OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Romantic" by Felix Alexander.]
Romance novels are everywhere. Given that love is such a powerful and universal longing that can both heal and prey upon vulnerabilities, this isn’t remotely surprising. The upshot, though, is that the ubiquity of romance novels tends to cheapen them and eventually leads to the “if you’ve read one, you’ve read them all” school of thought. For this reason, when a romance comes along that manifests something unique, its points of excellence become extraordinary and even its areas of mediocrity transform into excellence.

In Felix Alexander’s The Romantic, the reader shares the story of Hadriel Alighieri, who made the mistake of falling in love as a boy. Throughout his life, his love haunts him and makes it impossible to truly love another woman despite how much he wants to. His passionate nature and emotional sensitivity ache for true love, but the lack of fulfillment eventually lead him to his own destruction. The story opens on Hadriel’s deathbed as he contemplates the choices and circumstances that brought him there.

In my opinion, the book’s strongest aspect is also its weakest. From beginning to end, The Romantic is told in an almost lyrical cadence. At first, it feels a little awkward, but soon it becomes natural and then beautiful. This manner of storytelling fits seemlessly with Hadriel Alighieri’s character as if he were telling the story in the third person. In places, it becomes poetic and seductive, with skillful turns of phrase that present common description or narration as artistic masterpieces.

However, while in some places the effect is magnificent, in others, it feels stiff and forced. Especially in the beginning when the reader is still getting to know the characters, the narrative style seems more like “telling” the story rather than “showing” the story. It feels like, instead of allowing actions or dialogue to exhibit the emotions that need to be communicated, the author needs to directly inform the reader how each interaction impacts the characters involved. Later on, this style becomes more refined and feels more like the inner workings of the main character’s mind, but especially in the beginning, it is more weakness than strength.

I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. The plot may be ordinary, but the overall impression of the book is fantastically unique. If anyone is considering reading it, I encourage you to read at least a third of the way in before making an assessment. Allow prose to transform into poetry, and know that the book gets better and better with every page all the way to the last one.

***
Buy "The Romantic" on Amazon

You're right about some romance novels seeming very similar these days. But there seems like an interesting book, especially written from the perspective of a dying man. Maybe I'll check it out.

Nice review! I don't think it's my cup of tea, but it does look interesting!

Sounds an interesting book. I will grab it next time am in a bookshop.

I read The Romantic awhile ago at the request of the author. I was hesitant, as romance novels have bored me in the past; so, I struck the genre from my reading. Your review is fairly accurate; though, I don't recall being bored at any point in the book.
Here is my review on Amazon:
"Romance novels are one of my least favorite genres; only because, I've tried to read them in the past, and became bored with them. I would lay them aside, not even halfway in, regretting only that I could not finish what I'd started.
I took a chance on this book, as it was being offered for free. I was very, very skeptical. It had a bit of a slow start, but, that pace sped up quickly. I read large chunks at a time. The best thing for me, is that I became an onlooker, as it were, away from reality, watching a play. The story is wonderful. The only negativity that I experienced while reading this book was that the typos brought me out of the story to remind me that I was reading a book; and, then, I would have to make my way back to the intimacy from which I had been plucked.
Whether, or, not you like romance novels, try this one. I think what made it stand out, from my previous attempts at reading this genre, is the story itself. I envisioned the main character to be the author--sensitive, creative, romantic. The story, to me, is of a boy/man longing for a "one true love," versus, longing for a sexual conquest.
I wanted to give five stars for the story; yet, I only give four, due to the typo interruptions."

That was a very honest review. Though I'm not much into romance novels I read one every now and then. However, this particular book sounds 'unhappy' to me if love leads to destruction. Great job on the review.

This is a well-written review and it makes me very curious about the book. Even if it's less than perfect, I may have to check it out.

Yeah, a lot of romance novels do follow a seemingly standard formula, which is in itself interesting because the why of it is weird. That being said, the book sounds like it takes a familiar premise and expands on it, though the execution is a mixed bag.