Beautiful and Rare

I read Ordeal by T. K. Varenko not just once, but twice! I should probably begin by saying that I was more than a little skeptical about the chances of me liking this book when I first picked it up. I am not very familiar with poetic reads and also not particularly a fan of the paranormal genre. I did feel however that this book deserved a chance if only because the combination the author has managed to put together in it is powerful and original, not something that has been done many times before as far as I am aware.

Contrary to my predictions, I was completely hooked by Alice/Luella (beautiful name btw) and Derek’s story from beginning to end. The whole reason I read the book a second time was that the first time I was so eager to find out what would ultimately happen to the star-crossed lovers that I pretty much devoured the book in a little over three hours! The second read was an opportunity to better savor the author’s extremely enthralling use of language and setting. I did love this story. It has a Romeo & Juliet flavored sense of impending doom throughout and puts our characters through a myriad of challenges in their quest for true love that will take your breath away. I loved being able to relate to these characters, to their feelings and emotions as they uncover the truth about their undeniable connection, and also the sense of irony as we see Derek’s and Luella’s roles reversed in different lifetimes.

If there was anything about this book that wasn’t perfect for me, it was the fact that as much as I was drawn by the originality of the poetry, this device was at times manifestly limiting in terms of the author’s ability to dive deeper into the characters’ pasts and therefore our ability to know them better. The style was beautiful but at times the depth of the story suffered as a result.

All things considered however, I congratulate the author on this rare achievement of a book and I would definitely recommend “Ordeal” to those of you hoping to experience something new in the paranormal genre. Your will not regret giving this book a chance!

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. I am in no way compensated for any reviews that I write.

Reviewed on 07/14/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Noelia Gamio

What a darling volume of poetry cum storytelling.  Reminiscent of vampire opera described in Anne Rice's Vampire Lestat books, Tatyana Varenko's book is immanently enchanting because of its theme and innocence.  I have to confess a special adoration for such little treasures that have a shelf in my library.

As noted in her own verse above, this is the tale of unrequited love between Alice, a past-life royal vampire, and her "pretty human catch," Derek. Fraught with the struggles and angst of young love and dangerous liasons, this little tome is meant for YA audiences, positively.

As an adult reader, I can only applaud Ms Varenko's attempts to put to four meter verse her frothy story of darkness and gothic doom.  While it doesn't quite translate in all circumstances, its naivety is charming and not to be underestimated.  It has much of the impact of Sleeping Beauty and a dark Rapunzel, both caught in a witch's sinister web and tangled in unimaginable dangers.

Her story is told, the gothic nature is preserved, the characters are fleshed out and visible to the reader and its quality is very good.  What's missing is a flow of verse which causes it to be often jarring, interrupting the pace of the story. Further, I felt that Ms Varenko would have been able to give us more of her lush descriptive art had she not be constrained by verse. It took some time to look beyond this mechanical problem to enjoy her book.  A good editor could have helped with this, however.

In addition, I lament that this darling poetry was splashed about with bits of slang and slippage of language.  It distracted, sadly, from the atmosphere I believe Ms Varenko wanted to create.  Again, an editor could have led her to see this. 

I give this example:

"When you were born a vampire,
You seemed to be designed for throne,
Cruel and cold to all desire,
But then he came -- and all went wrong.

You fell in lovey-dovey frenzy
Not seeing clearly ahead,
Your instincts and your mind got hazy--
The change was definitely sad."

To my mind, the "lovey-dovey" played childish to what was otherwise in keeping with her gothic rendering.

While "Ordeal" is not perfect in every way, it is a perfection of sorts.  Like a strawberry shortcake whose whipped cream has slipped slightly askew, it's still delicious and tasty.  You don't want to miss having a bite, and you can't help savoring every bit of it.  That's what this book is like.  It would make the perfect present for your "Twilight" loving or vampirish collecting friends.

I liked it.  I see it as primarily  a YA book that will be akin to those who love Edgar Allen Poeish poetry in their teens.  And, for those of us who remember and love Poe, it's a skip back to those nostalgic days of Annabelle and the cliffside death.

Charming and darkly gothic...  3.5 to 4 stars.

For more information, please visit the author's site at:
www.elfineness.com/author.html    I found it most intriguing!


The Bookish Dame/Deborah?

Reviewed on 05/16/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Deborah Previte

 My Review: Let me tell you how much I loved this book of varied poetry. It wasn't quite Poe, but it wasn't your run of the mill lovey-dovey stuff either. I absolutely loved this and will definitely read it again.

Reviewed on 10/05/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Mystee Blackwood

 Ordeal by T.K. Varenko

Reviewed on 09/30/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Debbie Berry