Assessment:

Plot: This inventive sci-fi thriller maintains and builds tension well throughout the novel. However, there’s little closure for the protagonist by the end of the novel and readers will be left with more questions than answers when it comes to the plot. This reads more as a prequel or an installment in a series, rather than a standalone novel.

Prose: Enns’s prose is well-rendered, especially as it shifts easily from poetic observations to describing the horrors of this confusing world.

Originality: Enns’s worldbuilding is strong and the backbone of the novel. Readers will enjoy following along as the protagonist, Carls Locke, navigates new rooms, realms, and possible dimensions in this story.

Character/Execution: The characters of The Grand Attraction are numerous and carry great potential. Carls Locke is believable as a father searching for his young daughter in a confusing new reality. The ever-changing setting within the titular Grand Attraction is arguably the strongest, most-developed character. Secondary characters are numerous, diverse, and interesting, even if they only appear briefly.

Date Submitted: July 08, 2020