4 out of 4 stars
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Sorrel and Myriana is a view into the darkest depths of the human soul, if a soul is even present in the characters at all. In this book Evelyn Sun chronicles the lives of Sorrel and Myriana Borchardt and their sadistic mafia and arms organizations, as well as the family of misfits and criminals that make up their extended entourage.
This is a work of very dark fiction as the depravity throughout the book is quite unspeakable. It does have, however, what I might call a “Christian Grey” effect in that at the beginning of the book, you are appalled by the alternative lifestyle, but as the book progresses through its 546 pages, the shocking material becomes more numb to the reader. I would not recommend this book to the weak of heart, but those who like the psychological complexities of the criminal mind would likely enjoy the book very much.
I would like to say this book evaluates good versus evil within humanity, but the good is missing from the text. The only redemption to any of the characters in the book is the faithfulness and undying loyalty to the mafia family, Idon. There is no justice or redemption for the good people in the community controlled by Idon, and when the good stands against evil, they are efficiently snuffed out. The violence, control, and endless psychological depravity against humanity is presented in such detail that you really get into the minds of the characters. Some readers may not want to go there, but for those who really want to understand the sickness of evil, I would say this book does a pretty good job of painting a clear picture.
The book is written in two parts. Myriana’s part comes first and details the breaking of her spirit to the point of deadening her emotions and professing complete fealty to Sorrel. The second half, Sorrel’s story, surprisingly focuses more on the concept of family and loyalty even among the damned.
I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed the book as in a pleasurable experience, but I was enraptured by the twisted minds and the levels of hatred and manipulation. This book is a pure study of evil, which in its own right was a fascinating exploration. I’m curious how much research, if any, the author did on the unconscionable mind of the psychopath.
As the book opened, I felt the writing was incredibly haughty and a bit contrived in the extravagance of the language. This seemed to become less painful as the book progressed; I’m not sure if the author lightened up or if I gradually accepted the style as it suited the arrogance of the main characters. The writing itself was extremely vivid and detailed, which I enjoyed. The author clearly has an extensive vocabulary and control of the English language.
While the writing in this book was quite developed, I did come across around five to seven very minor editing misses. That being said, the book was well over 500 pages long so I find that a forgivable factor that I can’t justify changing my rating for. All of the errors were very minor, and I am a very critical reader.
I give Sorrel and Myriana a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. While disturbing at times, I found the psychological study of the criminally deranged to be fascinating. It is not a book that you can sit down and take in during one sitting, but every day I looked forward to my time with the book. While it is not for the innocent or naive, I would recommend it for those highly interested in the psychology of the criminal mind.
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Sorrel and Myriana
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