Assessment:
Teenaged Vega discovers sex and drugs with her boyfriend Tom in late '70s Germany, and soon finds herself traveling in the Mediterranean due to the consequences of her choices. Vega rarely compels as a protagonist and often feels tossed from one situation to the next. The prose is also stilted at times, though the story is well-paced and the settings vivid.
Date Submitted: June 02, 2016
Ms. Feye’s Private Universe is a compelling and engaging story that weaves adventure, colorful characters, picturesque settings, and unrelenting suspense into a multilayered and uniquely-crafted novel.
Its non-linear narrative describes a metaphysically-infused journey into the authenticity of self through the eyes of Vega Stern, an intelligent young woman, who’s lured into the drug scene of 1970s Germany by a seductive “bad boy.” When this dangerous relationship reaches the tipping point and Vega is faced, suddenly, with the prospect of un-redemptive addiction and probable death, Vega chooses instead to transform her self-directed recovery into an exploration of spiritual significance, meaningfulness, and genuine self-love. With the symbolism of Great Art as her signposts and the Great Masters her mentors, Vega pivots her alienation and exploration into a revelatory breakthrough that illuminates her life and empowers others seeking a "second chance."
