This novel just didn't do it for me. The characters aren't really developed all that much, possibly because it is just the first part of a series, and the plot is not very complex and the story rends rather abruptly.

Darwin doesn't really have an interesting backstory, her motivations are rather vague, and the whole novel just seems somewhat unfinished. I think the story might get more interesting later on, but the lack of character development put it off of reading more.

Darwin's Selection- Volume 1: A Whole New World by Christopher Slater (The Story Plant - 2017) - Darwin Woodman is a brand new college student when things begin to get weird. It starts with a dog. A really big dog that seems to follow her around. Soon she is confronted with a disturbing reality. Not all of her fellow students are human.


One of the great things about science fiction is the "what if" question. In the case of this new series, "what if the figures of mythology were actually aliens from elsewhere in the multiverse?" Christopher Slater jumps us right into that idea with an analytical young woman who is one of the rare humans who can see the "Intruders". What you get is a story that is part "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and part "The Brothers Grimm". Who, as it turns out, could see them too.

He does a wonderful job of capturing the headlong, breathless storytelling style of a sheltered teenage girl. The narrative all but stumbles over its own feet trying to tell you all the things that happen. Kudos to the author for making sure that it never quite happens.

While I love the concept, that same first person narrative hampers the story for me. Slater teaches Middle School students, and I think they will love this book. The problem is that since we never expand beyond young Miss Woodman's point of view, there's not a lot of meat there for an adult reader. While not listed as a juvenile book, the lack of development of a truly rich concept is going to limit any potential older readership.

At the same time, it IS a really intriguing concept. A really nice addition to the fantasy for young readers category. Could be the perfect entry point for readers looking to explore something new.

Why You Will Like It - A really engaging heroine and sidekick, and a great concept.

Rating - *** Worth A Look

Available starting January 1, 2017

(review will post Feb 1, 2017)

While this may not have been this author's first published work, it definitely does not read like the work of a professional. From the start, the writing style and the story itself fell apart. Everything was artificial and awkward, and I immediately disliked this book. Darwin has no real personality. The introduction that the author gives for her is childishly articulated, in a manner similar to the way my 12 year old sister would introduce a story. There is not an ounce of depth throughout the novel and every single character is shallow beyond belief. This book would be much more suitable for a child/pre-teen than for any teenager because the author has not reflected any aspect of the real world at all. Nuances and transitions do not exist in this novel, and its immature writing style did not allow me to continue to finish this novel. I had to stop at the halfway mark because I just really did not like how the author had conveyed this story. I don't want you to think I only focused on the writing style itself; I actually gave the story itself a chance but found that it was lackluster. Overall, I was not happy with what I read. This book needs some major editing to iron out all details and give everything some much-needed depth. Also, it needs to stop sounding so artificial and immature. This story did not resonate with me at all and I would only recommend this novel if it has gone through some heavy editing and fixed all of these issues.