Review of ByTheWay
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Sandra Smith 18
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Review of ByTheWay
[Following is a volunteer review of "ByTheWay" by Dennis Santos.]
In his book By The Way author Dennis Santos tells the story of a young man who is questioning many things in his life including God and his faith. As a twelve-year-old boy Dalan Owen and his only sibling, his caring older sister Caren, are orphaned by a tragic accident. Bonded by their need for each other, the pair navigate life together after the death of their parents. Now as a 25-year-old young adult, life is wonderful, beautiful and perfect until tragedy strikes a second time in Dalan's life. After the unthinkable happens, Dalan is sure he will never be happy again. Unable to see beyond his pain and grief, he wishes to escape his sad new reality. It is in this state of mind that Dalan stumbles into a bizarre adventure that may prove to be less desirable than the reality he is trying to leave behind. Or will it?
At a low point feeling as if his life is cursed, Dalan unexpectedly meets Buddy McNair, a quirky character full of mystery, wit and wisdom. Reluctantly Buddy allows Dalan to tag along with him in search of something better. Along the way Santos sprinkles crumbs of current social, moral, spiritual and environmental issues. Could it be that we all need a glimpse of our collective future in order to create a better world? Using imagination and creativity he gently conveys his spiritual points. Although religion is not an in-your-face subject, the author softly weaves themes of faith, hope, healing, love and friendship into the pages. On this journey will Dalan learn the lessons his soul needs to rebuild a beautiful new life?
By The Way is a story full of sweet, wholesome, brave and steadfast characters. I felt refreshed as I began reading and discovering the various close and amiable relationships. Dalan and his sister are admirably close. The love and respect between Dalan and his girlfriend are a wonderful relational example. Many other instances of good human connections are also found throughout the book. Another plus for this book is that the author keeps it comparably clean. Very few foul terms appear which are relatively mild and, in my opinion, used for emphasis. Although there are two scenes of a romantic nature, most of the steam is left to the reader's imagination. I also enjoyed this book simply because it's a fun and imaginative story.
With that being said, there is a small sense of simplicity and predictability to the story line. Also, I was reminded of classics in which the main characters were gifted with glimpses of what was and what could be. However, that does not minimize the appeal of the characters and the draw of the story. In my opinion there is nothing else to dislike about this book.
Dennis Santos has created a delightful short book. It's a fun and fantastical read seasoned with adventure, romance, love, faith, spirituality, hope and much humor. I found myself gobbling up the pages in anticipation of what would happen next. There's plenty of uncertainty and danger as well as unexpected feelings and emotions throughout Dalan's adventure that make for an engaging tale. There are a few errors, but these are minor and do not distract from the enjoyment of reading the book. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a brief escape. Due to its fantastical nature and basic spiritual themes, this book would appeal to a young audience. However, due to the mild sexual encounters and a few four-letter words, this book is not appropriate for children, and I believe little ones are not the intended audience here. While most suitable for older teens and young adults, By The Way can also be enjoyed by anyone who likes a great yarn spun around a spiritual theme.
******
ByTheWay
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In his book By The Way author Dennis Santos tells the story of a young man who is questioning many things in his life including God and his faith. As a twelve-year-old boy Dalan Owen and his only sibling, his caring older sister Caren, are orphaned by a tragic accident. Bonded by their need for each other, the pair navigate life together after the death of their parents. Now as a 25-year-old young adult, life is wonderful, beautiful and perfect until tragedy strikes a second time in Dalan's life. After the unthinkable happens, Dalan is sure he will never be happy again. Unable to see beyond his pain and grief, he wishes to escape his sad new reality. It is in this state of mind that Dalan stumbles into a bizarre adventure that may prove to be less desirable than the reality he is trying to leave behind. Or will it?
At a low point feeling as if his life is cursed, Dalan unexpectedly meets Buddy McNair, a quirky character full of mystery, wit and wisdom. Reluctantly Buddy allows Dalan to tag along with him in search of something better. Along the way Santos sprinkles crumbs of current social, moral, spiritual and environmental issues. Could it be that we all need a glimpse of our collective future in order to create a better world? Using imagination and creativity he gently conveys his spiritual points. Although religion is not an in-your-face subject, the author softly weaves themes of faith, hope, healing, love and friendship into the pages. On this journey will Dalan learn the lessons his soul needs to rebuild a beautiful new life?
By The Way is a story full of sweet, wholesome, brave and steadfast characters. I felt refreshed as I began reading and discovering the various close and amiable relationships. Dalan and his sister are admirably close. The love and respect between Dalan and his girlfriend are a wonderful relational example. Many other instances of good human connections are also found throughout the book. Another plus for this book is that the author keeps it comparably clean. Very few foul terms appear which are relatively mild and, in my opinion, used for emphasis. Although there are two scenes of a romantic nature, most of the steam is left to the reader's imagination. I also enjoyed this book simply because it's a fun and imaginative story.
With that being said, there is a small sense of simplicity and predictability to the story line. Also, I was reminded of classics in which the main characters were gifted with glimpses of what was and what could be. However, that does not minimize the appeal of the characters and the draw of the story. In my opinion there is nothing else to dislike about this book.
Dennis Santos has created a delightful short book. It's a fun and fantastical read seasoned with adventure, romance, love, faith, spirituality, hope and much humor. I found myself gobbling up the pages in anticipation of what would happen next. There's plenty of uncertainty and danger as well as unexpected feelings and emotions throughout Dalan's adventure that make for an engaging tale. There are a few errors, but these are minor and do not distract from the enjoyment of reading the book. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a brief escape. Due to its fantastical nature and basic spiritual themes, this book would appeal to a young audience. However, due to the mild sexual encounters and a few four-letter words, this book is not appropriate for children, and I believe little ones are not the intended audience here. While most suitable for older teens and young adults, By The Way can also be enjoyed by anyone who likes a great yarn spun around a spiritual theme.
******
ByTheWay
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Letters from the Olive Tree by Reese Balducci
