Review: From "Red Adept Reviews"
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 2, 2011
Plot/Storyline: 3 StarsThis book reminded me tremendously of Stephen King's Rose Madder.  It had many similar elements, like a woman with an abusive ex, a supernatural being, and some other portions of the ending that I can't disclose.  A big difference was that the main character, Izzy, had a thirteen year old son, Connor. Another major difference, of course, was the setting, so I guess this is the UK answer to King's novel.  Having really enjoyed King's book, I certainly was not adverse to reading a similar one.The book had a pretty good pace to it. While it had sections of sluggishness, for the most part it moved pretty quickly. I enjoyed the backstory of "Coombe's Woods" in the first retelling by an old guy at a pub. It was an interesting tale told in a way that evoked plenty of emotion. It had the feel of a scary ghost story told by a campfire.The inclusion of the "elf" element was a real turn off for me. I really felt as though the book would have been much more realistic without that little side plot. Elves?  Really?The intervening letters to her friend and parents were helpful at times, but odd at others. At one point, she thought she saw someone she used to know, but when that person walked away, she appeared to assume that it was just her imagination. However, she later sent a letter to her friend about the incident, using the assumption that it was who she thought it was and ranting about it.  Then, in the regular narrative, she doesn't think much about the incident at all for a long time.The romantic side plot was a lukewarm addition. There were no sparks; there was no romance. As a matter of fact, Izzy seemed to almost think, "Well, I might as well be with him, since he's male, likes my kid, and is so accessible."The suspense buildup was sorely lacking. Except in the action sequences, I never felt any fear. It was almost as if the horror portion was just another side plot.Characters: 4 StarsIzzy was a terrific main character. She was earthy and so authentic that most women, whether they had been in her situation or not, could easily identify with her.  Now, I must admit here that I did not like her at all. While she managed to pull her head out of her a** now and then for the sake of her son, she was not only a very weak women, but spent way too much time in the book crying, fainting and drinking. But, then again, she was still realistic.Connor was a refreshing change from the usual, saccharine-sweet children in novels.  The best word to describe him is "brat." In other words, he was just like most young teens, wrapped up in himself. I was surprised at the language he used, that Izzy allowed him to use. However, I have to just chalk that up to differences in parenting styles.  UnfortunatelyFeathers was the weak link in the story. He was undeveloped and rather boring as a romantic interest.Writing Style: 4 1/2 StarsThere were some misplaced clauses here and there that caused me to have to reread sentences to get the meaning. However, this was not prevalent. Mostly, the writing style was pretty clear. The descriptions were exceptionally vivid, with terrific imagery. The dialogue was realistic most of the time, with the small exception of some characters using too flowery language when recounting a story.Editing: 4 1/2 StarsI found just a few too many editing issues, such as incorrect homophones and punctuation problems.  The errors I found didn't mar the reading experience.