Review of Through the Valley
1 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Through the Valley" by Dennis Corey.]
Through the Valley by Dennis Corey is a story of survival, faith, and love. It is a heart-wrenching story of a woman’s trauma and suffering that will touch your heart and soul.
A young Korean woman lost her memory in a plane crash during a trip to America. A lone survivor in a forest in rural Pennsylvania, she was picked up by a kind car driver, only to meet with an accident. With no name, no identity, and nowhere to go, she had only a strong feeling that she belonged to Korea. With no knowledge of any language other than Korean, she was desperate to return to Korea. Despite meeting some kind people who helped her, it was almost impossible for her to return without legal papers and a valid identity. What she endured in her attempts to survive was beyond imagination. Her experience left her scarred for life, both physically and emotionally. Only the faith in God and a quest for her identity kept her alive, though barely.
The story spans over a period of more than fifteen years and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Her original name or identity was not known; she was identified as Jane, a name given by the hospital staff, where John Doe/Jane Doe was the general name given to a patient with total amnesia. There are many characters in the story, mostly with small roles, but they are well-portrayed. Joong-ki, an actor, is one of the main characters who enters the story quite late, but he plays a crucial role in Jane’s life. He restores faith in humanity and illustrates love and compassion through actions without words.
The author has shown a remarkable skill in storytelling. The prose is descriptive and immersive. The cinematic writing creates vivid imagery through sensory details. The short, fragmented sentences build up suspense and allow the reader to feel the emotions—fear, anxiety, and tension—in the scenes. Bordering on paranormal, the story has elements of spirituality too, which are more pronounced in one particular scene. We find Jane feeling a presence inside her and an inner voice that whispers to her in very clear words that she is not alone.
I found the story intense, heart-touching, and unforgettable. There was nothing to dislike about the story or the writing style. However, the editing is poor, and I noticed several errors and typos. Although trivial, like missing periods, misplaced or missing quotation marks, or typos, they interfered with clarity and comprehension. Only due to this reason, I had to deduct one star from the rating. My overall rating for the book is 4 out of 5 stars.
The story portrays both good and evil, but not in the typical good-defeats-evil way; it shows how life is a blend of good and evil, ups and downs, and full of pain, grief, and love. It is a story of endurance, faith, and hope. A story that makes you ask why Jane had to suffer without any fault of her own. Was she simply ill-fated or unfortunate, or was there a meaning, a purpose to her life? Was she a chosen one to spread the message of faith in God and humanity? A message that scars and physical appearance do not define a person, that the soul and the inner beauty are what matter most? It tells us that we may not change what was in store for us, but we can learn to live a meaningful life with a positive approach and faith in God and humanity.
The story is not for the faint-hearted. There are graphic details of violence and torture that may not agree with all readers. I would recommend it to mature readers who like immersive, intriguing stories about human nature, the stories that illustrate that life is not a bed of roses, but there is always hope, and every life has a purpose. It is a story that will linger in memory for a long time.
******
Through the Valley
View: on Bookshelves
Through the Valley by Dennis Corey is a story of survival, faith, and love. It is a heart-wrenching story of a woman’s trauma and suffering that will touch your heart and soul.
A young Korean woman lost her memory in a plane crash during a trip to America. A lone survivor in a forest in rural Pennsylvania, she was picked up by a kind car driver, only to meet with an accident. With no name, no identity, and nowhere to go, she had only a strong feeling that she belonged to Korea. With no knowledge of any language other than Korean, she was desperate to return to Korea. Despite meeting some kind people who helped her, it was almost impossible for her to return without legal papers and a valid identity. What she endured in her attempts to survive was beyond imagination. Her experience left her scarred for life, both physically and emotionally. Only the faith in God and a quest for her identity kept her alive, though barely.
The story spans over a period of more than fifteen years and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Her original name or identity was not known; she was identified as Jane, a name given by the hospital staff, where John Doe/Jane Doe was the general name given to a patient with total amnesia. There are many characters in the story, mostly with small roles, but they are well-portrayed. Joong-ki, an actor, is one of the main characters who enters the story quite late, but he plays a crucial role in Jane’s life. He restores faith in humanity and illustrates love and compassion through actions without words.
The author has shown a remarkable skill in storytelling. The prose is descriptive and immersive. The cinematic writing creates vivid imagery through sensory details. The short, fragmented sentences build up suspense and allow the reader to feel the emotions—fear, anxiety, and tension—in the scenes. Bordering on paranormal, the story has elements of spirituality too, which are more pronounced in one particular scene. We find Jane feeling a presence inside her and an inner voice that whispers to her in very clear words that she is not alone.
I found the story intense, heart-touching, and unforgettable. There was nothing to dislike about the story or the writing style. However, the editing is poor, and I noticed several errors and typos. Although trivial, like missing periods, misplaced or missing quotation marks, or typos, they interfered with clarity and comprehension. Only due to this reason, I had to deduct one star from the rating. My overall rating for the book is 4 out of 5 stars.
The story portrays both good and evil, but not in the typical good-defeats-evil way; it shows how life is a blend of good and evil, ups and downs, and full of pain, grief, and love. It is a story of endurance, faith, and hope. A story that makes you ask why Jane had to suffer without any fault of her own. Was she simply ill-fated or unfortunate, or was there a meaning, a purpose to her life? Was she a chosen one to spread the message of faith in God and humanity? A message that scars and physical appearance do not define a person, that the soul and the inner beauty are what matter most? It tells us that we may not change what was in store for us, but we can learn to live a meaningful life with a positive approach and faith in God and humanity.
The story is not for the faint-hearted. There are graphic details of violence and torture that may not agree with all readers. I would recommend it to mature readers who like immersive, intriguing stories about human nature, the stories that illustrate that life is not a bed of roses, but there is always hope, and every life has a purpose. It is a story that will linger in memory for a long time.
******
Through the Valley
View: on Bookshelves
You are not logged in. Please log in or sign up to view members replies, participate in the discussion, and access more features.
