Official Review: An Empty Swing by N. J. Hanson

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ReviewerDiksha
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Official Review: An Empty Swing by N. J. Hanson

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "An Empty Swing" by N. J. Hanson.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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Luis is a simple kid. His world revolves around his mother and his books. The only problem in his life is a bulky, no-brainer boy- Butch. Luis is one of the kids who are bullied by Butch, on a regular basis. One day, trying to escape the torture that Butch intends to inflict on him, Luis finds himself taking shelter in a playground. There, he meets Alice, a girl who had been missing for ten years. What turns his world upside down is the fact that Alice is a ghost. Another thing that he finds out is that she is not the only one haunting the playground. While there are kids like Alice, who want to help people and seek ways to move on from this world, there are others who are not so good. Some of them are adamant to seek revenge against the people who killed them. With the help of Alice’s sister, Serena, Luis tries to uncover the identity of the people behind the mystery of the missing kids.

Written from the point of views of Luis and Serena, An Empty Swing by N.J Hanson is a paranormal thriller. This book tackles with various themes that are relevant in case of children. Child abuse and bullying form the better part of it. It also shows how different people react to the losses in their lives. With Serena, we see how her father falls into depression and alcoholism after losing Alice, how this affects Serena and what ultimately shapes her personality. With Luis, the author has painted a different picture. The need for closure is another theme that forms a major part of it.

The characters of this book are the best thing about it. They are all very different from one another and, also, quite realistic. I liked the understanding of Hanson towards the complex issue of a bully’s mentality. Butch’s character development was surprising, but also realistic at the same time. The behavior of the ghosts was another thing that I liked. It was all very rational, and nothing was made out to be over the top, or unrealistic. The chemistry between the characters worked well, and their reactions towards various situations seemed practical.

The grammatical errors were one of the things that put me off. They were scattered throughout the book and hindered the flow of reading. The writing style is another thing that needs work. Though it was simple and made the book a quick read, it was too simple for an avid reader’s taste. I wouldn’t say that it was bad. It was moderate and, at times, mundane. In thriller novels, moderate doesn’t work out. Due to this, the story lost its grip. It was easy for me to put down this book in the middle of a chapter. A gripping story doesn’t allow this. Predictability was another factor that became a let-down. Some of the important revelations of the story were easily foreseeable. Perhaps, a different approach of storytelling could solve all these problems.

Owing to its simple writing style, teenagers and novice readers would make a better audience for An Empty Swing. There are some things in the book that can be a bit too much, so watch out for that. If you are looking for some light reading, this can be a viable option. My rating for this book is 2 out of 4 stars. Its intentions were in the right place, but the execution turned out to be sloppy. Maybe, it didn’t turn out better for me because I had expected it to be scarier. The people who can set aside their expectations might appreciate it better than I did.

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An Empty Swing
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Sahani Nimandra
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Post by Sahani Nimandra »

Grammatical errors always "kick the bucket", it makes even the best book look cheap. I'm sorry about that I started to like this book after I read the summary. The review is good the reviewer has expressed her thoughts honestly, but as she pointed out that it is book that does not have grip or create suspense, ill pass this book. But thank you for the review!
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Post by kandscreeley »

I'm sorry that the execution turned out so poorly. It's nice that the characters were some well. Perhaps this can be salvaged after all, then! It does have an intriguing premise. Everyone loves a little ghost in their story!
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
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Post by Rifat »

pretty nice for kids who loves to investigate anything hope they will love it
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Post by Manang Muyang »

This seems like a good story that's not told very well. Even the cover and the title spell mystery. I hope the author will find the formula that will make the book work. (Who knows this will eventually reap success? It reminds me of "The Sixth Sense," my favorite ghost story of all time.)

Thanks, ReviewerDiksha, for the incisive review!
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Post by mommynorthrop08 »

Shame about the errors. Always drive me nuts. Love ghost stories but dont think I could get over the bad writing.
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Post by ShivaniS »

It has been a while since I read a ghost story. The cover seems very interesting. I look forward to reading it.
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Post by PratibhaG »

The grammatical mistakes are a let down for me too. Thank you for the honest review.
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Post by NeerajS »

I am not really into reading horror. Ibdid like your review. Good job
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Post by RKS »

The issues of child abuse and dealing with a loss seem heavy for a horror book. I'd like to see how the author has handled this. Thank you for the review.
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Post by KamalK »

I always look forward to a good horror story. This one seems multi dimensional. Thank you for the review.
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Post by ReyvrexQuestor Reyes »

The simple writing style may have been intended to target young children? I have not read a sample of the text, nor the story itself, so it is premature for me to pass judgment, but the theme and the storyline seem appealing. If I have time, I might skim past the errors and yet enjoy the book. Thanks for sharing the review.
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