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A review by wearyreader
Where Dragonflies Dance (Claybrook County Chronicles, #2) by A.A. Medina
dark
sad
slow-paced
2.0
I’m a critical reader so I want to start with that. I also want to say that I have mad respect to horror authors. I feel it’s completely unappreciated in modern reading/writing as well as an incredibly hard genre to write.
Pros:
This novella is an easy read. One could read this in one blocked out sitting.
The idea of the twist ending is sound.
Cons:
The descriptive language is over the top and a little ‘try-hard’. The first chapter is the hardest to get through. It’s dripping in adjectives and adverbs to no actual benefit of the story other than what I would describe as ‘trying to appear more intense than actual needed’. I equate this to a high school creative writing course. It’s bordering poetic writing so it comes off as confusing to the atmosphere the writer is trying to set.
I hope that no one has to ever go through this level of grief (or this experience in general) that is the subject of this novella but as a parent, I am EXTREMELY suspect that the writer was neither had kids or felt this kind of loss. There’s a disconnect that I feel immediately that the writer does try to feel out but just missed out enough. I’m not saying that someone needs to be or have gone through every single thing their characters have but it does a monumental effect on the ending. The way this builds into the ending and the ‘twist’ becomes glaring which ruined the twist and ending for me.
Additional notes: I am looking forward to reading additional writings of A. A. Medina and the world they create. I feel as if the author is on the precipice of creating a breakout bestseller if only they could harness something more personal to them.
Pros:
This novella is an easy read. One could read this in one blocked out sitting.
The idea of the twist ending is sound.
Cons:
The descriptive language is over the top and a little ‘try-hard’. The first chapter is the hardest to get through. It’s dripping in adjectives and adverbs to no actual benefit of the story other than what I would describe as ‘trying to appear more intense than actual needed’. I equate this to a high school creative writing course. It’s bordering poetic writing so it comes off as confusing to the atmosphere the writer is trying to set.
Additional notes: I am looking forward to reading additional writings of A. A. Medina and the world they create. I feel as if the author is on the precipice of creating a breakout bestseller if only they could harness something more personal to them.
Content Warnings