos and confusion and he keeps jumping scenarios like an “oh-I-forgot to-tell-you-this” moment. The author has marvelously maintained the portrayal of his character as an amateur writer, meanwhile showcasing his own impeccable writing skills.
I rate A Bloody Book 4 out of 4, as I could barely find any editorial errors. It is melancholy, thrilling and engaging. I would recommend this book to all who love PoV books. However, the scenes of domestic violence, drug abuse, and murder may not be suitable for some readers.
******
A Bloody Book
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Varsha Pathiyil's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Guardian of Deceit by William H. Coles
