Review of Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon
Posted: 20 Apr 2025, 07:04
[Following is a volunteer review of "Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon" by David Nathaniel Nealis.]
I usually try not to judge a book by its cover; however, that didn’t apply to this one, since I knew I would be immersed in the story from the moment I saw it.
This book is written in such a poetic way that I was able to vividly imagine the scenarios, sympathize with the characters, and connect with them in many different ways. Not to mention, the illustrations before each chapter offered a great summary of what was about to happen, which helped deepen my connection to the events.
The author himself delves into the darkest corners of his psyche, sharing them with us—the readers—through the lens of fantasy. He created such interesting characters with distinctive and unique personalities. Combined with the numerous plot twists and powerful messages, this made the book truly worth reading.
David uses metaphor in a clever way through his characters: Shadow, Orby, and Luna—each playing an important role in Zylo’s life. Through Luna, the story is enriched with emotional depth and love, as she is Zylo’s romantic interest. Through Shadow, we access the darkest and deepest corners of Zylo's psyche. Orby, on the other hand, symbolizes intuition.
We also get to follow Zylo’s healing journey, which could inspire readers to reflect on their own paths—even though this book isn’t a guide. Personally, I was able to look at things from a different perspective and I was put into deep thought. I was aware that trauma causes other disorders and problems, but I don’t think I realized the full extent of it. With every page, I learned something new, despite this being a mostly fictional world. After all, the author redirected his PTSD into a creative journey, which makes me think we all can learn quite a bit from his experiences.
As poetic as this book is, the writing is also raw and unfiltered, which could be triggering for readers with trauma—so I wouldn’t take the disclaimer lightly. Even though I haven’t experienced such traumatic and soul-crushing events, I was still deeply moved by the story and was absolutely hooked until the end.
I would definitely recommend it.
******
Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I usually try not to judge a book by its cover; however, that didn’t apply to this one, since I knew I would be immersed in the story from the moment I saw it.
This book is written in such a poetic way that I was able to vividly imagine the scenarios, sympathize with the characters, and connect with them in many different ways. Not to mention, the illustrations before each chapter offered a great summary of what was about to happen, which helped deepen my connection to the events.
The author himself delves into the darkest corners of his psyche, sharing them with us—the readers—through the lens of fantasy. He created such interesting characters with distinctive and unique personalities. Combined with the numerous plot twists and powerful messages, this made the book truly worth reading.
David uses metaphor in a clever way through his characters: Shadow, Orby, and Luna—each playing an important role in Zylo’s life. Through Luna, the story is enriched with emotional depth and love, as she is Zylo’s romantic interest. Through Shadow, we access the darkest and deepest corners of Zylo's psyche. Orby, on the other hand, symbolizes intuition.
We also get to follow Zylo’s healing journey, which could inspire readers to reflect on their own paths—even though this book isn’t a guide. Personally, I was able to look at things from a different perspective and I was put into deep thought. I was aware that trauma causes other disorders and problems, but I don’t think I realized the full extent of it. With every page, I learned something new, despite this being a mostly fictional world. After all, the author redirected his PTSD into a creative journey, which makes me think we all can learn quite a bit from his experiences.
As poetic as this book is, the writing is also raw and unfiltered, which could be triggering for readers with trauma—so I wouldn’t take the disclaimer lightly. Even though I haven’t experienced such traumatic and soul-crushing events, I was still deeply moved by the story and was absolutely hooked until the end.
I would definitely recommend it.
******
Behind the Eyes of Zylo Moon
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon