Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Three years after that first meeting in a theatre storeroom, Jayden Phillips and Darren Peace are separating for the first time, trading in school for the trappings of adult life. Jayden has achieved his dream of a place at Cambridge University; Darren has achieved his own of escaping the Cold War of home and tasting true independence for the first time.

A hundred miles apart and embarking on two very different paths, Jayden feels it is inevitable that time and distance will slowly pull them apart. School relationships, after all, don't last. Darren disagrees -- at first. Love is all they need, and they have weathered harder storms than chasing dreams.

That is until the separation, and the encroaching influence of Jayden's new friends, begins to take its toll on Darren's mental state. Alone, he descends in a rapid downward spiral that is finally arrested by one night and a drastic course of action. In the wake of a single unanswered phone call, Jayden learns that time and distance have the power to do much more than break a relationship.

The dream is over -- and the reality is far, far worse.

 

Book Review

The small, seemingly insignificant things we do every day—the touches, the looks, and the jokes—are important for keeping a couple tuned into one another. Without them, it's easy for distance to dull this sense of oneness; your heart starves for the intimacy it's become accustomed to and remembering hurts too much with no gratification in sight. It can be such a gradual thing that you don't even realize it until it's pulled you so far apart that you wonder if you'll ever be able to put the pieces back together again. Human nature is such that until something drastic happens, this complacency will continue. At that point, we are forced to re-evaluate our priorities and focus on how much a part of us the person is; we realize how lost we would be without them and resolve to make a change if only they will stay. Jayden and Darren of 'The Devil's Trill Sonata' by Matthew J. Metzger, are unwittingly caught in this downward spiral. The question is, what do they do about it?

Jayden has dreamed of going to Cambridge for so long, that he can't let go of that dream, whether it's what's best for him and Darren or not. Changing his plans seems like a betrayal and giving it up, unimaginable. He seriously believes that his and Darren's love will carry them through whatever barriers life may throw at them. Jayden doesn't stop to think about how important their day-to-day routine is. In his determination to make it in college, he unwittingly turns a blind eye to signals he's receiving from Darren which indicate that he's in trouble. Since Jayden is a follower, not a leader, he's trying to impress his new friends; not knowing or caring about how it might affect Darren. He never considers that, for all his rough exterior, Darren is very dependent upon Jayden. He feels that after years of being there for Darren, Jayden wants some time for himself. Jayden seriously underestimates how much Darren needs his approval and how insecure he is while they are separated. When disaster strikes, it causes Jayden to reevaluate everything in his life. He begins to see how he set Darren afloat, without oars, i.e., without coping skills, unable to properly take care of himself. His new perspective makes him more determined than ever to reestablish the special ties with Darren and work toward understanding themselves and each other better; but unless they both learn to stand on their own two feet and handle own their issues, they are doomed to fail.

Darren is a very intelligent young man who never learned to love himself. His emotionally stunted parents never showed him any affection: they give him the impression that he is unimportant, not unlike a commodity to be developed as they saw fit, with no regard for his wishes. After his attack, he couldn't complete his parents’ dream for him and, although part of him was happy not to be under that pressure, he felt even more worthless in their eyes. Darren has never come to terms with his depression and it controls his life. Instead of facing reality, he stays in his self-contained cocoon, clinging to the dream that he and Jayden will be together forever, regardless. Without Jayden there as his support, he fails miserably. When it comes to being a part of society, he is woefully unprepared. Without being able to function in the real world, therefore, he gains no confidence; his sense of self-worth remains poor. Darren coasts, becoming as uninvolved as possible. Unavoidably, his illness overwhelms him because there is no one to keep the devils inside his head at bay. Jayden acts as a barrier between him and reality taking the brunt of the fallout from Darren's actions; Darren didn't have to hold himself accountable; he can become as dysfunctional as he wants, letting Jayden handle things until the storm has passed. Darren truly loves Jayden, heart and soul, but he's not as responsible as he could be in attempting to let that love grow and change the way it's bound to with Jayden at the university. Until he admits that he can't handle his depression and takes active steps to do so, nothing will change. He will remain in the clutches of his illness and, eventually, lose everything, including Jayden.

This story, as in the first book, is a continuing, intense look at a co-dependent relationship between two young men who need to learn to handle their own issues. Jayden and Darren do love each other, but they have a long way yet to go. I had to stop reading more than once because I couldn't see the page because of my tears. Obviously, I am emotionally invested with these characters and am rooting for them to succeed, even though they frustrate me with their ability not to see what's right in front of them.  Jayden and Darren need to acknowledge that, unless they can stand separately, they won't be able to stand together. This book is the second in the series and it's best if they are read sequentially. The story is intense, emotional, angsty, frustrating, and beautiful. I recommend this story to anyone who wants material they have to digest, to think about. It's not light reading, but it's definitely worth the effort. Thank you, Matthew, for giving us another opportunity to visit with Jayden and Darren. I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by JMS Books for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 83448w words
Heat Level
Publication Date	02-March-2014
Price	$5.59 ebook
Buy Link	http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=1085