The Bin

I’m not sure if I have told any of my readers this before, but my family–especially the maternal side–has deep connections to the Arts and Humanities. As a genealogist with a lifelong passion for researching her roots, my mom has discovered that we are distant cousins of singers, artists, and writers alike (not to mention some politicians and royalty, but that’s a story for another day). However, there is a much more recent family member who connects me to the Arts: my grandfather, Al Blanchard, who drew portraits, landscapes, and building plans. While I barely have an artistic bone in my body besides my writing, I still decided to check out today’s book because of an intense curiosity my grandfather instilled in me for both art and the process of creating it. The book at the center of this review is Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor in 7 Stages by Lela Stankovic.

This book is, as the title states, a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to painting a beautiful rose in watercolor. Still, it’s more than that; it contains the building blocks with which you can lay the foundation for a new skill, a.k.a. watercolor painting. From basic techniques to which art supplies you need and how to transfer a sketch for an outline, Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor covers everything you need to know in order to start a fulfilling hobby–or, perhaps, something more if you have a knack and the patience for it.

I need to get this out of the way right now: watercolor and I do not typical get along. The edges of the pages always curl on me, which causes me to be frustrated and I quit before I even get a chance to practice. The funny part? If I understand Stankovic properly, there have only been two mistakes standing in my way of fully enjoying this activity: I use the wrong kind of paper and I don’t stretch it first. I might not have any talent for it even after this fix, but at least now I understand why the pages kept curling. Who knew? Thank you, Lela!

Given that, perhaps the best part of Stankovic’s guide is that it doesn’t just take readers blindly through the steps. Rather, Stankovic explains why each step is done, but what it does to the painting, and how it has the effect that it has. As someone who likes to know how things work and why they are the way they are, I found this element of the book both enlightening and helpful. When I can’t have someone there to show me how to do something, a guide as thorough and comprehensive as this one is the next best thing (and I’m guessing most writers would agree with me).

The second best part of this book is Stankovic’s honesty. She does not try to sugar coat the side effects of doing any of the steps incorrectly, but she also makes it clear that some variations can be used. She mentions some specific brands of paint, but she’s also transparent about the fact that she is not sponsored or reimbursed by any such companies. I can tell that she truly just wants to help budding painters, a trait which I admire in guides to crafts and which also makes me feel as though I’ve found a kindred spirit in the writer.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that this book can make you a master painter in one session. In fact, one painting might not be completed in one day. Stankovic makes it clear that each step can take time depending on how much drying the paper needs to do in between and that some steps might even require repetition in order to get it right. You might need to just practice certain techniques before you can do it to your own satisfaction. This process takes time and patience, two things which can’t be taught. However, Stankovic makes the instructions as clear and easy to follow as possible, so even novice painters can give it a try to some level of success.

At 109 pages, this book is deceptively short. Nevertheless, I suggest taking Stankovic’s advice on how to read the book: read it through all the way a couple times and then keep it near you so you can refer to it while painting. This method might seem repetitive and tedious, but at least you’ll absorb more of the information and come at your first painting attempt with a better understanding of what you need to do.

The accompanying photographs are beautiful and useful, although I wish the sizes were adjust in the eBook copy. Admittedly, I was reading this book on the Kindle app on my phone, so that most likely distorted and shrunk the images unnecessarily. They might not be that way on other electronic readers, so I wouldn’t use that issue as a deal-breaker in your decision about this book.

Another very minor improvement that could be made would be the addition of a glossary. While I could go back to previous chapters for some terms, I came across painting terms often enough that would have rather turned to a glossary where all the terminology was listed. It would just be easier, and if people still couldn’t make things connect for them mentally after reading the glossary, then they could turn to the necessary chapter for further explanation.

Overall, Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor by Lela Stankovic is enlightning, easy to follow, and a great place for any beginner watercolor artist to start–or even a great place for experienced artists looking for a refresher or a new perspective on their art.The writing is great and flows by fairly quickly, but don’t rush through this book. You won’t be able to do your own watercolor illustrations for the cover of your next book after just one read-through, but you’ll be ready to begin your journey to becoming a painter, whether by profession or by hobby.

