Review of The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road
2 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road" by Lacynda Mathes.]
“The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road” by Lacynda Mathes is a fictional novel with an intricate story line and quite a few memorable characters. It is set in modern-day Virginia and centers around the romance between Mike and Jillian, and the drama regarding their families, friends, and enemies. They have a deeply touching history, and so does the Pruce property in Oak Grove. What happened decades ago at the gravel pit near the house is still affecting the present for a lot of their inner circle. Their everyday lives play out with paranormal occurrences. Will the unrest ever stop?
The novel has a nice pace, which is what I like the most about it and part of why I give it a rating of three out of five stars. It doesn't trail off into nowhere, so it holds a reader's attention. It is easy to imagine the characters and their complicated web of connections. The chaos and the emotion between them feels like diving into a soap opera at times, yet the events have a realistic quality that's enjoyable. The twists and turns are interesting, and will appeal especially to readers who like shock value.
There are a few other reasons why I give “The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road” a rating of three stars. The main reason is that in the novel, there is a lot of telling and not showing. There are multiple sentences that tell the actions of characters, one right after the other. In so many of the passages, there isn't any text that breaks that up. Including portions with more description about what they are doing at times would lend itself to the excitement of the plotline. The second reason has to do with the way the character of Mike Poole is written. There are turning points in the book that are brought to reality because of his realizations and actions. In certain chapters, it's like a lightbulb turns on in his head, but there isn't a buildup to how he got there mentally. When reading these parts, it feels like something is missing, since the realizations and actions are crucial. Showing readers more of Mike's thought processes in these chapters and how they physically affect him would add more nuance. There are also editing errors, but fortunately only a couple.
“The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road” is a continuation of "Ravens’ Roost Farm". Readers who want to step into Mike and Jillian's world will find it a fun ride into small-town drama.
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The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road
View: on Bookshelves |
“The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road” by Lacynda Mathes is a fictional novel with an intricate story line and quite a few memorable characters. It is set in modern-day Virginia and centers around the romance between Mike and Jillian, and the drama regarding their families, friends, and enemies. They have a deeply touching history, and so does the Pruce property in Oak Grove. What happened decades ago at the gravel pit near the house is still affecting the present for a lot of their inner circle. Their everyday lives play out with paranormal occurrences. Will the unrest ever stop?
The novel has a nice pace, which is what I like the most about it and part of why I give it a rating of three out of five stars. It doesn't trail off into nowhere, so it holds a reader's attention. It is easy to imagine the characters and their complicated web of connections. The chaos and the emotion between them feels like diving into a soap opera at times, yet the events have a realistic quality that's enjoyable. The twists and turns are interesting, and will appeal especially to readers who like shock value.
There are a few other reasons why I give “The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road” a rating of three stars. The main reason is that in the novel, there is a lot of telling and not showing. There are multiple sentences that tell the actions of characters, one right after the other. In so many of the passages, there isn't any text that breaks that up. Including portions with more description about what they are doing at times would lend itself to the excitement of the plotline. The second reason has to do with the way the character of Mike Poole is written. There are turning points in the book that are brought to reality because of his realizations and actions. In certain chapters, it's like a lightbulb turns on in his head, but there isn't a buildup to how he got there mentally. When reading these parts, it feels like something is missing, since the realizations and actions are crucial. Showing readers more of Mike's thought processes in these chapters and how they physically affect him would add more nuance. There are also editing errors, but fortunately only a couple.
“The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road” is a continuation of "Ravens’ Roost Farm". Readers who want to step into Mike and Jillian's world will find it a fun ride into small-town drama.
******
The Haunting on the Old Gravel Pit Road
View: on Bookshelves |
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