Heather’s Bookshelf: Mockingston Faire
Author: Samuel Yaw Jian Fong
Released: July 24, 2020
Genre: General fiction
“There will be live performances to see, actors to meet with, cosplayers to take pictures with, and all that nerdiness for us to enjoy!”
“Mockingston Faire” follows the adventures of several characters as they interact at an annual convention focused on gaming and cosplay. It soon becomes evident that the convention is not immune to the drama and craziness of the rest of the world.
This story follows several characters throughout the convention. Victoria Hughes is a gamer, dancer, and bit of convention royalty (famous parents and a reputation to boot). She is fiery and her temper has led her in to trouble in the past. Her love interest and dance partner, Ludvig Gerald, (who also happens to be a pretty good actor) tries desperately to stay out of the drama of the previous conventions. Their friend, Jack Zhang, also just wants to have a good time, but he finds himself in trouble for his misdeeds.
This chaotic convention is something else. It is filled with bullying, crazed fans, and people looking to pick a fight. Victoria, Ludvig, and Jack make their way through various obstacles in the Mockingston Faire while also trying to keep their friends and family safe. This is a fast-paced and creative take on friendship and exploration of the consequences of past actions.
Overall, I have never read anything like this novella and that in itself made it more appealing to me. I enjoyed learning about the different themes and events and following the characters on their journey. Even if you are not into conventions, the themes of competition and camaraderie permeate throughout the book in a relatable way. I have personally attended local conventions and dabbled in cosplay in the past, so I was familiar with some of the events and references throughout the story. However, even with my previous background and experience I found portions of the story confusing and hard to follow. I would have enjoyed more in-depth descriptions of the costumes, characters, and the shows that they were so passionately fighting over.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
I enjoyed the character interaction and originality of the novella, but found portions of the story to be confusing and hard to follow. If you love conventions, cosplay, and gaming then this is the book for you!
Want to learn more about the author? Check out my interview with: Samuel Yaw Jian Fong
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