I would also like to say that I think all writers should pick up some other form of art, whether it be sculpting, drawing, or watercolors. We can learn so much from the patience and attention to detail needed for those art forms, but that’s a subject for another day. Until then, you should check out Lela Stankovic’s book for a step-by-step guide to an entertaining and beautiful activity.

You can buy Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor by Lela Stankovic as an eBook on Amazon. Also make sure to check out Stankovic’s website and Facebook page for more information on her and her art.

Do you know of a book I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and tell me about it!

Greetings, fellow creatures who never sleep! I’m here with another book review, this time a Book based in an amalgamation of various mythologies the likes of which I’ve never read before. Of course, as is the case with many such amazing books, this one is mostly based in Greek mythology as a way to tie together several mythologies from around the world. The book reviewed in this post is Hubris (The Siren Tragedies Book 1) by Sarah V. Hines.

Mnemosyne created humanity. It was a science project for her, really, that grew into so much more. She had their best interests at heart, even to the point of choosing her husband based on his intentions–or lack thereof–with humans. Unfortunately, it was the wrong choice for Mnemosyne, one which left her and her daughters in an endless cycle of physical and psychological abuse. When pregnant with her final daughter, Mnemosyne is at her wife’s end. What if this child got the worst of her husband’s abuse? What if she couldn’t survive it? The best which Mnemosyne can do for her is to turn to Zherneboh–her husband’s brother with ages-long infatuation with her, for one last desperate attempt at protection.

Fast-forward to the present day. Earth is in chaos from all the pacts which humans have entered with the Dark One and his minions, the Dark Lords. Alexandros, in charge of the Light World, Earth, and all who inhabit both, plans to cleanse the human race and start anew. Yet he has gained a powerful enemy: Telese, his youngest and most rebellious daughter. She wants to save the human race and gain her own freedom from her father’s abuse, and she’s desperate enough to do whatever will take to accomplish these goals–and foolish enough to involve humans and Dark Lords. Will her plan succeed? Will she suffer more than ever at her father’s hand after he quashes the rebellion? Or, like fire, will she rise from the burning embers of her pain more powerful than before?

Hines has created a complex and layered world of magic and mythology which admittedly envy some. She has taken tidbits from mythology and legends from multiple parts of the world and created one comprehensive universe in which these all have a foundation which is based not in the human mind but in something very real and very threatening to human existence. From Greek mythology to Arthurian legends, Hines at least makes nods to several major European tales. I admire her ability to find the similarities among these cultures and use them to reverse-energy an imagined source to use in her fantastical world.

Of course, all of this dazzling world development did leave me a little dizzy at points. I found myself distracted for most of the book trying to make sense of the origin story used in this novel–and if, in fact, the one told by Telese is all the truth, especially when compared to the prologue. I also grew distracted by trying to figure out who might be who in different mythologies which I have a basic understanding of, but that might more be my own wandering mind looking for patterns as it always does rather than any flaw in the book’s part.

The characters, I think, are my favorite part of this book. I especially have an affinity for Telese and Eric, as well as a twisted and amused fascination with Mortimer. Telese is so powerful and independent, how could I not love her? She’s a bit antisocial, but I’m sure anyone would be if they endured what she has to. Similarly, Eric is withdrawn and bookish, a linguist major with a master for translation. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t automatically bind with him over him being a linguist. I saw so much of myself in his fascinations and pursuits that a bond was inevitable. Mortimer,on the other hand, is cocky, arrogant, and very self-assured. I would have smacked him given how he was in the beginning, but by the end he fleshes out into an almost sympathetic character–as much as a butt-kissing troublemaker can be–and I grew to kind of like the SOB. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, but I have a little affection for him.

The plot is also strong and intriguing. It wasn’t the main appeal of the book for me, but it certainly caught my attention and made me think. What if you had the fate of the world in your hands but also risk your own life in doing so? Would you walk away or do what you’re asked? I also wanted to see who would join Telese and who would side with Alexandria out of fear…not to mention who would live and who would die. There might be such a thing as a bloodless coup in politics, but not among family members, and this is the biggest family you will ever see.

