Today I will be giving you my first ever Book Spotlight. It's a part here on my blog wherein I'll feature an awesome, underrated book for all of you to discover. I'll also be doing Actor Spotlights, Movie Spotlights and so on so forth.
Anyway, the first book I'll feature is...
Although I like reading all those somehow mainstream books, nothing beats going to a book sale and buying a great book that nobody has heard of and it only cost you a measly amount of money. This is the case for The Ant Colony, which is written by the lovely Jenny Valentine. I'm sure most of you haven't heard of it, which is a shame because it's a very good book and I'll tell you why.
Synopsis
I'll try to write this as best as I can without giving away any spoilers. Okay so here we go.
The book focuses mostly on the two protagonists, Sam and Bohemia. They both live a very dysfunctional life in an old, not-so-nice-to-live-in flat (because they're British) on 33 Georgina Street. The story also sheds some light on their fellow neighbors; a nosy old woman, a man who looks like he has lizard scales instead of skin, some biker-type dude and Bohemia's mom. They go about scurrying like ants and doing their day-to-day business but once you dig deep enough to upset the balance, you'll understand why some secrets are better kept hidden.
Review
The book is a pleasant and short read, actually. The first part is mostly filled with the characters building up relationships with each other and then, by the middle of the book you're eyes will be glued to the pages. There's a lot of emotion and depth in the characters, especially Bohemia. Miss Valentine wrote her in such a way that she is both very likable yet painfully realistic. Sam, on the other hand, is a character that you'll love and loathe (you'll know why when you read the book). All those characters in between are equally dynamic as the protagonists.
What I like mostly about this book is that it doesn't try to sugarcoat the pains of life. We are human, we make mistakes but we have to forgive ourselves and others. It also doesn't try to give you a dramatically sad ending. The ending is lighthearted and comforting, exactly what you need after the emotional rollercoaster of this book. Some parts do get boring, though and you really need a lot of understanding to truly comprehend the essence of the book as a whole.
But overall, I'd say this is a wonderful read and a great emotional rollercoaster of a book that we all must ride.
Rating: 4/5
"Ants on their own can't accomplish much of anything, but together they can do the unthinkable."
-Sam, The Ant Colony
Thank you for reading this review, Martian!!! :D The next one will be about "The Ocean at The End Of The Lane" by the legendary Neil Gaiman.
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