I would first like to start with the technical details that annoyed me from the book:
1. Writing style:
I didn't have problems with the entire writing style, but with some of it. For example, Calvin uses way to many nouns to describe his characters, sometimes, a good old pronoun or name does the job, you know? (e.g. "teenager", "killer", "detective", "sheriff", etc. you get the picture). These pronouns just added unnecessary length to the book and created a barrier to better connect with the characters from the reader standpoint. He also used Said Bookism heavily. You cannot exclaim or gasp a sentence, right? At some times, this Said Bookism were crucial, but at other times it just made the writing style choppy and difficult to digest.
2. Foreshadowing:
Was there any foreshadowing in the book? Unfortunately, no. I think the author abused of the third point narrative. He was the almighty being that let us see what was happening with the other characters while another one was being talked of. Returning to the foreshadowing comment, he didn't used any because his novel was more telling than showing. The reader is not dumb, if the author writes that there is an oppressing feeling in the room, chances are that the killer is hiding somewhere in the room getting ready to pounce on the detective. This is good use of foreshadowing, by creating ambiance with the environment. However, Calvin told us right away that the killer was waiting somewhere, instead of letting the situation, or the character's own deductions, express that to us.
3. Endless explanations:
Yeah, I think the book was unnecessary long. Part of it was the world-building and character development Calvin wanted to emphasize in his book. Which is okay but sometimes too many details at once really bores and overwhelms the reader. When I first started reading, I skimmed at the long paragraphs that waited me in that page in dismay. Clarification: I did read through all sentences though! Explanations are important, but don't let that be the sole structure of your book. I mentioned earlier that this book is more showing than telling, I still stand by it, but I'm also lenient. It is hard not to have some instances of telling rather than showing when you're building a fictitious setting and tampering with the extents of science. In this case it is forgivable. The only character whom I believe Calvin gave the longest description was Frank. He should have given enough information for the reader to connect the dots by themselves.
4. Inaccuracies:
Bit weird for me to say this because this is a fictitious world loosely based on science. As far as the creation of the children goes, I have no problem there, I think it's fascinating. But some minor details are hard to believe in. For instance, the appearance of the eye for said scientific and geological reasons. That part was really hard to believe and imagine, I don't think that's possible in real life. Calvin should check his facts. The other inaccuracy was when Ray hijacked the train, the Jericho PD said they cannot intercept the train in time because it was ahead of them. I scoff at that, don't they have choppers that could possibly reach the train fast? And yet another one was when Frank submissively gave up his badge because of the day's incident. I thought he was more strong-willed and determined than that. However, some part of me was saying that Frank would probably leave Jericho for Eden. (Good foreshadowing). In this case, I give the author the benefit of the doubt. (See what I did there by using a noun to refer to Calvin. This is what he used to refer to his characters rather than by name).
Now that the technical details are over. Let's go into plot and character development! *rub hands together*
* Eden and Soul Wind Forest are such beautiful names! Helix Unbound was really intriguing and the experiments going on inside are totally captivating and roused my curiosity. I found myself liking the characters very much, particularly Evan (maybe because I'm a psycho just like him!) JUST KIDDING. I don't know why I developed a particular liking for him, maybe because he was the underdog (not physically, but emotionally). It really pained me to read all his feelings of abandonment and being less loved. Main reason why I partially disliked Professor Madison for always giving Amanda more attention. That is not to say that I dislike Amanda, I think she is such a sweet girl.
* The person who had the greatest growth from the novel was Evan, for all the things he had to go through, all the pain, rage, and hatred. I wasn't expecting an ending like that when all the characters linked to him professed their hatred towards him. Bit paradoxical there.
* One of my favorite parts was the escape. Truly amazing display of power. Blue for the win!
* I believe the most crucial part in the novel was Professor Madison and Evan's conversation before the latter was taken to Sunrise Isle. It was heart wrenching because I finally get a glimpse of Madison and Evan alone. It was tender to say the least, unfortunately shattered by the mention of Amanda because Madison's attention shifted to that of his beloved daughter. Which I'm not saying is bad, but it's a bit insensitive knowing that your son is going to be taken away.
* The Desmonds are nice people, but I couldn't stand them sometimes because they seem so possessive of Amanda. Though I might be imagining that because I mentioned they were good people. Maybe is my psychotic personality that tells me nobody is that nice. *ominous music playing in the background*
* Ray is such a chilling character. I got the creeps whenever a murder occurred. Man, those murders are gruesome and scary. The details were described clearly, without any withdrawn feelings of repulsiveness or gore. Which I thank Calvin because he let himself go when writing.
*Thankfully, the story started picking up 2/3 into the book. It is a plus because it got interesting fast, and it was kept that way. At first I thought it was odd that the book should have so many subplots and I was wondering when will all these converge. I wasn't disappointed that all of these entwined into the major plot. That's a major plus.
The listing is over.
Joseph Madison contradicted himself when he said his second-to-last and last comment to Evan. I hated him so much for the former comment, and was warmed with affection for the latter comment.
I learned to love Amanda and Evan throughout the book, each child had to overcome different obstacles, but in the end, everything turned out to be good for everybody. While the overall ending was awesome, the events leading to it had become repetitive. I am speaking particularly of the final confrontations between Amanda and Evan. It was the same over and over again: Evan is angry, Amanda tries to make him see the light, Evan sees it momentarily but then he angers again. If my count is right, it happened four times towards the end of the book. The final final confrontation was kinda ridiculous (and again repetitive). Evan was giving his trust to Amanda, but for some reason he became paranoid again. Like the reader hasn't got enough of his mistrusting paranoia. If I were Amanda, I would have killed him in the spot.
I will contradict myself here. While I wished Amanda had killed Evan in the spot for something he did to her, I really liked the ending. Loved the ending actually. And loved the overall story.
As a final note, before I leave. I would like to say that "Shortcake" is not an appropriate title for the book. The story and elements in the novel are so interesting that a better name could have been formed. I was baffled by the name in the beginning because I couldn't connect it with anything I had read so far. Then I understood.
Also, last final note, I never got to know who the gentleman from the beginning was.
Can't wait for the second installment (I knew a sequel was coming. Good second foreshadowing Mr. Christopher Calvin)!
