3 out of 4 stars
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The Broadcast
By Liam Fialkov
The Broadcast is an interesting book of intertwining lives. Sarah was sixteen when one mysterious night changed her life forever. Sarah's trust is betrayed by those around her and she is sent away to face her shame as a teenage mother. Her trust is further betrayed when her newborn son is ripped away from her. Two decades later Sarah's life has fallen into decline and her past tortures her into making poor choices. Meanwhile, strange things are happening in the world.
A new television series is taking the world by storm. The show, called The Broadcast, is airing video clips that astound viewers. Controversy whirls around the show, some being amazed at the new technology and others claiming it is a hoax. Sarah is inexplicably drawn to the show and feels as if it has some personal meaning to her own past. As the television series plays out it closely touches the lives of seemingly random people and draws them together towards a stunning conclusion.
The Broadcast has one of the most unusual plots I have ever read. Fialkov's treatment is interesting and he has created a captivating story. The characters are well thought out and their histories explained in detail. The turmoil of Sarah's inner life is well described and her motivations made clear. Fialkov takes care to provide clear reasoning for her actions. This is true of his other characters as well. He treats each one with detail and expressive description. The story captured my imagination. The mystery surrounding the television series and the way it influences the characters was fascinating.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, however, I cannot say that Fialkov is a polished writer. The writing is sometimes halting and it does not flow naturally in many spots. The dialogue is often very stiff. Characters who should be comfortable with each other talk like strangers. There is a very formal way of speaking. There are many chapters that begin with an unnecessary reiteration of character histories. Character details are also repeated unnecessarily. It's a difficult line I am trying to express. Fialkov's writing IS good. It is detailed and conveys emotion, but it is missing something. The best description I can give is the difference between looking at a photograph and a painting. Failkov's writing is like looking at the photograph.
Overall the book was a pleasure to read. The plot is detailed and surprising. I give The Broadcast a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The story is fascinating and the characters memorable, but the writing style is unpolished. I would recommend this book to readers of many genres. Thriller and drama readers will enjoy the emotional character connections and slowly unraveling storyline. Science fiction readers will enjoy the mysterious workings of the television show. The writing is quite intelligent and I believe other readers will enjoy the detailed history descriptions, as well as the exploration of more unorthodox historical theories.
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The Broadcast
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