Review: The Captive Storyteller
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 7, 2013
***Received from Entangled Publishing for an honest review***(This is a short story/novella. This review is not based on story length but story content as length has very little to do with how much I enjoy a book.)This was an interesting twist based on an old Middle Eastern fairy tale with the same title. I love that this is a zombie tale, that Sheri reads, that she risks her life to find books, that she does this to ensure her sister remains protected in the camp. I love her bravery, her devotion, her smart mouth, and her impulsiveness. I like Aleksy, the camp's King, but only for specific things--his uncertainty as to why Sheri hasn't turned even though she's been bitten, his concern for her (though that seems to be shown only in private instead of in front of the others in the camp, the ones who really need to see that she's not a threat), and his moments of tenderness with her (again, only in private).I understand fear of the unknown; in a post-apocalyptic world, it's acceptable. What I don't like is how Sheri is treated--stripped naked, chained to a wall, not allowed to see her sister, isolated from the others in the camp for fear she might turn and infect someone else--despite her proven loyalty, despite the fact that she has not yet turned into a zombie even though she arrived at the camp with a bite mark. I suppose I can accept her treatment up to a certain point in the story, but how can I accept it when no explanation is given as to why she hasn't turned into a zombie even though she's been bitten? What makes her special enough that she bears the marks of her zombie encounters but remains unaffected? Despite what she is, how come there isn't an attempt to answer the one question on everyone's mind: Why hasn't she turned?Did I enjoy this tale? *shrugs* Yes, but not as much as I think I would have if an explanation had been given concerning Sheri's condition. I had too many unanswered questions by the time I got to "The End" that I felt deprived and confused. Still, it is a beautifully written mini-thriller that I would read again simply for enjoyment and entertainment.