Benjamin's Gift

Rating:
Summary: Magical and Captivating
Review: A contemporary fairy tale which bypasses the logical mind and enters one's heart and soul directly. Thank you Michael.

Rating:
Summary: My apologies that it's taken me this long to say "Thank you"
Review: A contemporary fairy tale which bypasses the logical mind and enters one's heart and soul directly. Thank you Michael.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it.
Review: From page one, this book grabbed me. Really enjoyed the characters and the way the author tells a story using the same surrealistic approach Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses in 100 Years of Solitude. Characters you don't want to say goodbye to when the book is finished and a way of telling a sad yet happy story with a bittersweet ending that makes you smile and cry at the same time. Excellent. Can't wait for Golding's next book.

Rating:
Summary: Golding's Simple Gift...
Review: Golding's first book was so wonderfully crafted of magical realism that I eagerly awaited his second. "BG" does not disappoint. The fantastic antics of Benjamin, and the completely molded characters he encounters challenge the reader to redefine his idea of "beauty" and to identify beauty in the simple as well as the grand. I particularly liked Golding's use of Jazz within the relationships of characters and as a vehicle of discovery for one character. It is a device that I am used to seeing in African American Literature. I did miss the cliffhanger quality that ended each of the chapters of his first book, but this is such a minor point. "BG" is a very satisfying read. Don't make us wait so long for your next book, Mr. Golding!

Rating:
Summary: Golding's Magical Gift
Review: I loved this book! The characters are marvelous -- warm, funny, and alive -- and the story is surprisingly moving. Golding has a gift for language and his lightness is deceptive; you are pulled into a tale that you will not forget. I loved Golding's first book, SIMPLE PRAYERS and BENJAMIN'S GIFT is every bit as wonderful. Don't hesitate to buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Golding's Magical Gift
Review: If you like "plot" you'll like Benjamin's Gift. There were so many aspects to the plot of this story--it was at sometimes a historical documentary, at others a science fiction adventure, and others a book about sexual fantasy. Michael Golding has incorporated themes reminiscent of Charles Dicken's Oliver and Oscar Wilde's The Portrait of Dorian Gray. While there was a great deal of action--what I missed was character development. The characters were flat and were not believable. There was so much opportunity in my mind to create some quality introspection in the characters so that the message in Benjamin's gift (which is hard to find) could be a theme for all. My projected theme is the fact that each indivdual has specific "natural gifts" and there is an inherent responsibility to share those gifts for the greater good.

Rating:
Summary: Magical and Captivating
Review: One of my top ten favorite books. It's impossible to put it down. A wonderful book about the bonds of life, and the many unexpected places they can take us. Though at times some of the side characters seem one sided, the Hero, Benjamin makes up for the lack. The story takes you through a historical time with a magical twist. Absolutely wonderful. I recomend this book to all!

Rating:
Summary: Not about the power, more about what the power brings
Review: When I first saw this, I thought it was going to be a sci-fi book and that's what I expected. What I found instead was a sweet touching story about two people, one of whom has a special ability but it doesn't center around that. It's more the interaction of the people.

In some ways, this reminds me of Anne Tyler's Patchwork Planet.