Review of Hell No
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Ezeike David-Chukwunonso
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Review of Hell No
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hell No" by Cherie Kerr.]
Hell No by Cherie Kerr is a deep conglomerate of stories plumbing into the human psyche, crossing into the dark regions of human guilt, redemption, and personal struggle. Characters like Helen, an ungrateful young Catholic girl who will resolutely be pursued by her sin; Buford, the honest servant who was thinking back on his life; and Irene, wrestling with her internal demons while congealed in a cramped space, are what the stories are about.
Each story carries itself within the depth of human feelings and their pursuit for meaning in life. The stories intertwine in the quest for existential themes that a person reflects on to find answers and reflections on this journey of life and on the morality that defines existence in general. The book was exceptionally well-edited and error-free.
Maybe the most important strength of this book is the capability to make one feel and think at the same time. Kerr's writing is reflective and moving, which resonates with the inner strife of each of the characters. Living characters come to life through descriptive words and well-woven dialogues brought about by character development, making readers able to feel with them. The story structure, the interlinking of various stories, gives depth and cohesion to the whole reading experience.
Whereas most of the stories are quite deep emotionally, they require a more compact way of telling. Sometimes, therefore, they feel extended, which decreases the impact. For instance, Rachel's story of her work struggles would be made a little tighter to keep the reader reading. Another thing is that some of the characters, such as Ernie, are criminally underdeveloped, which would give them much more depth in their character. These are areas of streamlining to allow for a smoother pacing of the book and keeping it more captivating for the readers, but honestly, I do not dislike any part of this book.
This book is an emotional and thought-provoking book. The deep writing of the characters manages to bring out the inner struggles each has to wrestle with. The vivid details and well-presented dialogues enrich the stories to make them more powerful. For the above reasons, I feel this book deserves a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I would advise readers who appreciate thoughtful, rather deep kind of literature, in the vein of Margaret Atwood or Kazuo Ishiguro, to give this one a go. At the same time, it is a great book for those who like deep considerations of the human condition and morality.
******
Hell No
View: on Bookshelves
Hell No by Cherie Kerr is a deep conglomerate of stories plumbing into the human psyche, crossing into the dark regions of human guilt, redemption, and personal struggle. Characters like Helen, an ungrateful young Catholic girl who will resolutely be pursued by her sin; Buford, the honest servant who was thinking back on his life; and Irene, wrestling with her internal demons while congealed in a cramped space, are what the stories are about.
Each story carries itself within the depth of human feelings and their pursuit for meaning in life. The stories intertwine in the quest for existential themes that a person reflects on to find answers and reflections on this journey of life and on the morality that defines existence in general. The book was exceptionally well-edited and error-free.
Maybe the most important strength of this book is the capability to make one feel and think at the same time. Kerr's writing is reflective and moving, which resonates with the inner strife of each of the characters. Living characters come to life through descriptive words and well-woven dialogues brought about by character development, making readers able to feel with them. The story structure, the interlinking of various stories, gives depth and cohesion to the whole reading experience.
Whereas most of the stories are quite deep emotionally, they require a more compact way of telling. Sometimes, therefore, they feel extended, which decreases the impact. For instance, Rachel's story of her work struggles would be made a little tighter to keep the reader reading. Another thing is that some of the characters, such as Ernie, are criminally underdeveloped, which would give them much more depth in their character. These are areas of streamlining to allow for a smoother pacing of the book and keeping it more captivating for the readers, but honestly, I do not dislike any part of this book.
This book is an emotional and thought-provoking book. The deep writing of the characters manages to bring out the inner struggles each has to wrestle with. The vivid details and well-presented dialogues enrich the stories to make them more powerful. For the above reasons, I feel this book deserves a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I would advise readers who appreciate thoughtful, rather deep kind of literature, in the vein of Margaret Atwood or Kazuo Ishiguro, to give this one a go. At the same time, it is a great book for those who like deep considerations of the human condition and morality.
******
Hell No
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: Raw Meaty Bones by Dr Tom Lonsdale
