The Stones of Abraxas

The Stones of Abraxas by K. Osborn Sullivan is a book with a great premise.  It falls short in some places, though.  They're mostly grammar and spelling technicalities.  While these don't detract from the book very much, they undermine the reader's confidence in this author.  I certainly could identify with the English teachers mentioned who "corrected both spelling and grammar on the room service menu."  And I was particularly shocked when I saw the list of no less than eleven people with "exceptional grammatical skills" in the front of the book who had assisted in the writing process.  I mean no disrespect to the author and her team of dedicated family and friends (examine the last names and you'll see that there are a few Sullivans and Osborns in there) but it seems that "exceptional grammatical skills" are not as exceptional as expected.  For example, on page 239, "praying mantis" was corrupted into "preying mantis"; what makes this particularly embarrassing is that the author said "praying mantis" on the facing page.  Another issue is the fact that drinks, while they may steam, do not smoke (page 279).  If they do, you should probably not be drinking them (by extension, this means that they are not drinks).  (This is a technicality and not a spelling or grammar problem.) 

WARNING:  The next paragraph contains major spoilers.  [spoiler]

Another problem with this book is the transparency of the Dartmur-as-a-spy-and-traitor plot.  From the very moment that Dartmur, the butler, hinted to David about the dungeon, I knew there was something fishy.  A suggestion was somewhat out of character for him.  It did not go with the entire butler theme.  Butlers are supposed to be silent people who speak only when spoken to.  While this may not be true of all butlers, this butler's character followed the rule. 

[/spoiler]

However, the rest of the suspense was great.  Not much else was given away. 

The writing style was not particularly impressive.  Switching between points of view rather abruptly didn't work here.  (Perhaps I did this in my novel . . . I don't remember.)  Some of the description was good, but not the best that I've ever seen. 

The verdict?  The grammar and spelling detracted somewhat from the book.  The plot was too transparent at times, but not always.  And the writing wasn't superior.  I would recommend this book for its premise - but only if you know where the grammar and spelling are wrong.  :)

Stars: 4

Violence:  6.  [spoiler] Adrian gets hit by a truck and falls over a steep cliff.  He's injured badly.  It isn't graphically described, but if your imagination is vivid, the words "mangled" and the image of "very slight movement; a hand opening and closing" bring to mind a rather unpleasant image of a human in distress.  [/spoiler]

Romance: 6.  Frogs ask human girls for kisses, and Amanda is more-than-casually-interested in a knight named John. 

Language: 1

Appropriate for:  junior high and up

The Awakening

The Awakening by Kate Chopin discusses the less publicized side of married life (at least in 1899):  infidelity.  At a summer resort, Mrs. Edna Pontellier meets a certain Robert.  When Robert decides to leave for Mexico, Edna realizes that she loves Robert.  She loses her sense of loyalty to her real husband when she returns home.  She also gets involved with a man named Alcee Arobin.  This conflict between men drives her to desperate measures. 

The language is amazing, injecting romance where you least expect it, such as this description of the sea: 

"The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.

"The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.  The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace." 

[spoiler] This is particularly symbolic, as Edna later drowns in the sea.  So to speak, she listens to the voice of the sea when she enters extramarital relations.  The voice of the sea, while attractive at first, lures her into despair.  It's exactly like the Sirens in Greek mythology.  They sound and appear attractive, but in reality, they're flesh-eating monsters.  [/spoiler]


Doing the numbers: 

Stars: 9

Violence:  1, for although [spoiler] Edna drowns herself afterwards, it is not at all graphic.  [/spoiler]

Romance: 7, since that's the main concern of the book.  Nothing graphic was described. 

Language: 0

Appropriate for:  teenagers