Review: A fantastic read!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 10, 2011
Storyline: Rachel, I don't know HOWzell you did it! But, somehow you took a potentially depressing premise and made it both very entertaining and enjoyable.Nicole and Truman are quickly approaching their 11 year anniversary. They have a beautiful house in the hills, take trips all over the world and have great jobs. Even with all of this, the two of them have grown apart and the rift is getting wider and deeper as time goes on.Truman has become somewhat of an adrenaline junkie and in preparation for one his latest adventures, there's an accident and he's gone missing. She's haunted by her choices and her past with Truman and her possible her future without Truman.Or is he really gone...?Nicole must fight her inner demons and overcome her grief before it destroys her...Grammar/Spelling: There were no issues with the grammar and spelling.Character Development: I have not had the unfortunate experience (*knocks on wood*) of losing anyone that is near and dear to me in real life, but I truly felt it with Nicole's experience. I could see that she was an average woman, one who felt betrayed by her husband and who was lonely; Nicole wasn't a super hero capable of leaping over devastation and pain in a single bound. Nicole went through the stages of grief like any normal person would and asked the same questions that anybody else would. "Why did this happen? How can you people move on like he was never here?!"Writing Style: The writing style was smooth and engaging. I really felt like I connected with Nicole and her loneliness, depression and grief. I could also feel the pain, frustration and sadness of that her best friends felt as they watched their friend fall through the emotional floor of depression.I really liked the method that Ms. Howzell used to create a series of flashbacks to develop the relationship between Nicole and Truman to show that they really did have a wonderful relationship and, like any other couple, had their ups and downs.Continuity:  No issues at all with continuity.Overall Rating: 4+I really and truly enjoyed The View from Here by the lovely Ms. Rachel Howzell. Even as Nicole spirals downward and out of control, it would be incredibly easy for anyone to relate to her pain and loss. I believe The View From Here would be a wonderfully therapeutic read for someone who has recently lost a loved one and it's definitely a great read for everyone else!