I think that my classes in comparative literature gave me an edge in reading this book which others would not have, allowing me to relish in some references that might go over another reader’s head. Then again, I might just be underestimating the audience! Yes, some of the references will initially go over some readers’ heads, but Hines resolves most issues involving that as the book goes on. Whatever she doesn’t clear up, well, there’s always Google for that.

I was able to predict one character’s downfall early on, but it was the mechanics of the situation which I did not know, nor did I know exactly how it would affect the other characters. Needless to say, there are no damsels-in-distress here, and not one of them will stay extinguished for long.

Overall, I think Hubris by Sarah V. Hines is a great book. Anyone interested in mythology and diverse cultures will definitely not want to miss this story. Not only does she try and cover several mythologies, Hines also depicts several races and ethnicities through the Sirens, who reflect that people of whatever region they are assigned to. The reveal of much of the information about this world is a bit jumbled, but that accurately reflects the state of chaos the Earth is in this book. I highly recommend this book to fantasy fans, mythology fans, and anyone interested in not-so-subtle political and social commentary. I can’t wait to see where Telese’s hubris takes us next!

You can buy Hubris by Sarah V. Hines on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

Final review for the night! I’m covering another historical novel in this review, but this time, the book is about an Irish immigrant coming to America in the 1840s. This book is called Billy Gogan, American: A Novel by Roger Higgins.

Billy Gogan, only 15 years old, is sent to his cousin Seamas’s home after the death of his father and being dismissed from St. Patrick’s College in Ireland. While he is soon tracked down by Father O’Muirhily, one of his teachers from St. Patrick’s College, Billy is not headed back the familiar setting of the school. Instead, Seamas gives him a ticket for the Maryann, a ship headed to New York City. With no other family and nowhere to go, Billy has no choice but to make his way to the promising shores of America and new start where no one knows of him or his father.

Unfortunately for Billy, this fresh start brings him even more baggage than what he had in Ireland. From witnessing the murder of Father O’Muirhily by a man in black to befriending a fellow passenger of the Maryann and falling in love with a mulatto girl, Billy’s voyage to and arrival in the Great Melting Part is filled with adventure, scandal, voter fraud, love, and mystery. While wrapped up in the new life he is trying to build for himself, Billy does not realize that the man in black who killed Father O’Muirhily is hot on his trail. What does the man in black want? Why did he kill Father O’Muirhily? And exactly how much trouble will Billy get himself into in the slum that is Five Points?

The most fascinating part of this novel, I think, is the narrative voice and structure. Higgins could have easily fooled me into believing that it was a true memoir. With a forward by Niall Gogan, the grandson of Billy Gogan, and authentic-sounding nineteenth-century narration, Higgins went to great lengths to give the reader an immersive reading experience. Perhaps the most impressive feat, in my opinion, is Higgins’s use of truly Irish names. Of course, being British by birth himself, I suppose that Higgins should know better than to use Anglicized versions of Irish names unless the Irish characters are trying to seem less British, such as Billy’s second cousin Evelyn. Readers will probably stumble over the Irish names, but they enhance the authentic feel of the narrative established by the use of Irish colloquialisms (including swearing and ethnic slurs).

On a similar note, there is some language here that might not be considered politically correct today. In fact, the descendant of Billy Gogan says as much in the forward and argues not removing them because it would change the context of these situations. Really, the slurs aren’t too glaring, but some readers might still want to keep this in mind while they are going through this book.

Higgins’s research is truly impeccable. As a bit of a history nerd myself, I was impressed by how well he captured the Irish immigrant’s experience in the 1800s. The good, the bad, the very bad, all presented in a way in which the reader could empathize with Billy. He shows the deplorable condition of the slums which Irish immigrants and ex-slaves had to call home, as well as the divisive social hierarchy. However, Higgins ensures that there are enough positive points to keep the negatives palatable. In America, Billy completes his education, gets work, falls in love, and reunites with Mary Skidder, a fellow passenger of the Maryann, and forms a brother-sister bond with her. Unfortunately for poor Billy—and sensitive readers—the darkness might just overtake the bright points in his life.

