What others have said:
The opening chapters of this novel have been submitted for review on the UK Arts Council sponsored web site ‘www.youwriteon.com’.
Here are what some of the reviewers have said.
That was an absolute pleasure to read. I was swept along wanting to know more each time, about the various characters introduced. Terrific writing, uncluttered and pacy. Great plotting, each episode ending on a cracking hook.
This is very well written, and though I'm not overly fond of the quilt chapter style, I am interested to see how all the characters come together. The material is haunting and foreboding in a delicious way. I'm completely horrified for Flora and for Alice and can sympathize with Jed's plight. I'm worried for Jack's fate. You've done an excellent job making me care about these characters.
The plot strands of this novel have been skilfully woven together. We have the tantalising glimpse of how things might turn out from the excellent prologue and it's fairly clear that, far from being killed by Jed, Jack has put to good use what the Germans taught him during the war. The characters are nicely drawn too, particularly Alice and Flora who come across as strong and determined individuals. I enjoyed the darkly comic ending to the extract where Flora watches impassively as the odious Brother Eli is taken by God (or whoever).
Although this was bleak in its outlook, it was a necessary bleak, and I really enjoyed reading it. The characters were well painted and you felt for each of them as they faced their plights. The flow was great, finding out a little of each person. Although we have no seen much of Jack at this point, you look forward to finding out what happened when he was taken hostage and what his own personal demons will be.
I would have liked to read more of this very promising novel. As a reader, I found the mix of characters and backgrounds very interesting and was wondering how they would all merge within the coming chapters. Well written, I think it is a very good start.
Hi Roger, firstly I'd like to say well done on writing such a compelling and atmospheric work - I would definitely be interested in reading more.
Your narrative style is just right - I was drawn into each character's story and found them all to be believable characters who I empathised with.
The introduction of each character has just the right balance of detail and emotion - it tells the reader clearly what situation each character is in, and introduces us to the type of person they are. I really can't find anything to criticise to be honest - I felt that it read like a published work, very professional and as I said, very compelling.
I enjoyed reading the opening to this novel. The writing style was very readable and easy to take a liking to and you have make very good use of your vocabulary. I thought the themes I briefly saw explored with Flora such as religion and the inequality of women were interesting, good themes to have that could lead to some interesting places. The character development showed in Alice and Flora is promising for the characters further into the novel as it looks as if they will be strong and motivated. I liked the way that Jed cried in the prologue also, as this goes against the manly tough stereotype of men often presented in books, and is much more interesting. As I've written this I've realized you have presented the male characters to be weaker (Eli, Jed, Alice's father) and the females to be stronger, whilst also showing the inequality of women (perhaps
driven by this); interesting (in a good way). The transitions between character POV was done well, each character was recognizable as an individual and the dialogue helped to separate them (I'm thinking of Alice and her dad in particular here).
Top notch!!! I don't know how I am going to write 100 words of review of this lovely story. It does not need a thing changing - it is perfect as it stands. This is not the kind of book that I normally read (I prefer thrillers or a measure of humour or fantasy) and it is a period in history that I usually avoid reading about, but this one gripped me from the start. It is all so utterly real - the characters are real people with whom one can feel sympathy; the settings are realistic-; the language is completely right. Nothing grates, nothing jars, nothing distracts from the enjoyment of the tale which unfolds at a good pace and draws one in from the beginning, I have put this one on my list of books I want to read when it is
finally published, which, I hope, is in the not too distant future. Well done you.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. You have definitely captured the post-war mood and I especially liked your little dig about politicians having learnt their lessons. There is very little I can offer by way of critic.
Here are what some of the reviewers have said.
That was an absolute pleasure to read. I was swept along wanting to know more each time, about the various characters introduced. Terrific writing, uncluttered and pacy. Great plotting, each episode ending on a cracking hook.
This is very well written, and though I'm not overly fond of the quilt chapter style, I am interested to see how all the characters come together. The material is haunting and foreboding in a delicious way. I'm completely horrified for Flora and for Alice and can sympathize with Jed's plight. I'm worried for Jack's fate. You've done an excellent job making me care about these characters.
The plot strands of this novel have been skilfully woven together. We have the tantalising glimpse of how things might turn out from the excellent prologue and it's fairly clear that, far from being killed by Jed, Jack has put to good use what the Germans taught him during the war. The characters are nicely drawn too, particularly Alice and Flora who come across as strong and determined individuals. I enjoyed the darkly comic ending to the extract where Flora watches impassively as the odious Brother Eli is taken by God (or whoever).
Although this was bleak in its outlook, it was a necessary bleak, and I really enjoyed reading it. The characters were well painted and you felt for each of them as they faced their plights. The flow was great, finding out a little of each person. Although we have no seen much of Jack at this point, you look forward to finding out what happened when he was taken hostage and what his own personal demons will be.
I would have liked to read more of this very promising novel. As a reader, I found the mix of characters and backgrounds very interesting and was wondering how they would all merge within the coming chapters. Well written, I think it is a very good start.
Hi Roger, firstly I'd like to say well done on writing such a compelling and atmospheric work - I would definitely be interested in reading more.
Your narrative style is just right - I was drawn into each character's story and found them all to be believable characters who I empathised with.
The introduction of each character has just the right balance of detail and emotion - it tells the reader clearly what situation each character is in, and introduces us to the type of person they are. I really can't find anything to criticise to be honest - I felt that it read like a published work, very professional and as I said, very compelling.
I enjoyed reading the opening to this novel. The writing style was very readable and easy to take a liking to and you have make very good use of your vocabulary. I thought the themes I briefly saw explored with Flora such as religion and the inequality of women were interesting, good themes to have that could lead to some interesting places. The character development showed in Alice and Flora is promising for the characters further into the novel as it looks as if they will be strong and motivated. I liked the way that Jed cried in the prologue also, as this goes against the manly tough stereotype of men often presented in books, and is much more interesting. As I've written this I've realized you have presented the male characters to be weaker (Eli, Jed, Alice's father) and the females to be stronger, whilst also showing the inequality of women (perhaps
driven by this); interesting (in a good way). The transitions between character POV was done well, each character was recognizable as an individual and the dialogue helped to separate them (I'm thinking of Alice and her dad in particular here).
Top notch!!! I don't know how I am going to write 100 words of review of this lovely story. It does not need a thing changing - it is perfect as it stands. This is not the kind of book that I normally read (I prefer thrillers or a measure of humour or fantasy) and it is a period in history that I usually avoid reading about, but this one gripped me from the start. It is all so utterly real - the characters are real people with whom one can feel sympathy; the settings are realistic-; the language is completely right. Nothing grates, nothing jars, nothing distracts from the enjoyment of the tale which unfolds at a good pace and draws one in from the beginning, I have put this one on my list of books I want to read when it is
finally published, which, I hope, is in the not too distant future. Well done you.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. You have definitely captured the post-war mood and I especially liked your little dig about politicians having learnt their lessons. There is very little I can offer by way of critic.
