Distant Cousins by Eric Huffbind
-3 stars
Eric Huffbind is a new to me author. When I went to see what else he had written I realised that he is only recently published which made a bit more sense with my concerns over this book.
In essence, Konner finds out at the age of 30 that he has been adopted and that his 4 siblings aren't really blood related. It disconcerts him to the point of searching frantically for his birth parents. Early on in this search he meets Aaron. Together they unfold the mysteries of their shared heritage which turns out to be Jewish, a real surprise for Konner who has been raised as Catholic. There are multiple family issues to deal with; a shocking turn of events that affect Konner; Aaron and his developing relationship as lovers, and lots of side plots that contribute to the story.
If I was reviewing the story alone, I would say it is a very good one. It was original and obviously researched and thought through. The genealogy theme was interesting and the way the story panned out was enthralling. The plot had me intrigued. I also loved the characters and didn't mind the instal-love as it felt right for the story.
What made it only a 3 star read for me, was the quality of the writing and editing, but the most frustrating trait was the switching of perspectives in the same chapter. I often found myself wondering who was 'telling' that part of the story and had to re-read parts of it for clarity. In my opinion, it is only very skilled and experienced authors that manage to do this successfully. I also think the narrative could have been cut down substantially as parts were simply too wordy with too much unnecessary information - the author doesn't have to set the entire scene from A to Z - the reader should be allowed to use their imagination a little bit to fill in the blanks.
To conclude - I was left with having had an enjoyable read because, as I said in the beginning of my review - it was a great story. I am sure that this author will work hard to improve his writing technique to create a more complete reading experience - or not, it's only my opinion after all!