Even as Billy does some questionable things, I couldn’t help but to feel for him and want everything to turn out all right for him. I even found it hard to fault him for something as serious as beaning another boy in the head during a game of cricket (the kid had it coming, if you ask me). I still wanted life to work out for Billy. Higgins doesn’t exactly give me that pleasure, but as this is only book one and he clearly ends up with a family eventually, I suppose I just have to be patient and read the next book.

While Billy’s experiences as an immigrant are a huge focal point for the book, much of the narrative centers on mystery and crime. From the man in black following him to the political corruption of Tammany Hall, the reader is never short on intrigue and tension. I even have to wonder about his father’s “death.” Billy had not been allowed to see him in jail for quite some time, and then his father dies of some illness just weeks before the Great Liberator is pardoned? And then an unknown man tells the Headmaster of St. Patrick’s College of Billy’s father’s death before disappearing? It’s all very suspect, and I deeply hope that Higgins returns to it in book two.

I noticed maybe one or two proofreading errors in the almost 400-page novel which could not be accounted for by the use of the Irish language. However, they are so minor and infrequent that they do not detract from the reading experience and are pretty much negligible.

Overall, I loved Billy Gogan by Roger Higgins. I’m simply floored by the depth of Higgins’s research and his ability to capture the speech and spirit of the Irish immigrant. If you aren’t a history nerd like I am, you might find this book a little tedious, although the mystery element could still be enough to pull you in. If you are a history nerd, I doubt I need to sell you on this book any further. Just get ready for a big time commitment. The book is long and not all of writing is easily acceptable to the average American reader. You’ll probably make good use of the glossary provided at the beginning as there’s naturally a lot of Irish slang used, but this book is worth the extra effort. Besides, it’s not every day that you get to learn a little Irish slang! I personally can’t wait to see where Billy’s story takes us next. Based on the sneak peek at the back of the book, it looks like we’re heading for the Mexican-American War!

You can buy Billy Gogan by Roger Higgins as an eBook and in print on Amazon.

Do you know of a book I should read?  E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

Here’s the next review, folks! This time, I’m reviewing an interesting throwback to the 1950s which I think can best be described as Stand by Me mixed with The Outsiders twisted by a sense of humor and adventure unique to this author. The book I’m reviewing in this post is The Little Bastards by Jim Lindsay.

As with each decade since the turn of the twentieth century, growing up in the 1950s was an experience unlike any other, even more so in logging and other rural areas away from the big cities. No war to suffer through and the Great Depression come and gone, it was a time to be wild and push the limits—unfortunately, some limits are there for a reason, and pushing them can have unintended consequences.

The Little Bastards takes the reader through the teenaged years of Sonny Mitchell and his close group of friends, appropriately nicknamed “The Little Bastards”. From bicycles to hot rods, corpses to girls, and chump change to summer jobs, this book follows the transformation of these boys into blue-collar young men. Along the way, readers get to watch as The Little Bastards’ personalities change as well as their interests. Some loosen up, some fall in love, and some reveal a side to themselves that no one knew they had, maybe not even them. All the while, Lindsay reveals what it was like to grow up in the 50s, including some of the stupid sh*t that boys would do. For The Little Bastards, as their risk-taking gets wilder and their need for adventure and rebellion grow, so do their brushes with danger, until it all but becomes too much for anyone to handle.

The first element of this book which caught me off-guard was the seamless way in which Jim Lindsay wrote in the colloquial style of a boy growing up in that decade. Of course, it probably helped that he grew up during that time himself. I didn’t know some of the terms used, given that I wasn’t even born for four more decades, but they’re easy to figure out from context. (Anything I couldn’t figure out I could just look up on Google.)

Still, keeping true to such a voice also meant saying a lot of things which might make some readers uncomfortable. Mostly, the boys swear a lot and use phrases which are not considered “appropriate” nowadays. No big deal for some readers, but a really big deal for others. (I, for one, expect it, especially in a book about this time period.) The swearing also adds even more humor to the tale than there already is, along with some of the other colloquialisms you would probably not say in polite company. Jake’s explanation of Sonny’s erection, for example, had me all but bursting out laughing, but I doubt you’d want to use the phrase “lover’s balls” in mixed company.

