Title: Paradise Broken Author: Rob Marshall
Pages: 466
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington
Pacific Book Review
Rob Marshall’s style of describing events stands out in Paradise Broken. The author gives the original image through the words he uses, making readers experience the events in the book in a very personal way. The character development in this book is worth noting too as each character gets to be distinct in the role given; some being charming, conservative, too serious for life, the thinkers in the group, and some being modest even during the chaos. Rob Marshall explored the character creation well in Paradise Broken as the plot is also transcendent. The author created a classic storyline with an astounding flow. One gets the urge to keep reading as the tales in the book keep getting more intriguing in every new chapter.
Imagine going on an adventure with some of your closest friends, planning everything well in advance, then out of nowhere having to deal with obstacles you had not anticipated when you are in the woods. Readers follow three couples as they take an adventure into the mountains. The book is set in New Zealand and so the reader gets to experience New Zealand wilderness, going up the hills and following characters through their escapades. One could feel how crisp the mountains were through the author’s words. The reader gets to have a feeling of the water in the flowing river as the author narrates. Everything feels authentic as Rob Marshall is exceptionally skilled in how he narrates the events. The journey to the camping spot feels smooth at the beginning until something unforeseen happens.
Paradise Broken is an exciting book to read as the author takes the reader by surprise throughout the book. You would expect the characters to take a certain route before the author blindsides you with a plot twist. The turn of events, suspense when reading and the author’s sense of humor make the book an entertaining read. You will like some characters more than others given their distinguished roles. Some of the characters I enjoyed following were Brent, Janey, and Bill Weber. You will notice that the traits given to these characters suited them in their purposes in the story. I applaud Rob Marshall for being a creative genius especially with Janey as a character.
Taking a trip through the forest to get to a paradise of sorts, yet when things go south is not what campers anticipate. In this book, you will live through the sad, happy and scary times of the group as they journeyed to the paradise. One thing you can learn from the group’s adventure is that not everyone can be a leader. The unexpected turn of events led to some characters in the group making tough calls that not everyone approved. I liked the main characters and how they carried themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed living in the wilderness as I read through Paradise Broken.
As he wrote the story, the author explored several themes in the book. Major themes include friendship, love, nature, human behavior and dealing with disappointments. The story is both smooth and thrilling at the same time. Rob Marshall is an extraordinary writer with amazing literary abilities. One can tell that the author is great in his art through is fine diction and how events unfold in the book. Paradise Broken is an excellent book for readers who fancy drama, action and generally great fiction.
