A review by jlynnelseauthor
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton

4.0

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. The author ties together different historical versions of the person known as Fust (believed to be "Faust"). Evil and its presence in the world is explored, and its meaning questioned. The storyline moves back and forth through time with the narrator's voice being in the past, yet it works surprisingly well to add tension and depth to the plot. The narrator is actually mute, but his thoughts are so vivid it gives him a strong voice. Wonderful dichotomy for the character. In its day, the printing press was thought of as "devilry" with printers' assistants being named as "devils." Such intersesting historical information is mixed into the story! I love the author's descriptive language. It paints a clear picture in a poetic form. "Mist clung to the trees on either side of the river like fragments of sleep, draping their silvery fronds in the murky water." It feels abstract and yet paints a clear picture in your mind! I also loved the tie in of leaf dragons living in trees who's skin contains properties of immortality and wisdom which has not been seen since Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. The book contains lots of intricacies in its plot that you do not notice while reading but draws the reader in further! There was an underlying theme of watching over family, but the family dynamic was so awkward it did not connect with me. I was completely turned off by the mother who showed next to no emotion towards her children. The family issues were messy throughout and then suddenly mopped up in the end. The parents were the most underdeveloped characters in the story and only seemed to be there to fill pages. I was disappointed in the family situation. Overall, though, the other characters were engaging and entertaining. I very much enjoyed the plot construction and journey of the book. Fantastic device (of using two time periods) to reveal the backstory and advance the plot at the same time!