Book Review: Anathema by Megg Jensen

Anathema intrigued me because it's in the same Genre as my Exchange Day series.  It was available for free on Amazon, so I thought I'd give it a shot.  Following is my review.

• Setting: Anathema is set in a fictitious world that combines attributes of a medieval time period with that of a fantasy world where slaves enjoy special powers.  The world is unique, complete with its own history and culture.  Jensen does well to keep the story moving forward and not get bogged down in the descriptions/histories ala Lord of the Rings.  While I'm not a fanatic of overly descriptive writing, I feel Jensen could have immersed us in her world better.
• Character Development:  Anathema centers on one character, a slave girl named Reychel, who escapes captivity on her birthday and experiences the outside world for the first time in her life.  Reychel is the picture of innocence in a world on the verge of all out revolution.  I've seen reviews criticizing the one-dimensionality of Reychel, but I'm fine with her development as the story's main character.  She's a young girl who's lived a sheltered life in a room with no windows, so it makes sense that she would be under-developed.  That being said, Jensen left other key characters flat, namely the villains.  Villains are essential for action/adventure novels that span volumes, and I would've liked to see more from the villains in Anathema.
• Writing Style:  Anathema is written in first person from Reychel's perspective.  This works well to introduce us to a world that Reychel is experiencing for the first time.  The straight-forward style keeps us moving forward through a unique and interesting story.  I've read other reviews criticizing the writing as disjointed and rushed at times.  I can see this.  However, this book is designed more for casual readers looking for an interesting story versus a studious reader looking to expand his or her relationship with the world.  If you check this one out, approach it lightly and seek to have fun with it.
• Book 1 of a series: This novel introduces us to a completely new world, and does so without burdening us with over-description.  The story stands alone, but ends in such a way that you will be interested to keep reading.  This one is worth exploring, especially for a younger audience, and if you like the world, then you can venture on to the other installments in the series.

Authors Helping Authors

I've been writing for more than 10 years.  I've published three novels, 2 in my Exchange Day series and 1 stand alone novel called The Elephant Keyhole.  I have three more novels at various points in the writing process, and hope to have my next one, Book 3 in the Exchange Day series, out by the end of September.  I'm telling you this to demonstrate that I've been working hard writing novels, and I'm finishing projects.  That's good for a writer, right?

Well, it isn't good enough.

It's not enough for writers to write.  That's only one part of the job.  Writers must also figure out how to get their work in front of readers.  There are entire blogs dedicated to helping writers market their work using Twitter and Facebook, buying ads, blogger interviews, cowriting with other authors, and so on.  These things are important, and the more a writer gets out there, the better chance that writer's work will get discovered.

But my message today is this.  Writers need to help each other.  I've spent the last several months reading books and posting reviews on this blog.  I believe every book has an audience, and I want to do what I can to help.  I think every author should feel this way.  I think every author should review every book he or she reads on their blog.  If any writer out there reads and reviews my book, I would do the same for that writer.  It's the least I can do.  Reviews are very important.  So come on, writers, let's help each other out and write reviews for the books we read!

And on that note, expect my next review to be posted shortly.  

Book Review: Message From A Bluejay By Faye Rapoport DesPres

I can't remember how I found this book.  But the important thing is I found it.  It was one of the best pieces of writing I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time.  As a writer, I enjoy finding fun stories (similar to my own) that make me feel connected to the literary world, that somehow justifies my placement among other writers.  Message From A Bluejay didn't do this for me.  Instead, Faye Rapoport DesPres's exquisite work demonstrates to me how much more attention my writing needs.

• Genre: I write action/adventure novels, and thus usually read action/adventure novels.  I stepped out of my inner circle and ventured into nonfiction.  I'm SO glad I did.  Message From A Blue Jay is a memoir cataloguing real events, poignant moments of solitude and reflection, spanning a lifetime, from a car ride with her father to a middle-aged concert with her husband (A Boston concert! Fun fact: Boston's first album was the first ever CD I bought.)  This is a nonfiction work that studies key moments in one person's life, an ordinary person who struggles with confidence, love, illness, and who searches for meaning in a world riddled with solitude and pain. 
• Writing Style: The story is told in a series of essays written throughout DesPres's life.  The essays describe singular moments, independent struggles, that when read individually mark one particular time in the author's life, but when taken together, encapsulate the troubled soul of a woman longing for something that's been missing.  Each essay stands alone.  Stories within a much larger and sadder story.  I related to DesPres's essays in a real way.  Perhaps this is because I've experienced many of her themes and felt the same pains she explores in her writing.  
• Voice:  For me, a memoir is only as strong as the voice telling the story.  No matter the story, the writer must connect with his or her readers.  We must care for the storyteller.  We must feel close to her.  Faye Rapoport DesPres accomplishes this.  I fell in love with her in her writing.  I wanted to reach out to her and let her know she isn't alone, that there are others in the world going through similar struggles.  Her honest and sincere prose allowed me to connect with her in a real way, and I came away from the novel feeling like I'd experienced the struggles she detailed.

Memoirs aren't for everyone.  Some readers prefer forgetting the pain in the world.  Message From A Blue Jay may not be for those readers.  But I love this novel.  I'm astonished by the writing.  It brought me closer to my humanity and helped me understand my own struggle a little bit better.  And somehow I hope the quality of this work rubbed off on me and improved me as writer. You should definitely check it out.