Lindsay also develops a wide range of three-dimensional, dynamic characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with. They certainly deserve their nickname, mind you, but it’s in an almost endearing way. Each of these little bastards have strong, individual personalities and histories which add depth to their character. For me, among the most memorable in the group were Joe, the tough SOB who was practically left to fend for himself due to a bad home life; Billy, the leader of the group as well as the most academic, the only one with plans to go to college; Johnny, the youngest and most gullible in the group, eager to please; Miles, a quiet guy with a beast inside that even his friends don’t expect; and my personal favorite, Archie, the son of a mortician with a grim sense of humor. Sonny is also quite the character, a risk-taker but also hardworking and rather valiant when he wants to be. They each border on stereotype at first, but it doesn’t take long for Lindsay to turn that idea on its head.

The escalation in the costs of their risk-taking had me on the edge of my seat. The narrative grows darker as the boys get older and the risks become more…daring, but, for the most part, the humor still remains to alieve some of the tension. This escalation was aided to an increasing emotional investment in these characters; honestly, I felt as though I could’ve been reading the journal of one of my mom’s older cousins. The voice and strong character development made it easy for me to become emotionally attached. In fact, sometimes the line between fact and fiction became minimal as everything that happened seemed possible. The result: an even stronger reaction to the boys’ misfortunes.

The ending left me surprised. In a way, I’m glad that it didn’t get as dark as it could have. On the other hand, it also left me stunned. I felt as though Lindsay could have easily kept on telling Sonny’s stories and I wouldn’t have gotten bored of them. Still, with a show-stopping conclusion like this, it probably would’ve been pretty hard to top it. Unfortunately, that’s all I can say without giving away too many spoilers.

I noticed a couple minor proofreading errors, but no more than is acceptable in a professionally-published novel.

Overall, The Little Bastards by Jim Lindsay is a great book. It’s funny, engaging, and gripping. Frankly, I think it captures the era perfectly, at least from a teenager’s perspective, and I think that would make it perfect for anyone interested in that time period. For those who aren’t, the characters are entertaining and well-developed, and the situations—all of which are like short stories themselves—will pull you in anyway. There’s nothing better than a couple of fourteen-year-olds getting the crud scared out of them inside a funeral home!

You can buy The Little Bastards by Jim Lindsay as an eBook or in print on Amazon.

Do you know of a book I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

Warning: The book reviewed in this post, Curve Couture: A Beautiful Romance by H.M. Irwing, contains sex scenes, sexual situations, and foul language. If you are under the age of 18, are triggered by such depictions, or otherwise wish to avoid them, proceed with caution.

As promised, here’s the first of many reviews I have for you this weekend. This one is a steamy romance with some tasteful sex scenes by H.M. Irwing, author of Bad Boy Vibes. This book, while in the same genre and with some of the same themes as Bad Boy Vibes, is another unique adventure into the world of love and lust—I hate to admit it, but I might have liked this one even more. The book reviewing in this post is Curve Couture: A Beautiful Romance.

Claire has just made the biggest mistake of her life: sleeping with her model sister’s fiancé, Colin. To make things worse, she despises the man—and she’s her sister’s agent. Ashamed and unable to face her sister again, Claire arranges a meeting with Erin, a model-turned-agent, to ask him to take over as her sister’s agent. Erin, however, has different plans for Claire, ones which will transform Claire’s career, self-image, and personal life, not to mention her sex life. What exactly does Erin want from her? Is it strictly professional, or…something more? Does Claire have what it takes to meet all his needs and expectations, or will her own jealousy and lack of self-confidence get in her way?

I must admit that I might be a bit biased in my fondness for this romance. Claire is overweight and becomes a plus-sized model; I am likewise overweight, having struggled with weight issues my entire life and even more so since my senior year of college. For that reason, I’m partial to a book which involves an overweight woman transforming into a confident, fierce plus-sized model who has all the men tripping over them (of course, I could do without the crude comments which come with the modeling career). However, I think that all women can relate to Claire and her struggles, especially those who feel that they fall short of the Western standards for beauty.

