Official Review: A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick

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Kdonegan91
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Official Review: A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick

Post by Kdonegan91 »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Matter of Faith" by Duke Woodrick.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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Do you believe in life after death? Do you believe in faith? If so, do you believe faith can change someone for the better? These are some of the questions that will linger in your mind while reading A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick. The prologue begins with the execution of Jason Thomas Bradford. He was convicted of murdering seven people, and he requested the death penalty as his punishment for these crimes. However, why was Mr. Bradford smiling and giving Ella Martin, the star witness for the prosecution, a thumbs up? The reader is left with many questions even before starting chapter one. Then, the author takes the reader back to a time before Jason Bradford's birth, and he, also, gives us a glimpse into his terrible childhood. In addition, most of the book is centered around Jason Bradford's murder of Sandra Brown with a few minor subplots. This particular murder stood out from Jason's other murders because it involved a star witness, Ella Martin, who was present, but yet thousands of miles away during the terrible crime. Will the jury believe Ella Martin? Will Jason Bradford change his murderous and evil ways?

Most importantly, I did enjoy A Matter of Faith, because it has a unique story line. Throughout the book, Woodrick perfectly switches narrators and includes flashbacks dozens of times. He does this with such ease, and I never found myself confused or lost. Also, the author must be familiar with the justice system, because he explains the court proceeding in a professional manner. In addition, Woodrick is excellent at character development. I really felt each character's persona and even hated the murderer, Jason Bradford. This book is formatted professionally.

On the other hand, there were many aspects of the novel that I did not enjoy. My biggest complaint, the author repeats the detailed murder numerous times. I believe this would not be such an issue if Woodrick would not have included every detail each time he retold the murder scenes. Another issue I have is the progression of the novel. There were times in the book that it progressed quickly and it flowed nicely. However, large portions of the novel seemed to bring the progression to a halt. One example, during jury selection he goes into detail about most of the jury members. I felt that this was not relevant to the story or to the main characters. Also, I found many grammatical and spelling errors in this book. Such as one page one hundred and sixty-eight, the author uses decision instead of decided. Also, on page two hundred and five, the author writes, “ Rusty watched the paramedics rolled Mr. Smith out through the broken front door.”

Also, I enjoyed the religious theme of the novel. Woodrick did not push his beliefs onto the reader. He simply made me question certain elements of faith, religion, and the afterlife. Therefore, the author allows the reader to come to their own conclusion about the afterlife.

With all of the above in mind, I rate A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick 2 out of 4 stars. This novel deserves at least two stars because it has a unique story line. Also, the character development is superb and the author transitions between people, places, and times perfectly. However, I do not believe it deserves three stars because it does need proofreading and some of the unnecessary details need to be removed. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages. The details of the murder are not too descriptive for young readers.

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A Matter of Faith
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Post by kandscreeley »

This definitely does sound like an interesting plot. I am curious as to why Mr. Bradford gave Ella a thumbs up. I wonder if this is a little like the movie Dead Man Walking. Guess I'll have to look into this one. Thanks.
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Kdonegan91
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Post by Kdonegan91 »

I have never seen that movie, so I couldn't tell you if they relate. The interesting storyline and excellent character development make this a must-read. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. :)
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. - Wayne Dyer
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Post by MarisaRose »

The storyline definitely piques my interest, but I'm very concerned about the repetitious and halting pacing of the narrative. It sounds like there is a lot of potential with this one, but it's just not quite there yet. Great review!
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Post by Kdonegan91 »

That is a great way to describe this book MarisaRose. Thank you for reading my review.
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Post by Mercelle »

Informative review. Religion and execution sure are a rare match.
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Post by KlareAllison »

I like books with this type of religious undertones. The introductory questions posed by the reviewer invite us to check Duke Woodrick's A Matter of Faith and see things for ourselves.
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Post by Kdonegan91 »

Thank you for reading my review! :)
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. - Wayne Dyer
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Post by Manang Muyang »

Thanks for an intriguing review, Kdonegan91. I wonder why Jason seems so eager to die.
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Post by Yaone »

Interesting! I thought the book will be focused on issues of faith only. So from the review I am suprised by the content I would have imagined that it would be about a murder trial. Good review!
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Post by geoffrey ngoima »

I am curious too...
Great review
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Post by charlesjr2 »

Sounds like one an intriguing book. I would really like this one. But am not sure if I would get passed all the errors and all
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Post by Kdonegan91 »

It was hard during parts of the book, but it was still a good read. It is a unique story. However, not one of the "can't put it down" books.
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Latest Review: "A Matter of Faith" by Duke Woodrick
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Post by mumoscar »

It's good that the author allows the reader to make conclusions instead of forcing them. I also expected an in-depth description on faith, though it's still an interesting read. Nice review.
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Post by Kdonegan91 »

Thank you! I, too, enjoyed these same aspects.
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. - Wayne Dyer
Latest Review: "A Matter of Faith" by Duke Woodrick
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