Due to several factors, I will be offering a non-typical review of Spawning Grey by C.R. Reardon. Mr. Reardon is a new author, in his 20’s. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor at a young age; after many surgeries and damage to his brain from all of this, he became wheelchair bound. The book is an account of his life to date. I say ‘non-typical’ because while reading the book I struggled to get past the profanity used by the author. It’s just not my thing (and if you are interested in a review by me, please read my review guidelines, prior to contacting me).
Due to information he offered, I realize he is trying to emulate writers he admires but what that leads to, in my opinion, is a somewhat jumbled plot and storyline. I understood also that he is writing about personal experience and when going about doing this, we sometimes opt to blur the lines a bit so people don’t see too far inside of us. What I sense, is a lack of identity as a writer, meaning he has yet to develop his own voice.
This perhaps is why the writing in the actual story feels forced at times. (When he hones his voice, his good writing [and it is good] will become great writing!) That is, until you read the many pieces of poetry the author offers along-side this work. Firstly, I very much appreciate when an author uses a book he or she has authored to showcase their other talents. Poetry is from a deeper place and more exploratory than a story, as it flows from our spirit; from our conscience. The poetry Mr. Reardon includes is layered in texture and emotion, especially a piece like: “Dorm Room Deja Vu” (pp 131-32), which is raw and honest, yet still a bit innocent and undefined.
There are good aspects of the book and being biopic, one cannot judge, as it is a personal account of their lives that no one else could truly ever understand, unless they were working on the project themselves. I give Mr. Reardon kudos for his courage and interest in sharing his story with the world. I hope he continues to explore life and grows into himself, as a writer; I would look forward to seeing more from him in a few years.
For more information or to order the book: www.crreardon.net
My attempt to obtain a cover art for this book were unsuccessful but I assure you the book exists, in both paperback and e-book form.