- Title:
- A Change of Seasons
- Author:
- Khurram Elahi
- Release:
- July 14, 2021
- Format:
- Paperback
I have a lot to say about this book and I don’t even know where to start. If you dislike slow burns, this is your stop. I think this book doesn’t pick up until the 60% mark and even then, barely.
I’ve never been more unsure of how to rate a book. I wasn’t sure if I was reading a masterpiece of a turd. The author told me he wrote the first half at the age of 19 and the latter half at the age of I can’t remember. It makes sense, it feels like the book was written by two different people.
I was initially surprised by his vocabulary, while simultaneously over-using certain words as if he had just discovered them and felt the need to insert them into every sentence possible. The often improperly used phrase “I couldn’t care less” is improperly used three times. The large words I’ve never heard of or words I see seldom used are juxtaposed by extremely beginner-level spelling mistakes that occasionally had me re-reading sentences.
The first half has awkward choices, such as the “protagonist”, John, reminiscing about childhood memories, and out of nowhere, the story is then set in the past. It does this twice to my recollection and both times I found it jarring and confusing.
I’ve read this book cover to cover and I still have no idea what the hell the plot is. John is nervous about a surgery, 60% of the story passes and he goes from being in the hospital pre-surgery to getting surgery. Then his life slowly falls apart further. He begins to experience issues that seemingly defy logic and are never explained. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it until the end. The ending is just abrupt, doesn’t properly conclude anything, and just leaves me with more questions.
The best way to describe this story is ‘a slow descent into madness’, There are numerous instances of animals being brutally tortured and killed or mentions of it. It never amounted to anything. It fizzles out like a wet fart and left me feeling disappointed.
Note: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a physical review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.