A Review by Wendy
4.5 Be Careful What You Wish For Stars
* * * * 1/2
Spoiler Free
When
I saw this blurb, I clicked immediately. As a reader/reviewer, the art
of writing is near and dear to me. I started it, dug in, and was
captivated by the two major points of this book. Yes, it is a
mystery/thriller and I loved that...but it also put out there this bare,
raw, and vulnerable reveal of what it is like to have that need, that
desire to write, to appreciate the wonder of what words can do.
Our
main fella isn't really a hugely likable character. The main thing
about him is his early understanding of words and stories. He was
advanced in his observations and decided to read books way more advanced
for his age. He grew to realize writing was something that needed
nurturing, devotion, and a focus to the point of sacrifice. He worked
harder, applied to all the necessary programs, awards, scholarships,
anything that would advance him in the writing field.
And then it
happened, after all the years of schooling, programs, and dedication,
he was published and recognized as a promising new voice. He experienced
that feeling...it was a high like no other. His book had made a little
mark for him and then he needed to do his second book to hold onto his
place among those who were considered worthy.
It was that second
book curse, he experienced it and never really recovered from it. He was
published after many submissions, it never being anything to be proud
of. He was on that ugly spiral, the downward journey that had him
becoming what many shift to...a teacher.
It is as this teacher
for a program for those who wish to write and come to for guidance. It
was almost a joke to have him teaching this as he had no real concern
anymore for these minds. He did when he first was hired for the program
but now he was just marking time and cashing the small check.
This
story starts to move forward when we get to the major set-up for this
book, an arrogant, entitled guy is part of this session, and his
attitude in how he behaves has us immediately disliking him. The joke,
of course, is he won't talk about his project when the group first meets
and it seems the only reason he is here is to try to get an agent and
put a program on his resume. Full of himself would be the perfect
description.
This guy has a scheduled time to meet with our
teacher and before the meeting, our teacher searches for the required
submission needed for the course. It is read, then re-read because it
isn't the usual drivel he gets. No, this is different. It is descriptive
but with few words. You feel the place and who the people are...the
conflict and pain just under the surface. Prepared to deal with this
ass, the meeting starts.
It is during this meeting, our author is
juggling, dancing back and forth with this guy. It finally comes down
to the challenge from the guy daring him to ask about this "Sure Thing"
plot for his book. After a back and forth of mental gymnastics for the
power play, the guy tells the teacher what is his plot.
It is
devastating...It is something that defies all the rules of plotting, of
how there are only so many that can happen. It is perfect and everything
the jerk had said that would happen when he writes this, will come
true.
This is the first part of the book. Heady, right. The book
is done in parts and the next one is three years later and our writer
has continued down his spiral of non-writing becoming a manager for a
writers retreat. It is while he is there when his life will be presented
his writing crossroads.
I could not stop reading this, even when
I needed to do other things. It presented an interesting theory about
the responsibility of words and how the gift of something given needs to
be taken seriously, how there is this purpose that must get them out,
to not turn your back on them. To revere them, nurture them, and take on
their responsibility.
Yes, there is so much more than the
concepts of writing, there is a terrific mystery/thriller story too. Our
fella took on so much more than he ever could have thought when he
decided to go on his path with his new book.
About Jean Hanff Korelitz
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