Review of Just Die
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Kelli Diane Seymour
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Review of Just Die
[Following is a volunteer review of "Just Die" by E Alan Fleischauer.]
E Alan Fleischauer’s Just Die details the consequences of one man's actions after waking from a stroke with the ability to kill people just by pointing his finger at them and saying, “just die.” Jake Silver, described as a charismatic and wealthy ex-stockbroker, grew up being told not to give people the middle finger, but to point and say “just die” instead, by his mother. Unfortunately, this advice leads him to murder several people and animals as an adult. Accompanied by his loyal fiancé Beth Anne and his best friend Omar, Jake navigates the world with his new ability and uses his power for (what is considered) good, albeit sometimes reluctantly.
Throughout most of the book, several characters discover Jake’s new powers. While these characters do not understand it, they are aware that Jake has been killing and are out to stop it through their small-town Minnesotan criminal justice system. However, once Jake becomes protected from criminal prosecution they are no longer important characters. It is as if E Alan Fleischauer needed to fill several chapters before being able to tell the short story that really interested him. Luckily, he does forget that these characters exist and dedicates two short chapters at the very end in an attempt to wrap up their storyline. Likewise, towards the end, there are a few irrelevant chapters that tell the back story of Beth Anne. These chapters are not important to the story and add no extra value to any of the characters.
With that being said, there is very little that can be said about Just Die that is positive. However, one character stands out among the rest – Omar Carter, the funny nurse made loyal best friend! He is my favorite character and seems to be the most detailed. Honestly, we know more about Omar Carter than we do Jake Silver! He is with jake from the very first page to the very last page. It is almost as if he is a second protagonist, rather than a supporting character. Another positive that can be said, is that the book was extremely well-edited. There were no typos or misspellings!
From my point of view, there were many negative aspects of this book. However, these are all personal opinions. Jake was not a likable character at all. He gave people slightly offensive nicknames while believing everyone liked him, which is an automatic red flag that they do not. Personally, I disliked him by page three. As previously mentioned the storyline was not consistent, characters were all but forgotten for several chapters, and worst of all the conclusion was lacking. It ends while Jake is taking a break from his new killing business; however, I was left with more questions than answers.
I would rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. Which is lenient considering the inconsistent storyline and lack of character development. I, personally, would not recommend this book to anyone. Especially not those who have a problem with the killing of animals, those who are extremely religious and easily offended by characters playing a God-like role, those who are sensitive to drug use, or those who are offended by cursing, as it is on almost every page.
******
Just Die
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
E Alan Fleischauer’s Just Die details the consequences of one man's actions after waking from a stroke with the ability to kill people just by pointing his finger at them and saying, “just die.” Jake Silver, described as a charismatic and wealthy ex-stockbroker, grew up being told not to give people the middle finger, but to point and say “just die” instead, by his mother. Unfortunately, this advice leads him to murder several people and animals as an adult. Accompanied by his loyal fiancé Beth Anne and his best friend Omar, Jake navigates the world with his new ability and uses his power for (what is considered) good, albeit sometimes reluctantly.
Throughout most of the book, several characters discover Jake’s new powers. While these characters do not understand it, they are aware that Jake has been killing and are out to stop it through their small-town Minnesotan criminal justice system. However, once Jake becomes protected from criminal prosecution they are no longer important characters. It is as if E Alan Fleischauer needed to fill several chapters before being able to tell the short story that really interested him. Luckily, he does forget that these characters exist and dedicates two short chapters at the very end in an attempt to wrap up their storyline. Likewise, towards the end, there are a few irrelevant chapters that tell the back story of Beth Anne. These chapters are not important to the story and add no extra value to any of the characters.
With that being said, there is very little that can be said about Just Die that is positive. However, one character stands out among the rest – Omar Carter, the funny nurse made loyal best friend! He is my favorite character and seems to be the most detailed. Honestly, we know more about Omar Carter than we do Jake Silver! He is with jake from the very first page to the very last page. It is almost as if he is a second protagonist, rather than a supporting character. Another positive that can be said, is that the book was extremely well-edited. There were no typos or misspellings!
From my point of view, there were many negative aspects of this book. However, these are all personal opinions. Jake was not a likable character at all. He gave people slightly offensive nicknames while believing everyone liked him, which is an automatic red flag that they do not. Personally, I disliked him by page three. As previously mentioned the storyline was not consistent, characters were all but forgotten for several chapters, and worst of all the conclusion was lacking. It ends while Jake is taking a break from his new killing business; however, I was left with more questions than answers.
I would rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. Which is lenient considering the inconsistent storyline and lack of character development. I, personally, would not recommend this book to anyone. Especially not those who have a problem with the killing of animals, those who are extremely religious and easily offended by characters playing a God-like role, those who are sensitive to drug use, or those who are offended by cursing, as it is on almost every page.
******
Just Die
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
