Post by Seth Kerin on Aug 23, 2007 15:20:22 GMT -5
This is the first in a series of reviews I will be doing. All are little known authors, and I will do my best to give them a fair review and an unbiased take on the novel. Enjoy.
Fever Jenny, the first of four novels in The Witch Seasons series by Andrew Dolbeck is a fantastic journey of self discovery blended with romance, magic, whimsy and suspense.
The characters that populate the world of Fever Jenny, most importantly Jenny herself, are all well rounded, unique, and interesting. Naturally Jenny, as the protagonist, is the most fleshed out – she alone could carry the novel, even if everything else were flat. Jenny’s journey, and the journey of those around her who get swept along for the ride, runs the gamut. When we first meet her we find a character who, while a little bit ‘off,’ is filled with an almost naïve love of life. She is very child-like, though she has few friends and most folks seem to brush her off as just being mildly insane. As her self discovery progresses though, the catalyst being a particularly brutal man, she comes full circle to accept her magic as far more than something that ‘just happened’ to her – it is part of who she is.
The supporting cast is a diverse group. They grow along with Jenny, interweaving with her story as they learn to understand her past and present. Some grow to believe in her magic, and others do not, but all are transformed for knowing her - by and large for the better.
This is a complex novel, and if there are any shortcomings at all it is merely the desire to know more about the characters. Jenny alone could occupy another fifty or more pages without boring the reader, and her friends are generally just as interesting. Marnie, Jenny’s best friend from the beginning, seems almost lost in the shuffle as Jenny’s circle grows larger. This is a minor issue though, and does not detract from the overall enjoyment of the novel.
Fever Jenny is a fast and easy read, from a purely practical standpoint. The short chapters keep the story moving, and give the feel of watching a movie. Through Jenny, Dolbeck will take you on a magical journey that you hope won’t end.
Fever Jenny, the first of four novels in The Witch Seasons series by Andrew Dolbeck is a fantastic journey of self discovery blended with romance, magic, whimsy and suspense.
The characters that populate the world of Fever Jenny, most importantly Jenny herself, are all well rounded, unique, and interesting. Naturally Jenny, as the protagonist, is the most fleshed out – she alone could carry the novel, even if everything else were flat. Jenny’s journey, and the journey of those around her who get swept along for the ride, runs the gamut. When we first meet her we find a character who, while a little bit ‘off,’ is filled with an almost naïve love of life. She is very child-like, though she has few friends and most folks seem to brush her off as just being mildly insane. As her self discovery progresses though, the catalyst being a particularly brutal man, she comes full circle to accept her magic as far more than something that ‘just happened’ to her – it is part of who she is.
The supporting cast is a diverse group. They grow along with Jenny, interweaving with her story as they learn to understand her past and present. Some grow to believe in her magic, and others do not, but all are transformed for knowing her - by and large for the better.
This is a complex novel, and if there are any shortcomings at all it is merely the desire to know more about the characters. Jenny alone could occupy another fifty or more pages without boring the reader, and her friends are generally just as interesting. Marnie, Jenny’s best friend from the beginning, seems almost lost in the shuffle as Jenny’s circle grows larger. This is a minor issue though, and does not detract from the overall enjoyment of the novel.
Fever Jenny is a fast and easy read, from a purely practical standpoint. The short chapters keep the story moving, and give the feel of watching a movie. Through Jenny, Dolbeck will take you on a magical journey that you hope won’t end.
