Review of Cursed Casino by Sara Brooke
5 Stars
Sara Brooke demonstrates a hallmark of an excellent writer:
starting off soundly, and then improving with every single new writing, whether
it’s novel, short story, or novella. If I had to choose between all of Ms.
Brooke’s publications to date, I think I would select “Cursed Casino” and “Kransen
House,” though I rate all excellent and well worth rereading.
The reader’s hook in “Cursed Casino” grabs the reader
immediately; I don’t know how anyone could put the book down after those
scenes, certainly not me. I like Sara’s
approach to character backstory. I really liked the concept of rebuilding the
exact same type of hotel and casino, with the exact same name, on the exact
same location-two years after the destruction, because that is SO tempting fate
and SO inevitably going to have ugly consequences. In both cases (prior to the
hurricane, and in the contemporary renovated casino) it’s amazing how totally
naïve the patrons and management are: sort of a “it can’t happen here mentality”
(I’m thinking of, for example, the Jonestown Flood, the Toccoa Falls Flood, and of course Katrina)
simultaneously with a “it won’t happen to me, if it happens at all” hubris.
Gotta love it..because of course the readers knows how wrong that is.
And I like that
gentle telegraphing, by which the Supernatural elements are brought in subtly
at first. By Chapter 3 I had serious chills going on, ready to see what this
author could bring forth. Another good element is in Ryan’s recounting of the
history surrounding the end of the prior casino/barge and the lobbying to build
the new one. In the background, I could easily visualize the “new ownership”
being some kind of holding company orchestrated by the Devil, or some demonic
element, specifically to create a similar situation in which to wipe out
hundreds of people at one time, as did the hurricane.
I think that the
best theme for me in this story is the working out of the karma due to the
hubris, the sheer overwhelming GREED that motivated the construction and
operation of the first casino, and then the new construction of the
replacement; that GREED that determined that hundreds of lives lost was an
immaterial cost of operation. Such arrogance, to rebuild at all, plus in the
same location, and then to schedule opening for the anniversary date!
I really
did not expect any of the denouements of the last several chapters (though I
applauded all) and not of the Epilogue-but again, the outcome was very fitting.
In summary, this novel rocks!
You are a true master of the quill! This reading was the so absorbing!Write more and thank you! http:/keno-online.org
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