Mike's Review of Morium by S.J. Hermann
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Like Stephen King's Carrie on Steroids
Bullying has always been a problem in the world. With the explosion of social media, it has escalated to near epidemic levels. Bullies no longer have to face their victims. They are free to torture with anonymity and little, or no, repercussions at all. With Morium, S.J. Hermann brings light to a topic that spends far too much time in the shade of indifference. Lexi, Nathan, and Stacy all deal with bullying on a daily basis. They are all bullied for different reasons and in different ways, but they are all affected. Mr. Hermann does a masterful job of exploring the unique and sometimes very troubling methods each character employs to deal with the effects. The character development here is fantastic. You feel the depression, uselessness, and downright desperation each character is feeling. You truly understand how hopeless life can be for someone who deals with daily physical or mental abuse. Scars on skin heal and eventually become shadows barely seen. Emotional scars sometimes never do. I’m not big on spoilers, so I’ll just say that two of the characters experience a serious transformation. They are no longer helpless. This is where the story takes a major 180. Both characters now have the power to defend themselves, to bully the bullies back. One uses the power, while the other recognizes the danger it represents. There is something both satisfying, yet completely horrifying, in the method which one of the characters exacts revenge. This is Carrie on steroids. I’ve given this story four out of five stars, but this is a five-star story. The characters are fluid and real, and Mr. Hermann is an expert tour-guide through their troubling and terrifying world. The only knock I have is that I would have liked to see more empathy from the character who uses the power. Enduring the level of bullying this character goes through, I think, would make them at least take pause before unleashing their violent retaliation. That being said, I think the reason this troubled me so much was because of how completely enthralled I am with these characters. I know them. Perhaps it hurt my feelings a bit when one of them didn’t live up to the standards I had developed in my own mind for them. Everyone should read this book! |
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Connect with the Author
Website: http://sjhermannauthor.blogspot.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJ-Hermann-250758318466659/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Writing_Novel Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/S.J.-Hermann/e/B00NX8B6RM/ref=la_B00NX8B6RM_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1474166462&sr=1-1 |
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