Kevin Craig
Autor von Summer On Fire
Werke von Kevin Craig
Half Dead & Fully Broken 2 Exemplare
Getagged
Wissenswertes
- Agent
- Terrie Wolf (AKA Literary LLC)
- Kurzbiographie
- Kevin Craig is a poet, playwright and novelist. His fiction and poetry has been published internationally. Kevin has also had memoir published in such places as the Globe & Mail and on CBC Radio Canada. He is a two-time winner of the Muskoka Novel Marathon’s Best Adult Novel Award—in 2007 for Sebastian's Poet, and in 2008 for The Reasons. He is also a winner of the Muskoka Novel Marathon's Best Young Adult Novel Award, in 2010 for Half Dead & Fully Broken. Kevin is a proud member, and former board member, of the Writers' Community of Durham Region. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Writers' Conference. Kevin has had 3 plays produced by Driftwood Theatre, for their Trafalgar24 Play-Creation Festival. Summer on Fire is his first published novel.
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I've only heard snippets of Kevin Craig's writing prior to this novel, having heard them in Muskoka Novel Marathon sessions, etc. So, while I figured I'd enjoy his writing, I wasn't sure how he put together a longer form story and if it would be a satisfying read.
Now I know. The dude can write. Like Connie said in her review, for whatever reason, I kept flashing to Stephen King's novella, The Body (the basis for the Stand By Me movie) even though this is set firmly in the 80s and in Canada. And yet, while writing in his own style and with a storyline that's completely different, he channels that vibe. I think it's the relationships between Zach and Jeff and Arnie, as well as the older siblings Sherry and Mark.
Craig has a solid ear for teenage dialogue, as well as teenage angst. He also creates some fascinating adult characters, with Mrs. Halverston absolutely chewing up the scenery in every page she appears on. Loved her.
Is it a perfect book? Hell, is any book perfect? There was a couple of times where I found the characters forgot old feuds a little quickly, and, though I despised Jeff's father, he seemed a little one-dimensionally bad. I would have liked to have seen some small redeeming spark. But these are minor quibbles. Craig packed a lot into 162 pages, and gave us a solid story about a summer of fire.
Well done.… (mehr)
Now I know. The dude can write. Like Connie said in her review, for whatever reason, I kept flashing to Stephen King's novella, The Body (the basis for the Stand By Me movie) even though this is set firmly in the 80s and in Canada. And yet, while writing in his own style and with a storyline that's completely different, he channels that vibe. I think it's the relationships between Zach and Jeff and Arnie, as well as the older siblings Sherry and Mark.
Craig has a solid ear for teenage dialogue, as well as teenage angst. He also creates some fascinating adult characters, with Mrs. Halverston absolutely chewing up the scenery in every page she appears on. Loved her.
Is it a perfect book? Hell, is any book perfect? There was a couple of times where I found the characters forgot old feuds a little quickly, and, though I despised Jeff's father, he seemed a little one-dimensionally bad. I would have liked to have seen some small redeeming spark. But these are minor quibbles. Craig packed a lot into 162 pages, and gave us a solid story about a summer of fire.
Well done.… (mehr)
I read this book at a very strange time. My mother was taken to Emergency today because she fell and broke her hip. And, as we waited the hours it took to get her initially treated, then admitted, I read Sebastian's Poet.
I have a lot of conflicting emotions about my one remaining parent, much like Sebastian has about his, so there were quite a few times this story resonated with my own life.
I also have to admit that there were several times when I actually stopped reading and asked myself if this really was a YA novel because, at least to me, it never felt like it. It dealt with a lot of tough things: parental abandonment, depression, drinking, etc. And yet, it was also a very, very entertaining story.
My one complaint--and, thinking back to Craig's other novel, Summer of Fire, I feel it could apply there too--is that I felt it could have used an additional 50 or so pages. Moreso with this one than Summer, the last chapter felt a bit rushed, and one big revelation about Seb's father (which I won't blow here), in my opinion, wasn't given enough space to feel all the emotional impact. So, my complaint isn't that any of it was bad, my complaint is, I wanted more.
