Pigments of my Imagination by Angela Kulig
Books are like French toast. Wait... that doesn't make sense. Let me start over.
Sometimes in a book, TV show or movie there will be a twist. Most commonly found in soap operas, I am referring to that moment when a game-changing piece of information is revealed leaving the audience and characters stunned. Such as the most famous game-changer from Star Wars when Darth Vader says (spoiler alert), "Luke, I am your father.". After you close your gaping mouth you applaud the tact of the writers who added such a sizzling scoop. This effect adds spice and can enhance a story, but it must be used with caution. Before using this "spice" there must already be a good strong plot in place. Therefore, you can think of books as french toast. A tasty satisfying meal already, but a little pinch of cinnamon spice is a welcome addition. However if an author were too use to much "spice" without "French toast", you know what you get? The cinnamon challenge. If you aren't already familiar with this challenge, it is when someone is dared to swallow a spoonful of pure ground cinnamon. This is almost impossible to do due to scientific reasons, consequently the cinnamon is coughed out in a messy spice cloud. And so it is my pleasure to present you with the book I have dubbed "the cinnamon challenge".
This book has nearly fifty chapters consisting of only a few pages each and is all over the map with a twist at the end of each one. With so many twists in the road it is easy for a reader to become lost. This book starts off innocently enough with a young girl, Lucia, going off to art school. However, she is about to walk into a fantasy that becomes more unbelievable with each turn of the page. The basis for the story is the concept of reincarnation. The other students at Lucia's new school are all people from past lives leading to some interesting, if not corny, reveals.
Each "twist" is rushed and woefully underdeveloped. I would delve deeper into the plot of the story, but like I hinted at before, this book has a weak and idle theme. No french toast. Only shabby ramp-ups to failed attempts at shocking the uninvested reader. One chapters ends with a strange man mirroring Darth Vader; "'Because... I'm your father.'" Another with, "'She cursed him because he loved you instead'". And how could I forget this conversation between Lucia and a boy she just met, "'I was just a servant, a slave, who fell in love with your brother'...'My brother is dead' 'I know'"
If you are a lover of "cinnamon" this book might just be your thing. Just be warned, you won't be able to swallow it.
