Official Review: Boxes - The Trappings of Society and Rel...

[Misael Carlos]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Boxes - The Trappings of Society and Relationships" by Thomas DeSanto.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Happiness seems to evade Tim Adams in every way possible. Bullied at work, then coming home to experience hateful glares from an indifferent wife, he gets joy only from his two children. Timid-looking, no one would expect him to have sinister thoughts about his wife. Tim looked at the things around him as boxes: his marriage, his office, society and the world in general. With counterfeit credit cards, passports and IDs, he plans to do a disappearing act. Boxes - The Trappings of Society and Relationships by Thomas DeSanto presents a man’s attempt to escape the suffocating box he is in and get a new life. Will he succeed? Or will he realize it is not as easy as he thinks it is?

Boxes - The Trappings of Society and Relationships by Thomas DeSanto is the work of a creative author. I like the author’s use of symbolism. He presented boxes that a person may be forced to be in to follow society’s norms, hide from the outside world, or feel safe. I was amused at how boxes were emphasized and utilized in the novel; every appearance in the novel flowed naturally, whether these boxes appeared physically or metaphorically. The different types of boxes carried secrets that were revealed as the story progressed. You have to read the novel to know each secret.

DeSanto’s narrative was able to make me visualize the scenes as if I was with the characters. I could even hear the crackling of Tim’s cervical vertebrae as he rolled his head across his shoulders. I could feel the tension of each of the individuals in the story as feelings rose to the surface. The book presented every possible negative feeling a person may feel, like anger, resentment, disgust and disillusionment; I cringed at the insults the characters hurled at each other. All the characters, save one, emit negativity. Kendrick Masterman, Tim’s office mate, was the typical bully. Tim’s wife, Angelica Dante was a spoiled, selfish woman. Even Eva, the woman Tim met through an online advertisement, had her negativity around her. Bella, Angelica’s cousin, was the exact opposite of them; she was vulnerable and naïve.

Tim’s cunning personality grew in proportions as the story progressed. His attempt at changing his and his daughter’s appearances was one of the exciting parts of the novel. I was at the edge of my seat, holding my breath as I read on.

The book presented people battling with their predicaments and inner turmoils. It dealt with the different roles each character played. It presented varied relationships in society and the challenges they caused; the book showed how these challenges influenced their behavior and actions. I understood where they were coming from, regardless of whether I agree with their actions or would do the same if faced with similar circumstances.

DeSanto built up the suspense in exciting levels with all the twists and turns, and he brought me with him at each level. The author’s wicked sense of humor was at play here, too. I grinned, chuckled and laughed.

I observed just one grammatical error: missing quotation marks in a dialogue on page 172.

The book was engaging from the get-go. Apparently, the author used a proofreading tool and this resulted in a smooth reading experience. Boxes - The Trappings of Society and Relationships by Thomas DeSanto deserves the highest rating. Thus, I give it 4 out of 4 stars.

If you like a fast-paced suspense novel, this one is spot on. This novel is not for young readers because of the depiction of extramarital relationships, some profanities and a few racial slurs.

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Boxes - The Trappings of Society and Relationships
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[HannahsReads]

This certainly sounds like a suspenseful novel! Thanks for your engaging review.

[Raluca_Mihaila]

Congratulations for the interesting review! I love a fast-paced thriller, and the symbolism should only add value. Thank you the recommendation, I'll add it to my list.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

I like this unconventional storyline; I think, at some point in their lives, many people feel just like this character does--trapped in others' expectations at the expense of their own happiness. I sure hope the protagonist finds his way. Thanks for reviewing this book (a second time.)

[CharlieMax1516]

I don't know anyone who doesn't compartmentalize aspects of life into some form of boxes. This sounds like a story line everyone can relate to in some way. Your description of the plot and the well written text make me want to read this one right away. Thank you for a great review!

[Tayejim1]

An interesting plot. I would like to know about how he went about changing appearances. Thanks for a lovely review.

[Lisa A Rayburn]

We all have many faces, many boxes into which we categorize our lives. We are not the same person (we act and possibly even feel differently) at work as we are at home as we are at church, etc. I can relate to Tim's pigeonhole mentality. It sounds like an interesting take on a mystery/psychological thriller. I'll have to consider this one. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Ogbara]

Compartmentalizing, helps to gain clarity of different aspects of life.

[Tablito]

Tim's attempt to change his appearance and that of his daughter must have been hilarious.

[NetMassimo]

This seems an intriguing suspenseful novel with an important psychological element in the protagonist's development. Thank you for your great review!

[SweetSourSalty AndSpicy]

I am intrigued by the author's creativity in using boxes, physically and metaphorically. Thank you for the comprehensive review.