Once again, Craig has done an incredible job of drawing insanely real, insanely relatable characters and woven them into a story that runs such a wonderful course that you can't help but be swept along for the ride.
Now, I really want to get my hands on [b:Burn Baby, Burn Baby|23208375|Burn Baby, Burn Baby|Kevin Craig|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412161775s/23208375.jpg|42751732].… (mehr)
I have a lot of conflicting emotions about my one remaining parent, much like Sebastian has about his, so there were quite a few times this story resonated with my own life.
I also have to admit that there were several times when I actually stopped reading and asked myself if this really was a YA novel because, at least to me, it never felt like it. It dealt with a lot of tough things: parental abandonment, depression, drinking, etc. And yet, it was also a very, very entertaining story.
My one complaint--and, thinking back to Craig's other novel, Summer of Fire, I feel it could apply there too--is that I felt it could have used an additional 50 or so pages. Moreso with this one than Summer, the last chapter felt a bit rushed, and one big revelation about Seb's father (which I won't blow here), in my opinion, wasn't given enough space to feel all the emotional impact. So, my complaint isn't that any of it was bad, my complaint is, I wanted more.
Once again, Craig has done an incredible job of drawing insanely real, insanely relatable characters and woven them into a story that runs such a wonderful course that you can't help but be swept along for the ride.
Now, I really want to get my hands on [b:Burn Baby, Burn Baby|23208375|Burn Baby, Burn Baby|Kevin Craig|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1412161775s/23208375.jpg|42751732].… (mehr)
4.5 stars and my new favourite [a:Kevin Craig|785432|Kevin Craig|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1425392676p2/785432.jpg] novel. One of the big kicks I get out of reading is diving into a story and realizing the author is coming into his or her greatness. I've had the distinct pleasure of reading a few stories that gave me this feeling. And this is the latest.
This book just got me excited. On one hand, Craig revisits some of his themes: the outcast that finds himself thrust into the spotlight, the girl that can see past the flaws, the loyal friend, the broken psyches. But on the other hand, he also delves into new territory here.
Honestly, there's a part of me that wants to steal elements of this story and write a follow up. That's how much I love it.
But I think the thing that resonated with me the most was the embodiment of the U2 song, Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of. Honestly, that song played in a loop in my head throughout the entire back half of this novel.
The only reason this book isn't a full five-star rating is, for me, a bit of overuse of the term skeevy and my usual complaint when it comes to Craig's writing...I just want him to make these stories longer and do a bit more of a deep dive into the scenes.
That being said, this is an excellent story and a satisfying one. Well done, Mr. Craig.… (mehr)
This book just got me excited. On one hand, Craig revisits some of his themes: the outcast that finds himself thrust into the spotlight, the girl that can see past the flaws, the loyal friend, the broken psyches. But on the other hand, he also delves into new territory here.
Honestly, there's a part of me that wants to steal elements of this story and write a follow up. That's how much I love it.
But I think the thing that resonated with me the most was the embodiment of the U2 song, Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of. Honestly, that song played in a loop in my head throughout the entire back half of this novel.
The only reason this book isn't a full five-star rating is, for me, a bit of overuse of the term skeevy and my usual complaint when it comes to Craig's writing...I just want him to make these stories longer and do a bit more of a deep dive into the scenes.
That being said, this is an excellent story and a satisfying one. Well done, Mr. Craig.… (mehr)
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Statistikseite
- Werke
- 9
- Mitglieder
- 74
- Beliebtheit
- #238,154
- Bewertung
- 4.2
- Rezensionen
- 16
- ISBNs
- 13
But this is the first novel length work of horror fiction. And I must say, it's just as equally weird and wonderful. I won't spoil the story, but come on...a supernatural book, a malevolent bookstore, and teens that get caught up in a cyclone of terror between two worlds?
What more do you need?… (mehr)