Heather’s Bookshelf: Magic, Television, and Marijuana
Author: Matthew Berkman
Released: 9/11/2020
Genre: New Adult Fantasy Fiction
“Everything important is a story, that’s how we process things. Or that’s how I process things. Writing books isn’t the same as making movies, but they’re both stories. It’s all stories.”
“MTM” introduces you two main characters and storylines. The first follows Mark, a recent film school graduate who finds himself unfulfilled and working at a sandwich shop. The second storyline follows Hannah, a high schooler struggling with the reality of her parents pending divorce. Mark and Hannah each soon encounter people that will forever change their lives and their understanding of the world. Their stories become intertwined as the two must work together to save each other and the world.
Mark and Hannah find themselves thrust into a world of magic. Mark learns all he can from a mysterious man named Arthur while Hannah leaves everything she knows behind to learn from her Uncle Jack. Each of the characters encounter their own challenges as they work toward solving the mysteries that they have each been thrown into.
The main characters in this story are all well developed and complex. Hannah’s character is especially endearing and relatable. But it is the character of Uncle Jack that really makes the story. His backstory is intriguing, disturbing, and heartbreaking all at the same time. The ancillary characters of Evan and Ninkasha are also both very likeable and add to the comedy within the story. The comedy and the pop culture references throughout make this story much more complex and enjoyable (as do the countless pop culture references).
Fair Warning: This book contains violence, adult language, and drug use.
Overall, I loved this book. The way that the author incorporated the pop culture references throughout the story and actually ended up making it part of the story was fun and entertaining. I also loved that the references were included without explanation and not dumbed down or explained fully for the readers. It made me feel as though I was included in a bunch of inside jokes within an adventure story. The adventure/mystery and use of magic kept this pretty long story moving at a good pace so that you don’t feel like it is dragged out. The structure of the story keeps you guessing and the changing perspectives keep you interested. The characters are well developed and you find yourself rooting for them (even as their flaws are exposed). The ending wraps up this refreshing story in a way that is different and seamless, breaking through the fourth wall and leaving the reader wondering.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
I loved this pop culture filled and magical journey. One of the most creative, interesting, and entertaining books that I have read this year.
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