With this admission, it goes without saying that my favorite character is Claire. It’s not just because she’s overweight. She’s also fierce, independent, and doesn’t take any BS from anyone—except, of course, Erin, on occasion, and even rarely from him. My favorite scenes were any time that she beat the crud out of Colin; like Erin, I couldn’t stop laughing! I’m also thankful to Irwing that Curve Couture did not turn into one of those stories where the heroine goes crawling back to a man who’s a complete ass to her because she “sees the good in him.” Mind you, Erin can be an ass and is often cocky, but he can also be a gentleman and genuinely cares about Claire. Colin, on the other, is only looking out for himself and horny as all get-out. The fact that Claire recognized that from the start and realized her mistake in sleeping with Colin gave me hope for romance novels, and only worked to increase my enjoyment of the beat-downs.

As the full title of Curve Couture implies, this book depicts a beautiful romance. The love between Claire and Erin is true and, while the lust comes on quickly, the love is slow to develop. It is Claire’s support of Erin and understanding of his vulnerability and troubles which takes their bond beyond mutual attraction to a true romance. In fact, it takes at least half the book for them to admit their love for each other, which was a relief for me.

Irwing also masterfully builds up the sexual tension between Claire and Erin. They don’t immediately sleep together. Rather, they have several encounters filled with potential eroticism and mutual ogling as well as numerous misfires before they actually do the deed. Best of all, Irwing takes care to make it known that their sex does not truly become “love making” until they actually realize they are in love. Even in real life people don’t often make that distinction, and I’m glad that it was made here.

Of course, as with all books, Curve Couture is not without its flaws. Sometimes I felt as though Claire gave into Erin too quickly, especially when he would become angry and a little violent. In that same vein, I felt that Erin was, at times, too possessive of Claire, to the point that I at least would have reconsidered a relationship with such a man. Still, to play devil’s advocate, all that can all be attributed to the obligatory drama which comes with writing about the modeling world. There’s enough drama and melodrama in that industry to sustain a soap opera for a decade, so it only fits that the repressed anger from that drama and the possessiveness arising from the leering would arise within Claire and Erin’s relationship. I just had moments where I wasn’t comfortable with Erin’s aggressiveness towards Claire.

I also have mixed feelings as to how body image is handled here. On the one hand, I think Irwing does a pretty good job of handling all body sizes fairly. Yes, there had to be some characters prejudiced against both the very fat and the very skinny because that’s how people are, especially in the world of modeling. Overall, though, Curve Couture shows “curvy” women in as good a light as “skinny” women. I also appreciate that Erin’s yearning for Claire begins before she starts to lose weight, even when judgmental stylists tell her that she’s fat. On the other hand, I would like a book in which an overweight protagonist starts out as comfortable with her body shape. Perhaps Claire’s self-loathing just hit too close to home for me, but for once I’d like for such a woman to be confident without having to have other people show her her worth or having to make drastic changes to herself.

As with most books, I noticed some very minor proofreading errors, but they are so minor and infrequent that they’d be negligible for most readers. After all, even big-press books like Harry Potter can have such errors. To err is to human.

All in all, Curve Couture by H.M. Irwing is an excellent book, especially for a romance. I’d even argue that it’s better than Bad Boy Vibes, although the hot-topic handled in those books are just as important. The characters are relatable and three-dimensional, and the main relationship develops with the kinds of ups and downs that we expect from real-life romances. Sometimes it takes on the air of a soap opera, but that only added to the fun, particularly when Claire would make mental asides about everything seeming like The Bold and the Beautiful. I’m not 100% OK with how Erin treats Claire but, in the end, their tender relationship has an ending worthy of an uplifting romance. If you like romances with some real depth to them, you’ll want to check out this book.

You can buy Curve Couture by H.M. Irwing on Amazon. Also remember to check out the author’s website for information on this and Irwing’s other works.

Do you know of a book I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

Greetings, readers and writers! I’m probably going to be bombarding you with quite a few posts over the next few days, both reviews and other topics, so you best be ready. I want to start with a review of a book which I’m pleased to say is quite different from other works I’ve read before. While billed as a psychological novel, I’d also argue that it’s a modern moral fable, just as The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder has been called a moral fable by some critics. The book I’m reviewing in this post is The Revenge of the Forgotten by Xavier Mayot.

