Review: Enjoying the Story, Writing Stalls a Bit
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 13, 2008
Coombes Woods by L.C. Hinsley begins with the Izzy indecisive struggle with signing the papers now or later.  We come to learn that she, with her 13 year-old son Connor, has recently (and secretly) left her husband.  This is her second partnering, as her first was with Connor's biological father.The opening interchange with the Housing Council's Mrs. Roberts really showed Izzy as someone who's uncomfortable with making sudden or rash seeming decisions. However, she doesn't want her hesitation to best her either.  This is supported later with her expressed regret to Alana that she should have left her husband years ago.At the end of this transaction, the mystery of Coombe's Woods begins:  Why was Mrs. Roberts staring?  What was with the ornate walking cane?  Izzy has seen it before, but where?Later as Izzy's back story is divulged to the reader, the memory of the cane returns to her: Connor's dad had one similar to it and he was also from Cedham (where they've just moved to).  Now we know that something deliciously interesting could be in the mix.I'm a fan of the story so far.The writing, however, did stall in places with an overload of redundancy.  Some of it may have been necessary to convey a message to the reader, but using it as a tool too many times becomes, well, redundant.  I felt the following portions were examples:~To take the flat now or not...in Mrs. Roberts office.  In the end it seemed a good use to demonstrate Izzy's character.~The scene with writing on Connor's room's wall.  I know that this was to hit a point home, but I felt it played a little too long.Lines of comment:~'Izzy half expected an onion to be pulled from the desk drawer... Eat this apple, she'd say.'  I liked this one.  Plays into the whole theme.~'Take care in the woods. That's what that odd woman had said.' Followed by a description of what Izzy sees outside.  While I like the mini-scene, it would work better to have Izzy 'see' first then have that cause her recollection.Just nitpicks really.Overall, I like the originality of the story's premise and the author's writing is clever and engaging enough to keep my interest.  I hope to read more.