Review by owachtel -- Something in the Mirror by Doug Hall
5 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Something in the Mirror" by Doug Hall.]
[rbc=4]id367215-125[/rbc]
It would be difficult to pick one aspect of this novel as my favorite, so instead I will list a couple prominent highlights. First, the writing style. As a debut novel, I expected the story to have some trouble stylistically, but I was pleasantly surprised. Hall beautifully balances imagery, character development, and tone, making Something in the Mirror not only attention-grabbing, but also touching and insightful.
Hall’s writing style alone is strong, but his work becomes even more impressive when you focus on Hall’s characters. Much like style, character development is an area in which most emerging authors struggle, but not so for Hall. The protagonist strikes me as a mid-20-year-old Holden from Catcher in the Rye—that is, struggling to find the right path in life, which leads him to make questionable and self-sabotaging decisions, but ultimately lovable and pure at heart. Most new authors focus so much on plot and finding their writing style that they fail to develop much character complexity. Hall, however, beautifully crafts a dynamic narrator who escapes his insecurities and weaknesses with toxic relationships, alcohol, and a defensive exterior. Developing this kind of human, well-rounded character in his first novel is not only a draw for Something in the Mirror, but also demonstrates Hall’s potential as a serious writer.
As for weaknesses, the novel does not present many. When I read that the novel mixes horror with humor, I was worried about how the author would execute that combination, but again I was pleasantly surprised. Every humorous scene made smile and sometimes even chuckle aloud, and the consistent atmospheric tension subtly establishes the mood of a horror novel. The only thing I will note is that a couple of sentences in the first few pages confused me and drew me out of the story. These cases, however, were exceptionally rare, again impressive for an author’s first published work.
Because the novel is so brief, the author includes his first draft and editor’s comments in the back of the text. Normally, I would see this as a cheap way to meet the minimum word count to qualify his book as a novel rather than a novella. However, since the frame narration is focused on a writing workshop, I think showing his own writing’s progression is a great addition from Hall. The narrator of Something in the Mirror is an aspiring writer, and Hall himself is a newly published author, so Hall including an edited draft of his work really ties the book together with its motifs of growth and improvement. Showing the editor’s comments is also a nice touch because her notes really illustrate her attentiveness to Hall’s manuscript, which explains how professionally edited Something in the Mirror reads.
As a whole, Something in the Mirror was truly a delight to read and I think the novel offers something for every reader. Hall focuses on themes of weakness, vulnerability, personal growth, and self-image in the book, which are areas in which everyone has room to mature. Because it is so well written, carefully edited, and thematically applicable, I give Something in the Mirror4 out of 4 stars.
******
Something in the Mirror
View: on Bookshelves |
It would be difficult to pick one aspect of this novel as my favorite, so instead I will list a couple prominent highlights. First, the writing style. As a debut novel, I expected the story to have some trouble stylistically, but I was pleasantly surprised. Hall beautifully balances imagery, character development, and tone, making Something in the Mirror not only attention-grabbing, but also touching and insightful.
Hall’s writing style alone is strong, but his work becomes even more impressive when you focus on Hall’s characters. Much like style, character development is an area in which most emerging authors struggle, but not so for Hall. The protagonist strikes me as a mid-20-year-old Holden from Catcher in the Rye—that is, struggling to find the right path in life, which leads him to make questionable and self-sabotaging decisions, but ultimately lovable and pure at heart. Most new authors focus so much on plot and finding their writing style that they fail to develop much character complexity. Hall, however, beautifully crafts a dynamic narrator who escapes his insecurities and weaknesses with toxic relationships, alcohol, and a defensive exterior. Developing this kind of human, well-rounded character in his first novel is not only a draw for Something in the Mirror, but also demonstrates Hall’s potential as a serious writer.
As for weaknesses, the novel does not present many. When I read that the novel mixes horror with humor, I was worried about how the author would execute that combination, but again I was pleasantly surprised. Every humorous scene made smile and sometimes even chuckle aloud, and the consistent atmospheric tension subtly establishes the mood of a horror novel. The only thing I will note is that a couple of sentences in the first few pages confused me and drew me out of the story. These cases, however, were exceptionally rare, again impressive for an author’s first published work.
Because the novel is so brief, the author includes his first draft and editor’s comments in the back of the text. Normally, I would see this as a cheap way to meet the minimum word count to qualify his book as a novel rather than a novella. However, since the frame narration is focused on a writing workshop, I think showing his own writing’s progression is a great addition from Hall. The narrator of Something in the Mirror is an aspiring writer, and Hall himself is a newly published author, so Hall including an edited draft of his work really ties the book together with its motifs of growth and improvement. Showing the editor’s comments is also a nice touch because her notes really illustrate her attentiveness to Hall’s manuscript, which explains how professionally edited Something in the Mirror reads.
As a whole, Something in the Mirror was truly a delight to read and I think the novel offers something for every reader. Hall focuses on themes of weakness, vulnerability, personal growth, and self-image in the book, which are areas in which everyone has room to mature. Because it is so well written, carefully edited, and thematically applicable, I give Something in the Mirror4 out of 4 stars.
******
Something in the Mirror
View: on Bookshelves |
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