Aphrodite Reviews

thirty-two | southbound stranger ⬦

Book: Southbound Strange

Author: nikkileds

genre: romance

I would like to start by saying that I am impressed by the tremendous progression of this book since the form was first filled. And now...for the review.

COVER

I did like the relevance this had to the story. I also felt it had quite a bit of mystery surrounding it. However, it was pretty bland and didn't really encourage me to read. I felt it needed to look more appealing to the reader.

BLURB

I liked this a lot! It gave away just the right information to get a reader hooked. However, one small note is to write numbers in their word form. So, instead of '26', say, 'twenty-six'.

OPENING

damnnn, that opening. I loved this! It was a unique, grappling way to start the book, and I was so excited to read on. You managed to keep this up through every chapter. And I especially liked how the beginning and end interlinked. It was ingenious and takes a high level of skill to carry out correctly.

CHARACTER INTERACTIONS/PORTRAYAL

I loved this so very much! It seemed very realistic, and you described their actions very well. I could almost imagine the scene playing out in front of me. However, there was a lot of telling rather than showing. In this particular novel, I didn't mind it. However, you did miss some areas where you could've shown. For example, 'though I could barely hear it over the train station sounds, his laugh was contagious'. There are plenty of ways you can manipulate this sentence so it SHOWS. I also found it very clever that her mum's death was slotted in through a scene. There wasn't too much emphasis on it, but it made the reader aware. Finally, the characters had that special something. There was something about them, that made them feel like real-life people. Through your writing, you helped them to come alive which is a brilliant skill!

REINFORCEMENT

The reinforcement of the protagonist's dull life, where nothing works out for the best was so powerful! It meant the impact of the stranger was so much more meaningful, and really touches readers. Even the simplest things, like losing a scrabble game, really added to the story.

MISTAKES

One mistake. Yes, just one lmao.

Original: 'Just as the doors began to shut, a saw the flash...'

Edited: 'Just as the doors began to shut, I saw the flash...'

ITALICS

These had a really great effect on the story! It put emphasis on certain words and they weren't overused. This is another simple yet effective aspect you implemented.

PLOT

So the plot is a little cliche. However, the occupation and how they met were sort of original. Although, there is more room for creativity. Despite this, it was still enjoyable. The way they met was so enjoyable to read, and their little exchanges were... creative I guess I could say? I'm probably not making much sense, as I am contradicting myself but what I mean is that although the plot itself isn't too original/creative, the way you portrayed it was.

OVERALL

I know this is a short review, but that is because this book is honestly amazing, and there are only limited things you can do to improve. Your writing is truly wonderful, and it was an honour reading.