Number seven in my Reading Through Summer project was Mike Dellosso’s Darlington Woods. As you can see this is my first and final post for this book. When I started it I was in the middle of reviewing The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker and forgot to blog about starting Darlington Woods. Before I knew it, I was already done. Surprisingly, before I found the words to write this post, I also finished off the first book of Ted Dekker’s Circle Series; Black (review coming soon).
Darlington Woods. I’m confused about this one. At first glance the story and plotline appeared exciting and unique, I hadn’t heard of a book quite like it. I loved the idea of it. I guess my fault falls within the details. How Mike actually played out the plot line. What I am eager to tell you is the fact that I can barely tell you a thing about the details. One slip of my tongue and the book is ruined. I love books like that. Robert Shields just lost his wife and son about three months ago. They were kidnapped at a fair, eventually the detective found his wife’s body and shortly after one identified as his son. Rob now suffers from hallucinations of his son Jimmy, slowly convincing him Jimmy isn’t dead. We see Rob’s determination incessantly rebuild over and over again as he takes hit after hit trying to make life normal again. Along with Rob’s mental battles, Mike throws in some spiritual warfare to top it all off. As I said, I can’t go far into detail, one slip and it’s all ruined. Sounds enticing doesn’t it?? However, my love for this book runs only skin deep.
It was a quick read but the speed didn’t hamper the book at all, which I appreciated. Rob and Julianne were a fantastic pair. Julianne, or Juli for short, was easily my favorite character. Her sarcasm functioned as a nice comic relief, for me it also acted as a constant reminder to think of the characters as real people. Being so sarcastic myself, her comments were familiar ground where I could relate myself to her and their situation. I thought Rob displayed everything you would expect a man to after losing his wife and supposedly losing his son. For example, his blur between reality and self-comfort (the hallucinations), his overwhelming desperation to find his son, and his willingness to go to any length at any risk.
So, here’s my confusion: realistic and relatable characters, a plotline with outstanding potential, and a talented author behind it all…yet something just didn’t work for me.
Well, let’s take a look at the scenes for a minute. In a few spots they became too classic for me. Sort of like when you’re watching a horror movie and you see a scene or a twist that’s been done so many times it no longer has the effect that was originally intended. It wasn’t that I’ve heard this story so many times before, but more or less like certain scenes or settings were on the edge of being too classic for my taste. I think a way to explain it is that Mike just picked a scene from the files without truly making it his own. It’s not his writing to be at fault, just that he didn’t fully take advantage of the scene.
While in other places some the “special effects” appeared too cheesy in my head. I automatically saw them as I would see them in a movie, not overdone just mass produced. One of the aspects I love about books is that you can’t fully picture what the author intended; each reader makes it their own, as they read their minds fill in the gaps. No two people will see the same image or perceive the same sense from the same page. Unlike the movies, where what you see is what you get. While each viewer may take home a different message their imagination has no room to intertwine with and grow the story. It’s part of the magic of books.
I’m not going to say it was a terrible book and that you should never read it, just not my cup of tea.
Book nine is Red by Ted Dekker. I may double up again and do nine and ten together, but I haven’t decided yet. I’m a bit too excited to finally be reading the Circle Series.
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