Jay Jordan Hawke
Find me on Facebook and Twitter!
  • Jay Jordan Hawke
  • Jay Hawke's Blog
  • Interviews
  • About the Author
  • Purchase
  • Misc. Links
  • Contact Author
  • Book Trailer
  • Book Reviews
  • My Writings on the Interwebs

Spinner by Michael J. Bowler. A Review by Jay Jordan Hawke

1/17/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Spinner by Michael J. Bowler. Reviewed by author Jay Jordan Hawke.

Every once in a long while I have to drag myself away from my own writing and check out the books around me. I’m glad I happened upon Spinner.

Spinner is an emotionally powerful story of a young boy, Alex, who has been spat on his whole life, in fact, life itself has spat on him. He is poor, crippled, abandoned, and lives unloved and unwanted with his most recent foster mom. And at school, he is nothing but a special needs kid, dismissed as worthless “crip.” What else could go wrong? Plenty. Alex is haunted by demons. No, literally demons are after him!

These demons talk to him through dreams, through animals, and even through inanimate objects. They have a special agenda for Alex, and Alex will have to summon all his powers in order to resist their malevolent scheme.

But what truly gives this story its power is the special abilities that Alex has – the ability to absorb and eliminate the pain and suffering of those around him. Alex is a healer. Barely aware of what that means, Alex comes to see himself as a freak. And why not? Everyone around him treats him as such, unable to truly appreciate the wonder that is right in front of them.

Fortunately, Alex does have a friend who transcends the shallowness of most of his peers, and appreciates Alex for what he is – a miracle. And with his friend and companions, he confronts his demons and learns a lot about love and friendship in the process.

Michael J. Bowler has written yet another poignant story that like his critically acclaimed Children of the Knight, features outcasts and rejects as the heroes of the story. He gives so much beauty and humanity to these characters that you can’t help but feel the injustice of a society that so often dismisses them as trash. Bowler is to be commended for seeing beauty, hope, and love, where others see nothing but garbage. And just as Bowler is able to show us the humanity of these outcast, Alex, eventually understands that he truly is a miracle himself.

Spinner is a frightening but touching tale for all fans of young adult, and it is a very special treat for those into horror and paranormal. Reading Spinner felt a lot to me like watching a Stephen King movie from the 1980s. I fully appreciated the nostalgia.


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Jay Jordan Hawke is author of the Two-spirit Chronicles, which includes: Pukawiss the Outcast, A Scout is Brave, and Onwaachige the Dreamer.

    Archives

    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    June 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010

    Categories

    All
    Anti Gay Bullying
    A Scout Is Brave
    Book Reviews
    Boy Scouts
    Bullying
    Christianity
    Coming Out
    Dadt
    Doma
    Entertainment
    Faux News
    Gay Heroes
    Gay Marriage
    Gay Rights
    Gay Teens
    Gay Teen Suicide
    Hate Crimes
    Homophobia
    Just Kidding
    Lawrence King
    Matthew Shepard
    Michelle Bachmann
    Pop Culture
    Prayers For Bobby
    Pukawiss: The Outcast
    Pukawiss: The Outcast
    Quotes
    Religious Right
    Republicans
    Right Wing Loons
    Sarah Palin
    Seth Walsh
    Snyder V. Phelps
    Suicide
    The First Amendment
    Thoughts From Jay Hawke

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.