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A review by holli1al
Death Watch by Ari Berk
5.0
I was able to relate to Silas in a way that I don't think I can even describe. Dr. Berk has not only captured the loneliness inherently resting within the heart of every only child, but also their imagination and their tendency to be drawn to the solemn aspects of adulthood too early. This is no ordinary fantasy world that Dr. Berk spins; for he is actually un-spinning reality to reveal the restless ever-present ghosts who lurk there, too often ignored.
This tale is a coming-of-age story, a modern Grimm's fairy tale, and an expert examination of the importance and variance of death rituals across cultures.
The prose in this novel and its sequels is both beautiful and haunting; months have passed since I first read them, and yet even in daylight, images and voices from Death Watch continue to crawl out of the text and dig their talons into my unconscious, if I am not watchful. The writing is masterful enough to convince any reader that the town of Lichport really is out there somewhere,perched on the crumbling banks of reality, but I am more unfortunate than the average reader. I happen to live directly by the real mill pond that I am fairly certain inspired Dr. Berk's Mill Pond, and in the dark of night I, like Silas, have seen darting lights there, will-o-the wisps that I try to explain away as swamp gas. I no longer walk there at night, for fear that the pale and dripping arm of some lonely girl will reach out for my shoe, whispering, "I will be." So, I guess what I'm saying is, thanks a lot for that, Dr. Berk.
This tale is a coming-of-age story, a modern Grimm's fairy tale, and an expert examination of the importance and variance of death rituals across cultures.
The prose in this novel and its sequels is both beautiful and haunting; months have passed since I first read them, and yet even in daylight, images and voices from Death Watch continue to crawl out of the text and dig their talons into my unconscious, if I am not watchful. The writing is masterful enough to convince any reader that the town of Lichport really is out there somewhere,perched on the crumbling banks of reality, but I am more unfortunate than the average reader. I happen to live directly by the real mill pond that I am fairly certain inspired Dr. Berk's Mill Pond, and in the dark of night I, like Silas, have seen darting lights there, will-o-the wisps that I try to explain away as swamp gas. I no longer walk there at night, for fear that the pale and dripping arm of some lonely girl will reach out for my shoe, whispering, "I will be." So, I guess what I'm saying is, thanks a lot for that, Dr. Berk.