Critique Book Club

Batch 4: Unmasked The Devil

Bago simulan ang pagbabasa, lawakan muna ang pag-iisip. Maaaring may mabasa kang hindi magugustuhan ng iyong mata't damdamin, sana ay huwag mo gaanong dibdibin. Ang lahat ng nakasulat ay batay lamang sa kaalaman at opinyon ng iyong kritiko, sana ay may matutunan ka mula rito.

-JL

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Book title: Unmasked the Devil
Author: tristesoul
Critique made by: inklins-

∞Title:

Unmasked the Devil.

I don't know but the title just doesn't sit well with me in a grammatical way. Yes, the title makes sense since it like surmises the whole running-round-in-circles plot of the story and the do or die game of each character to try and find out who the killer is. So back to my concerns, "Unmasked" doesn't appeal that nicely to my own eyes, this is just my own opinion though but I think it would be better if it's "Unmasking" but there is no need to make any changes since I admit that I am not a professional in writing critiques and brainstorming on possible story titles.

∞Book Cover:

The cover is pleasing to the eye, and it depicts, again, the whole sense of the story from the masked person. The font color and font style are also pleasing since there is some sort of contrast on the range of colors. All in all, the cover is nice.

∞Blur&Epilogue:

I don't know if this is supposed to be the blurb of the story and the prologue, but I guess I just have to write what I've understood regarding this topic. To be honest, the prologue doesn't show that much. It just like follows a stream of consciousness and questions but it is interactive since it's trying to approach the story at hand in a paradoxical way, posing a challenge to the readers. The blurb, on the other hand, is okay. Though it doesn't seem catchy or mind-blowing or anything out of the ordinary and normal way of word use, but I think it's pretty engaging and it doesn't reveal much which is good.

∞Characterization:

This part, I admit, really is tough since there are so many characters and each of them has their own point of view and says as the events progressed. The problem with the characterization, in my own opinion though, is that they're voiceless. They don't have this certain character that makes them stand out, the author mainly focused on the attitude and the looks but, to make a character more realistic. You need to dwell deeper than that. Again, I do not claim that I am good at writing critiques and building the voice and distinct qualities of each character since I also am an amateur writer so majority of what I'm writing right now is like an unprecedented take on the matter.

∞Plot and Settings:

The setting is wise, though the author can use some imagery and other literary devices out there to vividly depict let's say a classroom setting or the cafeteria or any other place in the university mentioned in the story. With regards to the plot, I can say that the events are progressing far too quickly that it's supposed to be. But I never tried to write under such genre and such type of story before but I think the pacing is just too fast that it makes me think that the characters aren't given the time to mourn. I mean, grieving is natural, but at the end of the day, it'll always remain as a choice.

∞Narrations and Dialogues:

The narration is good, it's using show instead of plainly telling but there is always a way to spice things up when you're trying to write a story to drag the readers into the scene. The dialogues still have a place for improvement, because dialogues are like the voices of the character but in reading the first five chapters, I feel like they have this same undertone but the dialogues especially the confrontation scenes are wise, keep it up!

∞Opinion as a reader:

In my own humble opinion as a reader, this story is something that I'll add to my library and read because I love mysteries and murders and stories kept in the dark. It's a great story despite the flaws because those things are already somewhat imperative, no one's perfect. All in all, this story is worth the time reading!