Official Review: Adara by M. J. Natali
Posted: 17 Jan 2016, 21:49
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Adara" by M. J. Natali.]
2 out of 4 stars
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Official Review: Adara, by M. J. Natali
Adara is a supernatural romance story. One night, Adara, an emotionally damaged musician is savagely attacked, and she might have died if a supernatural being sent to claim the souls of the departed (referred to here as Grimm) had not taken pity on her and been instantly attracted to her. He spares her life, and the two begin an unusual romance, but actions have consequences, and the path of true love is far from smooth– indeed, the pair and those around them are soon in mortal danger.
At its heart, Adara is a tale about healing and recovery, and its notable to see how and why the title character improves and finds happiness. Notably, it’s more than just a lack of love in her life that causes her problems– the book makes it clear that she is suffering from deep problems connected to her very soul. Arguably the most interesting parts of the book come from the introduction of the supernatural– not just gatherers of souls, but it is surprising and even refreshing to see how a major religious figure plays a direct role in Adara’s character development.
One problem with the book is that the mythology of the book sometimes needs clarification. At one point, Grimm speaks as if he is uncertain or unfamiliar as to what marriage is, but soon afterwards he makes it clear that Hell is definitely designed on the model described in Dante’s Inferno, from Limbo to the Wood of Suicides to the Ninth Circle. Surely, if Grimm knows about which sinners go where in which circle of Hell, then he knows that adulterers are condemned to the Second Circle, and if he knows about adultery, then he must know what marriage is. Those who have sexual intercourse outside of marriage are also sent to the Second Circle of Hell, so it seems as if Grimm should be taking Adara to church instead of to seedy motels for sex.
One disturbing aspect of the book comes from the fact that Grimm has to inhabit another human being’s body in order to engage in sex with Adara. It’s not completely clear whether or not the man being possessed by Grimm is thoroughly aware of what’s happening, which adds an unpleasant overtone to these passages, since his body may be being used for sexual purposes without his consent.
I have made this comment before– this is not an inherently and irreparably flawed book, so much as it is a work in progress. One of the problems with the novel is that many passages and the dialogue are often stilted and need to be polished to improve some of the awkward phrasing. Still, it's an interesting plot, tethered by a strong character arc.
I give this book two out of four stars.
******
Adara
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like GKCfan's review? Post a comment saying so!
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Official Review: Adara, by M. J. Natali
Adara is a supernatural romance story. One night, Adara, an emotionally damaged musician is savagely attacked, and she might have died if a supernatural being sent to claim the souls of the departed (referred to here as Grimm) had not taken pity on her and been instantly attracted to her. He spares her life, and the two begin an unusual romance, but actions have consequences, and the path of true love is far from smooth– indeed, the pair and those around them are soon in mortal danger.
At its heart, Adara is a tale about healing and recovery, and its notable to see how and why the title character improves and finds happiness. Notably, it’s more than just a lack of love in her life that causes her problems– the book makes it clear that she is suffering from deep problems connected to her very soul. Arguably the most interesting parts of the book come from the introduction of the supernatural– not just gatherers of souls, but it is surprising and even refreshing to see how a major religious figure plays a direct role in Adara’s character development.
One problem with the book is that the mythology of the book sometimes needs clarification. At one point, Grimm speaks as if he is uncertain or unfamiliar as to what marriage is, but soon afterwards he makes it clear that Hell is definitely designed on the model described in Dante’s Inferno, from Limbo to the Wood of Suicides to the Ninth Circle. Surely, if Grimm knows about which sinners go where in which circle of Hell, then he knows that adulterers are condemned to the Second Circle, and if he knows about adultery, then he must know what marriage is. Those who have sexual intercourse outside of marriage are also sent to the Second Circle of Hell, so it seems as if Grimm should be taking Adara to church instead of to seedy motels for sex.
One disturbing aspect of the book comes from the fact that Grimm has to inhabit another human being’s body in order to engage in sex with Adara. It’s not completely clear whether or not the man being possessed by Grimm is thoroughly aware of what’s happening, which adds an unpleasant overtone to these passages, since his body may be being used for sexual purposes without his consent.
I have made this comment before– this is not an inherently and irreparably flawed book, so much as it is a work in progress. One of the problems with the novel is that many passages and the dialogue are often stilted and need to be polished to improve some of the awkward phrasing. Still, it's an interesting plot, tethered by a strong character arc.
I give this book two out of four stars.
******
Adara
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like GKCfan's review? Post a comment saying so!
I don't know if the author intentionally made the relationship that creepy or not. Other than the ick factor there, it sounds like this book has a lot of promise. Good job on the review, GKCfan!