Title: The Unknown: A Taste of the Dead
Author: Castello Gilbert
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1664144828
Pages: 172
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Reviewed by: Christina Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
Death is an often terrifying and a very difficult subject to wrestle with in life. Whether it is dealing with the death of a loved one, or someone close to us – how the loss impacts our lives, or the even the impending death of ourselves and facing the uncertainty of death face to face, is a truly terrifying notion. It is a natural instinct for humanity to want to find ways to control, or even overcome death, in all its many forms.
In author Castello Gilbert’s The Unknown: A Taste of the Dead, the author explores the concept of death and how it has impacted him through a fictionalized tale. In the story, a young boy becomes a witness to death, and shortly after falls deep into a coma. While in the coma, he begins to reflect on the concept of death. As the story progresses, the angel of death takes on many forms, including passed friends as his conscious mind begins to play out the important moments he shared with these lost friends. This is a story of how facing death showed the ways the main character’s path in life was had changed, by having the author putting himself into the role of the protagonist.
This is a uniquely written novel. The blend of fiction with the implementation of the author’s persona into the main character of Thalamus made for quite an interesting and thought-provoking read. The author’s almost spiritual and philosophical exploration of death and the creative nature of the story itself made for quite a fascinating experience.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy spiritual and philosophical fictional stories which explore a truly engaging subject such as death, and how death can sometimes lead to living life to the fullest. The author’s use of imagery and an evenly-paced flow in the narrative makes readers really pay attention to the overall theme and message, and makes for quite an engaging read.
A masterful, thoughtful and breathtaking story, author Castello Gilbert’s The Unknown: A Taste of the Dead is a great book which will truly draw readers in with its original tale. The writing is balanced with the raw emotion and deep thinking the author puts into his words, and crafts a narrative which brings a wide array of emotions to the surface.