Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Approximate word count: 60-54,000 words
Availability
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Author:
A native of
Western Pennsylvania, author and playwright Mark W. Sasse has spent most of the
last twenty years living in Vietnam and Malaysia teaching and writing.
For more,
visit Sasse’s blog.
Description:
“’My heart
sank. I dumped my father's ashes in the heart of communist Vietnam - over a
thousand miles from the death of his comrades - over a thousand miles from the
smile of that girl. How could I have been so stupid?’
Only the
bumbling, overweight, thirtyish, stay-at-home Martin Kinney could have
mistakenly flubbed his dying father's request with such gusto. This thousand
mile mistake awakens the ghosts of long-held family secrets and puts Martin on
a fateful course with an unlikely romantic interest - a young, beautiful, yet
troubled Vietnamese woman named My Phuong.”
Appraisal:
Beauty Rising might best be described as a “late
coming of age” story. The protagonist, Martin, hasn’t managed to break away
from his overbearing parents. But his father’s dying request sets him on a
journey where he comes to understand both his parents better, and in the
process becomes his own man.
A large
part in the middle of the book takes place in Vietnam, with the different
setting and culture adding spice to the story. I found this part interesting
and assume, since the author’s bio indicates he’s lived in this part of the
world, should be an accurate portrayal.
Format/Typo Issues:
A small
number of proofing and copy editing misses.
Rating: **** Four stars
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