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A review by mikekaz
The Sorrows by Jonathan Janz
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
In looking over the other reviews for this book, I'm finding myself in the minority. Most people seem to really love it; I found the book good but not great. There were a couple items that detracted from me enjoying it more. However, I am with the majority in liking Janz as an author and wanting to continue reading more of his books.
Ben Shadeland and Eddie Blaze are two film composers who are having problems writing the score to their latest project: a big budget horror movie by Lee Stanley. To find their muse and get the music completed, they isolate themselves on the Sorrows: an island and castle owned by Chris Blackwood, the gambling-addicted heir to the Blackwood fortune. They really aren't isolated since Claire (a fan of Ben and want-to-be composer) and Eva (Lee Stanley's assistant) join them. When mixing those four characters (and more) with the haunted history of the island and of the Blackwood family, the result spells doom for several of them.
While there were a lot of characters, I didn't have any problems keeping track of them. Each fit their character-type enough to remember. However, they were more cliche than real. Chris' father was the work-focused, unforgiving father who completely rejects his son. Ben's ex-wife's new boyfriend was a sleaze who physically abuses one kid and sexually abuses another. And Eva played the role of hot woman who solves things with sex. She was actually the most annoying because it was never clear why she was on the island other than to be a sexual catalyst. Plus when we readers discover her motivation, she became more confusing. In order to get revenge on the man who hooked her mom on drugs and then sexually abused her, Eva gets into a sadomasochistic relationship with the same guy so she can write an expose about it? WTF?! Then the whole second helicopter flying out to the island was too convenient. Anyway, I don't want to vent. Overall, the book is good but with a bit too much suspense of belief. I'm rating it 3.5 but rounding it up to 4 since it was written by Janz and I would prefer he get more positive attention than negative.
Ben Shadeland and Eddie Blaze are two film composers who are having problems writing the score to their latest project: a big budget horror movie by Lee Stanley. To find their muse and get the music completed, they isolate themselves on the Sorrows: an island and castle owned by Chris Blackwood, the gambling-addicted heir to the Blackwood fortune. They really aren't isolated since Claire (a fan of Ben and want-to-be composer) and Eva (Lee Stanley's assistant) join them. When mixing those four characters (and more) with the haunted history of the island and of the Blackwood family, the result spells doom for several of them.
While there were a lot of characters, I didn't have any problems keeping track of them. Each fit their character-type enough to remember. However, they were more cliche than real. Chris' father was the work-focused, unforgiving father who completely rejects his son. Ben's ex-wife's new boyfriend was a sleaze who physically abuses one kid and sexually abuses another. And Eva played the role of hot woman who solves things with sex. She was actually the most annoying because it was never clear why she was on the island other than to be a sexual catalyst. Plus when we readers discover her motivation, she became more confusing. In order to get revenge on the man who hooked her mom on drugs and then sexually abused her, Eva gets into a sadomasochistic relationship with the same guy so she can write an expose about it? WTF?! Then the whole second helicopter flying out to the island was too convenient. Anyway, I don't want to vent. Overall, the book is good but with a bit too much suspense of belief. I'm rating it 3.5 but rounding it up to 4 since it was written by Janz and I would prefer he get more positive attention than negative.