Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Literature Review #4: Who Is Evelyn Dae?

....the question at hand; however, not the most important one stimulated by this work of Sarah LeFleur.  Should parents keep secrets from their children?  Easy one, of course!  Will your off spring find them out?  Yep!  When entrenched deep in adolescence, will current angst mold who we become in adulthood?  "Who is Evelyn Dae?" might be termed a novella for young adults, or teens, but will work best if read by parents and their children, simultaneously.  Our protagonist is noble and likable, and caught in a mystery which will have extraordinary results....if she is able to solve it.  As with most solved mysteries, they tend to birth a host of uncomfortable questions....
Evelyn is a good kid.  Smart, cute, and social.  Unlike many a teen, she initially demonstrates wisdom so rare in those impulsive teen years.  Her early dating awkwardness spurred a set of rules to live by.  To give Evelyn credit, as parents, we advocate many of the same rules she has instituted for herself.  They concern dating, kissing, boys (eek!), and protecting ourselves from being vulnerable.  What would a good story be without a protagonist who breaks the rules?  A boy from across the pond has arrived at Evelyn's school for the year.  After some awkward dating history, Evelyn is determined to ignore the new arrival.....but he has an English accent!  You guys out there, fear not.  Though it might seem that this prose is headed in the direction of a sappy teen-love drama, Ms. Lafleur cascades this story into mystery, intrigue, and perhaps a hint of the fantasy world.
Whatever Evelyn's unique outlook toward her teen predicament yields, the story takes some complex turns.  At first, Evelyn seems to be at odds with her parents...as most teens are.  However, this relationship takes on an intrigue that tell the reader, "something weird is also going on here."  Who exactly are her parents, and what have they done?  What are they hiding, and why are they gone so much?  When Evelyn turns detective, we see that the answers to those questions are anything but routine.  As Evelyn nears shocking revelations, we the reader drop our jaws in amazement.  I'm so tempted to pass along spoilers, but I'll stop here with my plot description.
This work is available on Amazon.com in Kindle or printed format.  However, at a most reasonable price, this novella is also sold with "Who Is Evelyn Dae 2."  After reading the first one, you are definately going to want to plow through Part 2.  Sarah LaFleur will take you for a ride, and hopefully it is a ride you will undertake with your parents...or children.  Also, lovers of the sea will appreciate the symbolism and metaphor used by the author.  As we delve further into this story, Ms. LaFleur's writing will open your senses, and you will smell the sea air and feel the salt water on your face.  Enjoy!

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