Here is yet another review I previously posted elsewhere. Nevertheless, this author’s work deserves more than a quick glance.
The author in question, Cheryl Anne Gardner, is an artist with the bite of a pitbull when it comes to human emotions. She has the gift, and insight, to find the mark and to sink her literary teeth deep into our consciousness – into that spot which we know exists but tend to shy away from nurturing.
Cheryl is the author of four (soon to be five) novellas, and in no work is her talent more apparent than in The Thin Wall. In addition to writing, Cheryl also regularly contributes on POD People.
Unlike many authors, who strive to please the traditional publishing model, Cheryl writes without regard for the mass market, concentrating instead on staying true to her own ideas and form. This, in turn, permits her to deliver exactly the kind of writing too long neglected by the large publishing houses that fill the shelves of our bookstores with mediocre literature. Her choice, the novella, while popular with European writers, is virtually non-existent in American literature today. Why is this, is beside me. The novella format allows for full-fledged characters and stories, without being overly literary with overdone descriptions. In other words, a reader picking up a novella can expect full, well-crafted story and not risk being bored.
Review:
This work is probably the hardest review I had to do yet. While I had read two previous books by Cheryl Anne Gardner, The Splendor of Antiquity, and Logos, The Thin Wall is a radical departure from Gardner's romantic roots into the realms of darker, subconscious psychology and individual philosophies she masterfully delves into in this work.
One word to describe this book for me? Drastic.
I would lie if I were to say that The Thin Wall is an easy read. It isn't. Where the storyline is subtle and woven deep between the actions and events, dialog and behavior are crucial to understanding the story. While utilizing sex as a tool to slice into the depths of human consciousness, this book is not sexual in nature, and neither is it erotica. To be honest, I am not sure if there is another way for me to classify this work other than Literature. Gardner has masterfully adjoined elements of romance, erotica, literary fiction, and psychological realism to create a story that is both entertaining and frightening at the same time. At least for me it is. There are scenes in this book that I had a hard time reading, nonetheless, these scenes are indispensable if one is to come to a conclusion at the end. At times lighthearted, at times gruesome and violating, the story follows four characters on their quest for happiness.
United by a common rejection of society and its superficial norms, Laleana, Tom, Julian, and Ioan live their lives the way they want to. Admirable as this may seem, it comes at a cost -- Emotional cost. While all four have in common their well-to-do background, they do not capitalize on the power of their families to achieve any of the goals society deems important. For one, our four friends have completely different desires; at the same time, they are nonconformists. While their sexual behavior is somewhat extravagant (in my eyes) it is a major part of the story itself. But as with everything else in this work, even the sex is a metaphor. The story deals with love and the pain of loving; it deals with codependency, submission, voluntary torture (be it psychological or physical, accepted or self-inflicted) and most importantly, with trust. The kind of trust only a few of us may experience (or be able to give), the kind of trust only very good friends are capable of.
The story is told through the eyes of Laleana, a librarian and a writer. Gardner's portrayal of the character is immaculate -- an intelligent, educated, independent woman whose love for the written word comes through even in the most casual of conversations. And this is where Gardner truly shines -- having read her earlier works, Gardner, as an author, is growing. From a literary standpoint, The Thin Wall, in my opinion, is her best work yet. The language is eloquent and even poetic at times, and no words appear wasted. However, there is something about this work that did bother me. A subconscious "me" was struggling with the conscious "me"... an inner battle I have not experienced in quite some time. Does this make The Thin Wall any less appealing? Certainly not. I am sure that there will come a time when I will reach for this book and read it again. Perhaps, with a different mindset than the first time, I will discover some hidden meanings, which might have escaped me the first time. But such is the case with any piece of good literature.
One thing is for certain: The Thin Wall will not leave you cold. Whether you will find yourself emotionally involved, shocked, cursing, disgusted or with a hard-on, (or perhaps all of it), The Thin Wall will seep under your skin and stay there for quite a while. And so is Gardner -- an upcoming author whose works are only getting more intense with each new release.
One word to describe this book for me? Drastic.
I would lie if I were to say that The Thin Wall is an easy read. It isn't. Where the storyline is subtle and woven deep between the actions and events, dialog and behavior are crucial to understanding the story. While utilizing sex as a tool to slice into the depths of human consciousness, this book is not sexual in nature, and neither is it erotica. To be honest, I am not sure if there is another way for me to classify this work other than Literature. Gardner has masterfully adjoined elements of romance, erotica, literary fiction, and psychological realism to create a story that is both entertaining and frightening at the same time. At least for me it is. There are scenes in this book that I had a hard time reading, nonetheless, these scenes are indispensable if one is to come to a conclusion at the end. At times lighthearted, at times gruesome and violating, the story follows four characters on their quest for happiness.
United by a common rejection of society and its superficial norms, Laleana, Tom, Julian, and Ioan live their lives the way they want to. Admirable as this may seem, it comes at a cost -- Emotional cost. While all four have in common their well-to-do background, they do not capitalize on the power of their families to achieve any of the goals society deems important. For one, our four friends have completely different desires; at the same time, they are nonconformists. While their sexual behavior is somewhat extravagant (in my eyes) it is a major part of the story itself. But as with everything else in this work, even the sex is a metaphor. The story deals with love and the pain of loving; it deals with codependency, submission, voluntary torture (be it psychological or physical, accepted or self-inflicted) and most importantly, with trust. The kind of trust only a few of us may experience (or be able to give), the kind of trust only very good friends are capable of.
The story is told through the eyes of Laleana, a librarian and a writer. Gardner's portrayal of the character is immaculate -- an intelligent, educated, independent woman whose love for the written word comes through even in the most casual of conversations. And this is where Gardner truly shines -- having read her earlier works, Gardner, as an author, is growing. From a literary standpoint, The Thin Wall, in my opinion, is her best work yet. The language is eloquent and even poetic at times, and no words appear wasted. However, there is something about this work that did bother me. A subconscious "me" was struggling with the conscious "me"... an inner battle I have not experienced in quite some time. Does this make The Thin Wall any less appealing? Certainly not. I am sure that there will come a time when I will reach for this book and read it again. Perhaps, with a different mindset than the first time, I will discover some hidden meanings, which might have escaped me the first time. But such is the case with any piece of good literature.
One thing is for certain: The Thin Wall will not leave you cold. Whether you will find yourself emotionally involved, shocked, cursing, disgusted or with a hard-on, (or perhaps all of it), The Thin Wall will seep under your skin and stay there for quite a while. And so is Gardner -- an upcoming author whose works are only getting more intense with each new release.
More reviews of this work can be seen here: The Thin Wall
To learn more about Cheryl and her projects, please visit Twisted Knickers Publications
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