Review of Dillard's Promise
-
Alissa Deann Devargas
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 787
- Joined: 15 Feb 2024, 18:04
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 83
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alissa-deann-devargas.html
- Latest Review: Beyond Aquarius by Jennifer Freed
Review of Dillard's Promise
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dillard's Promise" by Gilbert Leslie.]
If you've played a jigsaw puzzle before, then you'd understand that eventual feeling of everything coming together. Now, stories and movies can be that way too. Dillard's Promise by Gilbert Leslie was like a jigsaw puzzle to me. At first, things didn't make sense, but gradually it all fell into place.
Houston Jenkins was raised by Florence Jenkins, so he naturally felt that she was his mother. However, on her deathbed she said something that didn't make sense to him. She said that she was his grandmother and not his mother. In one week, Houston's life was turned upside down. His mother died, and during her funeral a man met him claiming to know his mother. He realized that his coworker, Phil, might be very sick; he was unjustly arrested for drunk driving but later released; he found out that his wife was pregnant; he lost his job; and he was called in by the FBI, telling him that his DNA matched a serial killer in Lafayette County in 1975. All these were just too much for Houston, but it all emanated from the one thing he didn't know and longed for all his life—a father.
Was this story interesting? Yes, it was even more than that. There was suspense, intrigue, and thrills. It was also emotional, as the author described in detail how Houston felt at every turn in the story. At one point, I was irritated with Houston for losing his cool sometimes, but I quickly rechecked myself after remembering that he was facing too much with no breathing space at all. I liked Sabrina, his wife. She was the most loving and supportive wife that any man could have wanted. She was always there to calm Houston and keep him sane.
While I appreciate all this, even the ending and the unexpected twist of events in it, there were things I didn't fancy about the book. To start with, there were errors. The book needs to be re-edited because the errors sometimes affect the meaning of some of the sentences. Also, the plot needs to be reorganized to be more coherent. I understand that the author was trying to build suspense, but I found myself most of the time confused as I had to navigate through different times and plenty of characters.
All things considered, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. The errors and the confusion the plot caused me made me remove two stars from the rating. However, I must commend the story again in general. With much refinement, it would easily make a bestseller because of the developed characters and the book's intriguing plot. I recommend this book to those who like reading murder mysteries with a satisfying climax.
******
Dillard's Promise
View: on Bookshelves
If you've played a jigsaw puzzle before, then you'd understand that eventual feeling of everything coming together. Now, stories and movies can be that way too. Dillard's Promise by Gilbert Leslie was like a jigsaw puzzle to me. At first, things didn't make sense, but gradually it all fell into place.
Houston Jenkins was raised by Florence Jenkins, so he naturally felt that she was his mother. However, on her deathbed she said something that didn't make sense to him. She said that she was his grandmother and not his mother. In one week, Houston's life was turned upside down. His mother died, and during her funeral a man met him claiming to know his mother. He realized that his coworker, Phil, might be very sick; he was unjustly arrested for drunk driving but later released; he found out that his wife was pregnant; he lost his job; and he was called in by the FBI, telling him that his DNA matched a serial killer in Lafayette County in 1975. All these were just too much for Houston, but it all emanated from the one thing he didn't know and longed for all his life—a father.
Was this story interesting? Yes, it was even more than that. There was suspense, intrigue, and thrills. It was also emotional, as the author described in detail how Houston felt at every turn in the story. At one point, I was irritated with Houston for losing his cool sometimes, but I quickly rechecked myself after remembering that he was facing too much with no breathing space at all. I liked Sabrina, his wife. She was the most loving and supportive wife that any man could have wanted. She was always there to calm Houston and keep him sane.
While I appreciate all this, even the ending and the unexpected twist of events in it, there were things I didn't fancy about the book. To start with, there were errors. The book needs to be re-edited because the errors sometimes affect the meaning of some of the sentences. Also, the plot needs to be reorganized to be more coherent. I understand that the author was trying to build suspense, but I found myself most of the time confused as I had to navigate through different times and plenty of characters.
All things considered, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. The errors and the confusion the plot caused me made me remove two stars from the rating. However, I must commend the story again in general. With much refinement, it would easily make a bestseller because of the developed characters and the book's intriguing plot. I recommend this book to those who like reading murder mysteries with a satisfying climax.
******
Dillard's Promise
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: Beyond Aquarius by Jennifer Freed
