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Title:    Reverb
Author: J. Cafesin
Genre:  Psychological Suspense
Format: eBook
Publisher: Entropy Press
Pages:    328
Publication date: January, 2013
Reasons for reading: Received this book from the author for a candid review.

 

Blurb

reverbJames Whren is brilliant, beautiful, rich, and taken—with himself, or more precisely, his genius for creating music. Desired by many, committing to no one but his muse, on the eve of his brother’s funeral, his father inadvertently turns his life into a living nightmare, and James is left abandoned in hell with no one real to save him.

His odyssey to freedom takes him beyond the looking-glass, to the reflection of friends and lovers. Humbled and alone, James escapes to the Greek island of Corfu. But instead of finding solace there, loneliness almost consumes him.

Until Elisabeth, and her son, Cameron.

My Thoughts

I must first of all start by admitting or confessing that the  review of this book is long overdue. And for that I do apologise.  With that out of the way I plunge straight in.

How far will a parent’ meddle’ or’ interfere in the life of his child to ensure his will or what he thinks is best for his child is carried out? James Whren is a physically beautiful, rich, self-absorbed but extremely talented musician so wrapped up in his music that he has no time for anyone. He feels alone and unloved by his father whose actions later set in motion series of events that plunge James into unimagined horror and personal torture. Particularly disturbing and intense, I couldn’t put Reverb down once I started reading. Initially I found James, selfish and unyielding in his thoughts towards his father; having lost his mother at a tender age, he is unwilling to overcome his grief over his mother’s death. But my feelings change as I realised that his is a soul in torment.  Does his father Edward Charles Whren XXI have any acceptable justification for the course of action he takes? And does his remorse erase what brutalities and suffering his son goes through and the effects?

Jerri Cafesin has written a powerfully complex, compelling novel with characters that bring the hard-hitting story alive in a deeply profound way. Both story and characters linger long after the read. I was shaken by Reverb and for days, I lay awake, thinking of the role I play in my sons’ lives as a mother.

Adequate words fail me here to express how deeply I was touched by this novel. Reverb  touches on a lot of issues, drug abuse, parenting,  prison systems, mental sickness. Reverb also focuses on the darkness within the human being and the terrible things humans can do to each other. Reverb is not all gloomy; there is love, a beautiful romance that blooms slowly between James and Elisabeth, a young widow, which encompasses Elisabeth’s child, Cameron. Elisabeth and her son provide a much-needed anchor to James; they provide hope for James himself and I dare say for humanity too. 🙂 And there is redemption. And forgiveness.

Jerri Cafesin skilfully weaves the plot to inculcate the psychological and the romantic, creating this powerful novel that is at once moving, shocking, gripping and profound. My only snags are that some parts of the novel dragged a bit. But that in no way detracted from the overall effect. Secondly, the narrative is in the present tense. I guess that is more of a personal thing.

Reverb comes highly recommended for all lovers of good psychological suspense novels.

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