Diane Donovan, senior reviewer for the Midwest Book Review, has completed her review of Literature® and I couldn't be happier with it.
"Literature® blends speculative fiction with a dystopian mystery's noir atmosphere in a production that opens with a reflection on how literature was defined in the First Era, before the Disaster that changed everything.
In this world, book burning ceremonies are common, literature is reviled, and protagonist Billy is a secret bookworm in a society where fiction has been banned. Therefore, he believes someone is out to kill him.
A single day in the life of this protagonist as he navigates an uncertain world outlines the perils and possibilities of love, death, and redemption in a society where modern literature has fostered a Second Enlightenment which has left fiction behind in favor of something less independent and more unsettling.
There are many intriguing references that become clear as the story unfolds: Pinpoint®, Cog® power, Gripping Tails®, Applied Lit®. The satire involved is so delicate that initial references might slip by readers at first; but as the story progresses, these insights and references become tangible, recognizable parts of a plot that readers will come to anticipate with delight. Woven within the dystopian saga of a rebel book reader are comments on social mores, the evolution of thinking trends and altered perceptions, the roots of rebellion, and the fostering or suppression of independent thinking which will provide modern literary audiences with much food for thought.
Literature is facing its "full optimization" as a brand, but not in any form Billy will accept as a replacement for his forbidden passion. In a world where everything is branded, what place is inhabited by the rebel, the independent thinker, and the real literature buff?
Art, alienation, and consumer culture evolution and rules lie at the heart of a story that continually piques readers, inviting them to think about issues of control, manipulation, and forces of change challenging their own independent thinking processes.
Billy's unexpected venture into murder is only one aspect of a frightening story that poses many questions about evolving social change. A series of complex and unexpected faux pas move Billy to the brink of trouble, but with a wry injection of satirical humor throughout.
Literature® is a literary piece that may be hard to identify with a particular genre; but which provides a satisfying blend of literary inspection, social commentary, dystopian world analysis and individual dilemmas to keep readers guessing and thinking to the end of Billy's perplexing, fast-paced day. It's highly recommended for its multifaceted themes, social inspection, wry insights, and unexpectedly fun approach."
The review will be published in the August 2018 edition of The Midwest Book Review.
Deep thanks.
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