Thursday 31 March 2011

Jason McInytre's 'Thalo Blue'



Synopsis:

Sebastion Redfield is being hunted. A young man on the brink of true adulthood, Redfield experiences the trauma of his life when a trespasser breaks into his home. The psychiatrist assigned to help him recover from the break-in begins to unravel a more disturbing truth about his ordeal: that someone or some thing has been hunting him.


Review:

McIntytre’s novel 'Thalo Blue' is an example of a heavy beauty; stunning and exquisite in places, it transports you into an almost metaphysical world. We travel the novel through the eyes of Sebastion; it is a painfully beautiful, almost unbearably sensuous world but one which is equally tinged with a latent element of extreme violence. With his character, I found myself completely absorbed in the intensity of the expression and moment. Sebastion’s story is of haunting and recovery and all of the complexities that come with a dark and haunting damage to the soul.


I wouldn’t call ‘Thalo Blue’ an easy read – it makes demands on its readers, and at times you find yourself having to surface for air. The protagonist, Sebastion, is explored with a depth that is almost intrusive, offering a semi voyeuristic experience. Through Sebastion’s eyes, other character’s are reduced to sensuous experience rather than human connection and, perhaps this is my only minor criticism – the resultant effect is that as a reader, you feel locked to the protagonist in a way that is at once compelling and stifling. An absorbing, chilling read which plays with the reader.


McIntyre is clearly going to be a name to watch; a talented writer with a very promising future. I can’t wait to read more from this author.


4.5 /5


Get your copy for only $2.99 at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/39353#longdescr

2 comments:

  1. Katie, what a great review. To say you are compelled and stifled all at once is, to me, a great compliment and one of the dichotomous sensations I was striving for.

    Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and posting this. You're a gem! I'm so glad you got something from your read of this book.

    j. //

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  2. It's a great book Jason and I'm looking forward to reading more!
    A story should be more than something purely intellectual, it needs to be close and personal and you certainly create that; some powerful stuff. Good job! :-)

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