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Subject: {ASSM} {REVIEW} Review 012 The Scarlet Parcel by Bradley Stoke 
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Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 17:10:01 -0500
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Review The Scarlet Parcel by Bradley Stoke


Storyline

<Brief outline only>

Bradley's summary:

Heather is a single mother living in a pretty cottage in a
picturesque English village. After seeing her daughter onto the
school bus, she must get back before either Gerry or the postman
arrives. The postman is due to deliver a scarlet parcel whose
contents Heather hopes will promote Gerry's passion.


Merits

<What was worthy of comment>

Bradley excels in giving the feel of an English village, its
delights, controversies and prejudices. I grew up in such a
village and this is so finely observed I think our author may
also have done. Heather, and enforced singleton with a young
daughter feels the isolation that only a truly well honed circle
of disapproving ex-friends can enforce. Despite this she revels
in waiting for Gerry's arrival. Although isolated and disapproved
of our heroine (and I use the word advisedly) is not beaten, and
she keeps her beloved cottage and life-style at the centre of her
pragmatic approach.


Demerits

<What detracted from the story>

Little in reality, the grammar is good and the atmosphere well
realised.


Atmosphere

<How well evolved was the environment> Marks out of  20

<19>

I love it, some of the birds seem a little over abundant, but I'm
no 'twitcher' so who knows. I swear he walked through my village,
and I expect anyone who has lived in a village would feel the
same. Both from the physical surroundings and the sniffy
indifference of the 'gossiping' classes. The feeling that Heather
is a threat is nicely done. Although it was her partner who up
and left, she would be an 'available' and a 'dangerous woman'.
You can almost hear the snorts of disgust and hastily muttered
comments. Curtain twitching at it's best :-)

Workflow

<How well did the story progress and develop> Marks out of  20

<18>

Very smooth with a lot of depth being revealed in the process,
the 'open secret' is well handled and still manages to surprise
one at the end.

Eroticism

<Just how erotic a read is this (erotic, not sexy!)> Marks out of
20

<16>

Well the sex is functional, and stripped of some emotion, but
that fits the story superbly well. The story itself revolves
around sex, its consequences and the varieties of 'love' one can
experience. Heather comes over as a very 'together' woman,
pragmatic and sexy in a very post 1960's sense.

Mechanics

<18>

<The boring bit, grammar, typo's etc.> Marks out of 20

As faultless as I have seen, well done.

Impression

<What did I feel having read the story, did I want to read more?>
Marks out of 20

<16>

I'm a sucker for things that are well observed, so more of this
style of Bradley story yes. He can do emotions well if he
chooses, but sometime he chooses not to use this as a device. In
my case as a reader I miss it. I would actually like to see more
of this village and the undoubted hypocisy of the 'gossiping
classes'. My experience suggests that sleepy villages have more
than their fair share of skeletons in the well-appointed middle
class cupboards. I think Bradley loves and hates English villages
in equals share, and yes - that is the effect they have on you.

Total score

87 Yotties out of 100.

Readability guide      00-20 must try harder.
                            20-40 needs development
                            40-60 readable
                            60-80 good read
                            80-99 should read
                            100 reserved for my stories :-)

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Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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