Fabrice is your typical skilled factory worker, employed by the biggest recycling plant in France: + VERT. He has a wife he adores and a loving ten-year-old daughter. They don’t have a lot, but they have each other, and that’s enough for them. The only problem? Fabrice’s daughter, Coralie, is ill with a rare heart condition and requires a transplant ASAP. Unfortunately, donors are in short supply, but Coralie’s doctor, Professor Marty, has put her as a top priority on the waiting list.

Baptiste is your typical one-percenter: rich, a little overly-confident, and used to getting his way. Like Fabrice, he works at + VERT, but with a huge difference: he’s the CEO. This position has allowed him, his wife, and his son to live a comfortable life, but even the world’s richest have their problems. For Baptiste, it’s the disheartening fact that his son, Dorian, has inherited a rare genetic heart condition from his paternal grandfather. The poor boy needs an organ graft, and soon. Fortunately, Dorian’s doctor, Professor Marty, is close friends with the family and keeps them up-to-date on any news of a possible donor.

What will happen when a possible heart donor pits these opposites against each other in a competition of will and physical strength? Can Baptiste buy or manipulate his son’s way to the top of the donor list, or will Fabrice’s dedication and work ethic finally pay off? What follows is 160 pages of tension, high-running emotions, and an unlikely solution to a delicate situation.

Mayot’s concept is at once unique and familiar. It’s a combination of David and Goliath and “The Tortoise and the Hare” with a splash of Around the World in 80 Days thrown in. However, Mayot uses this mixture to bring attention to a couple of topics prominently on our minds today: economic disparity and the shortage of organ donors. The themes of love, money, greed, pride, and perseverance ring throughout, giving new life to old tropes.

Another interesting element to Mayot’s writing is that it’s almost fable-like, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. The writing is very simple and straightforward; in fact, other than the French names, I had no problem following along with the narrative. (Honestly, a lot of my mother’s family is French and French-Canadian, why do I have a hard time with these names?) The characters are not overly-complicated and yet I established an emotional connection to Fabrice and his family. I felt bad for Baptiste and his family because of Dorian’s condition but, really, their sense of entitlement made it hard for me to root for them. The plot is also straightforward and the themes and lessons overt. It’s the combination of these simplistic features coming together to make an engaging and encouraging story which makes me view this book as a modern moral fable, one much more cheerful and uplifting than books like The Bridge of San Luis Rey.

I also admire Mayot for his ability to incorporate modern technology and capture the over-the-top voice of TV commentators in his work. I had a hard time not laughing whenever the commentators opened their mouths because I could perfectly envision what was happening. It also helped that Mayot includes maps of the courses as well as boxed—which you could argue is in the style of a television screen—descriptions of what spectators see during the coverage of the trials.

I must say, Mayot certainly knows how to push my buttons. Baptiste infuriated me to no end. This man, who could easily look to another first-world country for a donor, insists on making the other family go to another country like Colombia for a donor and surgeon, even offering them the Euros to do it. Why? Pride, plain and simple. He’s a man who’s used to getting what he wants and nothing is about to get in his way; I couldn’t wait to see him get knocked down a peg. The ending is a happy one—I won’t elaborate due to spoilers—but suffice to say I still hold a grudge against Baptiste on Fabrice’s behalf. For a writer to ignite this passion in me, he must know exactly what will strike people’s nerves and when to present them in a story for maximum effect.

Overall, The Revenge of the Forgotten by Xavier Mayot is both a psychological book and a modern moral fable. It offers a happy ending which left me satisfied that the plot was resolved, despite the fact that the cynic in me had serious doubts about it. Mayot highlights both the good and the bad in humans and leaves readers with the hope that nice guys do not finish last. I can guarantee that you will pick up this book and not be able to put it down until you find out which child will get the heart—and which of our proud fathers will have to eat crow.

You can buy a copy of The Revenge of the Forgotten from Edilivre’s website. Stay tuned for more information on when a copy will be made available on the American Amazon site.

Do you know of a book I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!