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The Least of These: Mask of Matthew
K E Wass, author
Disaster strikes a young family and threatens to destroy them. Ugly truths pull apart lives that seemed so idyllic and victims fight to find hope and trust in the face of terror. A friendship grows out of the search for sanity in a world gone mad.
Quarter Finalist
Plot/Idea: 9 out of 10
Originality: 10 out of 10
Prose: 9 out of 10
Character/Execution: 10 out of 10
Overall: 9.50 out of 10
Assessment:
The complex emotions in this story about a convicted child abuser ring true and capture the rippling effects of child abuse, all the while taking on a familiar topic from a new point of view. The voice and premise of the novel are established in the first few pages, engaging the reader with the protagonist, Rachael, as she recounts a dream that sets the pace, adds terrific foreshadowing, and creates the tension needed to move the reader to the end. Character development is excellent and lends to a complex plot. Excellent dialogue defines the different character voices.
Date Submitted: July 13, 2016