Review: The dark side
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 25, 2013
There are writers and then there are artists who express themselves through writing. I would say Julie falls into the second category. I always enjoy her books, and 13 was no exception. The thing I love about her writing is that it is so engaging that you must read on. Her characters are so real, and they grab your attention and take you away to a different world where often it is unclear what is happening, but the journey is always well worth it.With '13' Julie Elizabeth Powell brings us a horror, in the true sense of the word and genre. What would you do if you suddenly found yourself in a situation where the only way you could survive was to kill off the competition? This imaginative tale is a reflection of the darker side of the world we live in, where selfishness and brutality are highlighted, where people take actions without considering the consequences or the effects.Each chapter brings us a short snippet introducing the characters. When I read the first few chapters I admit to being confused and wondering whether this was just a collection of very short and confusing short stories. It is only after all the characters are introduced that the book really begins to become clearer. I would say that as there are so many characters, it may sometimes be confusing to the reader as to who is who, especially as in the final part of the book they are all just known as a number, rather than their name. But this turns out to be a minor point because what is more important is the characters' motivations. I think this is the sort of book that will become even more enjoyable on each subsequent reading as you begin to remember who each of the characters is and how they fit in to this complex tale.This is a wonderful idea, which is expertly crafted. It must have been very difficult to write, but yet is a quick and satisfying read. The last line gave me goosebumps. I would definitely recommend this book, but be prepared for some shocking stories... this is horror, after all.