Rebel Town Reviews [OPEN]

Startling Starlight (Chapters 1-3) - @AnvilGottlieb

Starling Starlight (Chapter 1 - 3) by: AnvilGottlieb

Reviewed by: Nablai

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Cover/Title: The cover is really nice. The blue colour blends effortlessly with the coloured moon in the background. The title is a play around with the words Startling Starlight. 

Log line: It's the beauty of light that it owes its existence to the dark. And the prime reason you're here, highlights the fact that you need to embrace the darkness before appreciating the light.

Overview: This is an anthology of short stories with dark undertones. The theme of the stories revolve around the uncertain future and the way it encompasses our lives, taking us from ecstasy to sorrow in a matter of seconds.

The first story starts on a positive note and slowly winds its way to the darkness and creepy mindsets of the people.

The second story is about the delight of a child in getting a bird feeder.

The third story is all about memories and the imprints of the people closest to us, on our hearts and souls.

Grammar: The grammar needs to be polished up a bit. There are some comma issues, spelling errors, past tense need to be looked at (instead of shaked, it should read shook) You are good to go with a couple of edits. The spellings are neat, making it a pleasure to read.

Pace: Each story has its own pace as it progresses slowly through the past and present unravelling the plot in the process. The pacing comes across as broken at times, It was interesting to see the plot move at a fast pace. With the individual pacing constantly moving fast from flashbacks and to the present, the scenes become confusing at times.

Character Development: Character development is excellent. The dialogue is paced and the scenes are vivid. The three different stories introduce multiple characters like Dani and Mr. Wilson, Emily and her mom, Zoe and her mother-Cassandra. Even though the stories are dramatically diverse, there is an intertwining thread of darkness and mystery that runs through all of them. Each story starts on a positive note and then slowly builds up a mystery, keeping us on our toes with the cliffhangers till the end. The emotions are vivid and we can see the characters derive strength from themselves and their environment.

What I liked the most: In the first story, the writer effortlessly switches between the past and present and the varied scenes with ease. Like the way you have portrayed Dani and the trauma's of her mother's murder and the fact she hasn't gotten over it. The fear of her father is there and so palatable. The second story introduces us to Emily and her mom. We get to see Emily's delight as she installs a bird feeder in her yard. Third story starts with Cassandra with Mike where she tosses the coin into the well wishing for wishes to come true. Years down the line we are presented with Zoe and her struggles as she tries to come to terms with her dad's death in school. The resulting conversation with her mom is poignant and beautiful.

Concluding Thoughts: I would definitely recommend this anthology. The plot is tight, and the scenes are described well. All the best to the writer for their future works! :)

This review is for all to be touched on and not sugarcoated.