the realm of secondhand souls

by Sandra Shea


Well, this makes two in a row. This one though, had promise. It opened with a beautiful and intense birthing scene, and immediately I wanted to know more about these characters and how they would develop. But they never really did. The book was beautifully written. Sandra Shea has a beautiful prose style and her descriptions are wonderful. There just wasn't any substance behind the descriptions, and when so much attention was given to the details, it seems that the characters were forgotten.

I also need to preface here that I enjoy reading fantasy, and this promised to be a sort of fantasy. Instead it dug into the idea of magical realism, and it just didn't make sense to me. I can suspend reality and get lost in a book about another land, another world, or an alternate history. I can even get into talking animals and trees sometimes. But I just can't get into a book where clothing has a persona, where objects represent people... I just can't seem to grasp that concept.

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it flowed a little better. There were just some things that didn't make sense to me, and there really were many ideas that were left unfinished. I wanted more of a dynamic between the characters, and I think that's where this book failed most. The interaction was sparse, and when it did occur it felt contrived, and often times out of place. Not a recommended read by me, but if you enjoy books about magical realism, then you may enjoy this one.