Wednesday 4 November 2009

YOUNG ADULT REVIEW: Pastworld - Ian Beck

BOOK BLURB:

Pastworld. A city within a city. A city for excursions and outings. Pastworld is a theme park with a difference, where travellers can travel back in time for a brush with an authentic Victorian past. But what if the Jack the Ripper figure stopped play-acting and really started killing people? For Caleb, a tourist from the present day, his visit goes terribly wrong when his father is kidnapped and he finds himself accused of murder. Then Caleb meets Eva Rose, a Pastworld inhabitant who has no idea the modern world exists. Both Caleb and Eva have roles to play in the murderer's diabolical plans - roles that reveal disturbing truths about their origins.


REVIEW:

To be honest a novel that I loved the book blurb for but one I really couldn’t get into. A great shame as it was something that I thought really would keep me not only amused but greatly entertained for a few hours. What made it so difficult for me however was that it felt that I couldn’t get an emotional attachment to the principle characters backed up with a lack of emotional care really did want me to just close this offering without bothering to reread.

That said there are positives to the tale the idea is perhaps unique, the writing skill pretty much a mine field with bits of information exploding out of there left right and centre and backed up with an almost Dickensian feel to the whole piece. Which whilst good, sadly didn’t make up for my glaring goth like sentiments to the characters. Whilst this isn’t an endorsement for the author, it has made him a name that I’ve made a note of and as such I will look at future offerings in the hope that problem’s I’ve had here will be fixed. If that’s done then Beck will have a very promising future indeed.

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