Ebook The Night Tommy Swanson Died Jack Merridew Books
Ebook The Night Tommy Swanson Died Jack Merridew Books
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The Night Tommy Swanson Died Jack Merridew Books Reviews
- A mix of southern Gothic, Fahrenheit 451, and Love, Simon. This was a great novella from a writer that I hope will continue to write. For the sake of a balanced review, I will say the author could have been helped tremendously by an editor, but don't let that stop you from reading this; it's still a very good story.
- Salvador Dali meets the Marques De Sade meets "Leave It to Beaver" meets "Love Simon". That might be a bit hyperbolic, but not by much. I have Jack Merridew's two previous books, and while enjoyable they are not fully realized, though they certainly show his potential as a writer. In this book I think I can say that potential is realized, and also an indication of much greater potential in the future.
This story is filled with Twist and Turns, and though you can see them coming, oddly they always turn in an unexpected direction. Very hard to summarize this story as it is so unusual. I expected a simple nostalgic longing for love that can never be, and while it is that, this story is far more complex and intricate than that. It is Dark, very dark, but there is lightness in the dark. There is hope in the despair.
Indeed a very complex and captivating story. If you are remotely thinking of buying this book, I suggest you do. You've not read a story like this before. I only gave it 4 STARS but I virtually never give 5 Stars, but this is certainly a book worth reading, and like I said, unlike any book you have read before. Definitely recommended. - Here you will find yet another facet of J. Merridew's creativity.
Jack Merridew is an established talent on his YouTube Channel, where he demonstrates proficiency as a videographer, editor, prop-man, and script-writer. As a performer in that medium he often approaches a comedic energy level comparable to Robin Williams (he talks so fast that he often swallows his own air, and, accordingly, often burps, just barely breaking stride), and an appreciation for words comparable to George Carlin's (and, with all due respect, neither of those performers ever assumed exclusive responsibility for their own sets, filming, editing, marketing, and management). Merridew's Channel focuses primarily, but not entirely, on life's container the body. YouTube seems to think of Merridew as a Lenny Bruce; and, Merridew seems unfazed. While more often than not Merridew is unabashedly stretching the boundaries of outrageous farce, he is almost always doing so with a conscious determination to provide true aid, refreshing comfort, and heartfelt encouragement to his target, primarily, marginalized audience. To the extent that he reaches for those outside of his own experience with reality, he appreciates, as Oscar Wilde said, "if you are going to tell people the truth, you had better make them laugh, or they will kill you." If you are expecting the YouTube performer, this is not that. If the YouTube performer isn't to your liking, the author still merits your attention.
Merridew's writing focuses on life's container's contents thoughts and feelings, ideas and emotions, processing experiences of heroism and tragedy. Here, Merridew is neither frenetic, nor farcical. Here, Merridew is just as insightful as usual, but he is also poignant. He still has an ear for phrasing and pacing. He still has an eye for imagery and inventing a setting. Here, Merridew, continues with some of the best life-moments, images and ideas that he employed in "Fireworks Over Suburbia" and "Teenage Idol," (feeling different; following; conformity; uniformity; fear; regret; forgiveness; fairness; honesty; deceit; love; the beauty of fireworks, especially green fireworks; prayer; personal relationships; integrity; individuality). And, now, here, he has polished those life-moments, images and ideas and deployed them in a more sophisticated and developed story. His narrator is someone akin to a more well-integrated Holden Caufield. His craftsmanship with language, characters, dialogue, and setting is real. If it is somehow helpful to you,, Merridew is sort of in a category comparable to Harlan Ellison or Kurt Vonnegut. Still, Merridew's writing here is not derivative; it is unique, rooted in his own processing of his own reality. His writing is consistent with his conscious determination to primarily provide true aid, refreshing comfort, and heartfelt encouragement to his marginalized audience. However, neither he, nor his audience are so completely marginalized that Merridew does not here successfully provide insight and provoke thought that are universally human, universally applicable, and universally real. For anyone and everyone, as a child, as an adolescent, as an adult "being just like everyone else is easy. It's the easiest thing you'll ever do."
Both as a performer and as a writer, Merridew goes for truth, both truth in comedy and truth in tragedy. With so many creative options to explore, he could easily be spread too thin. His commitment to quality is evident. The trajectory established with his writings is evidence of even greater potential. - The Night Tommy Swanson Died is what one could call a "coming of age horror story." Written by YouTuber Jack Merridew, a funny, charming, and charismatic young man who discusses topics relating to the gay community, as well his experiences within it, 'The Night Tommy Swanson Died' is a promising debut from a new (and up and coming? one could hope) author. Merridew has an interesting style, and what could have been mundane and unimaginative in less capable hands is turned into an intriguing, engaging tale of a young man coming of age, and to terms with himself, in what could be described as an horrific alternate 1950's America.
If the book has any faults, it would be that it is a bit on the short side, though that could certainly be a positive for some. It's not the heaviest reading material content wise, and could certainly be read through in a single sitting. The first chapter is definitely intriguing enough to hook you in, and the more you read, the more you get drawn into this oddly warped world Merridew manages to create. That could be another small gripe, in that I was left wanting to see and learn more about this wonderfully twisted world Merridew's characters inhabit.
Speaking of characters, they aren't the most well developed, but the most important ones tend to have enough depth and personality to feel like real people, people you can care about. The side characters and antagonists tend to be a bit underdeveloped for my liking, but again, they have just enough personality injected into them to help readers invoke memories of people they may have known at some point in their own lives. The bullies and the stern, rigid parents who we all felt we could never understand or relate to as children, only to understand them all to well as adults. Simplistic character development, but effective enough.
With the book's short length, the plot and story moves at a rather brisk pace. Merridew had an idea and a vision and crafted a lean, well told story in just under 200 pages. With a plot and concept that hooks and intrigues the reader from the very beginning, a likeable and relatable protagonist, and a world that I hope Merridew expands on in future projects, 'The Night Tommy Swanson Died' is an exciting, sometimes heartwarming, other times heart wrenching, coming of age story that, in it's own delightfully twisted way, demonstrates just how messy and confusing the transition from childhood into adulthood can be.
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