Book review : Nikke Bolvair's Silent Secrets

The novel is not without qualities. The author is a keen observer. She is very visual and can latch on to interesting details of everyday life. Metaphors and comparisons are often brilliant.

However… The first things that disappoints is the great number of characters milling around from the word go. It would probably work on the stage or in a movie, but it doesn’t work in a novel. We are supposed to remember all these names and visualize all these people in a flash. Who are they, what do they look like, what part do they play in the story ?

The second major weakness is the style. Sentences have no rhythm. If you tried to read them aloud, you would inevitably stumble, giving the impression that you are walking on a rocky path. To make matters worse, syntax and grammar are often subjected to a sneaky form of twisted torture. 

I felt as if I was reading the work of an undergraduate student who suddenly decided : “Hey, I think I’m going to write a novel !” And enthusiastically started hitting the computer keyboard.  I’m sorry, but after a few pages I just couldn’t go on, and had to give up.