Thursday, August 18, 2016

The Jungle Within by Charles M

Synopsis:

When Evan and Katie said “I do”, they expected to navigate life together side-by-side. But when a car accident and a tawdry affair disrupt life as they know it, Evan and Katie are forced to venture on alternate paths, alone. In the darkest depths of an unforgiving coma, Evan fights to survive the treacherous jungle of his mind. He embarks on a spiritual journey to understand the meaning of life and the beauty of death…forcing him to face his deepest fear. Meanwhile, Katie ventures through her own guilt. On a strenuous moral journey, she juggles the consequences of infidelity and the strain of caring for her unresponsive husband. But are their paths truly separate? Or are they simply on parallel journeys that are destined to converge?

Darra's Review:

When we began the book it was rather dry. More of a matter of fact. The emotions of the deer kind of confused me. However once the characters were introduced, that changed dramatically. I was enthralled how the story evolved with awful decisions and life changing moments.

Lets start with Katie. I think Sunny explains her feelings for her in the first sentence quite accurately. Many might think that she is a flawed character that tries to redeem herself. But the damage was done. She knew what she was doing. Although she knew she was making a mistake, I don't think that she cared. The only reason why she ended it was because of what happened to her husband. Deep down she was not a great person. There were times I felt for her. Such a difficult situation she was in. However that was her fault. Even though she took the brunt of the guilt, I think that she should have. Not saying to crash was her fault. It was her actions that she could not take back that made her selfish and I did not forgive her, even at the end.

Evan was a great guy. Right from the beginning. This is his journey and how he planned to get out to the life he once knew. It is hard to imagine being inside your head, alone while people wait for you in the real world. It was an amazing journey that makes you think if this could really happen. What goes on when people are in a coma. Hearing people around you and not being able to do a thing. It was a bit heartbreaking how he was helpless and was fighting for his life. To return to the mess Katie left him.

In the end, it did not become any easier for Evan. However the ending may surprise readers. Not every story is a happily ever after wrapped up in a bow. This is a story about what could really happen in life. It is believable. I actually liked it more because of this. The Jungle Within stuck with me. A story unlike others and left me with more questions about life and how it can change within a minute.

I would rate the book a 4.6. Original. It is hard to find a book that leaves you thinking more about life within itself. 

Sunny's Review:

This book got off to a little bit of a slow start. I was not really sure if I was going to like it based on the first couple of chapters. The book is written from Evan and Katie's POVs. It was definitely a little bit different once you get into the book.

I hated Katie from page one. I think she might be one of my most hated female characters ever. She is self centered and whiny. I am that person that can't excuse infidelity for any reason. I personally didn't think she had enough redeeming qualities by the end of the book to make me like her. Her story and journey just showed me that while she did have some remorseful thoughts and feelings for cheating on her husband, she still liked the attention she was getting and was still very immature.

I felt bad for Evan from the beginning. He seemed like he was that guy that was just happy go lucky and wanted to have the perfect American Dream life, a loving wife, a couple of kids, good job and nice house. On the outside that is what his life looked like minus the kids. Once Evan has his accident and is in the coma, the story picked up a little bit. Evan's POV is interesting because it is all in his head and he had no clue if he is alive or dead. He has to go through his mind and figure out what is going on, face his fears and decide if he wants to live or die. I actually liked a lot of what he went though and the realizations that he came to.

I think this book was really well written and the story intrigued me. It is a little bit different than most of the books that we normally read. I am giving this book 4.7 stars out of 5.

Buy The Book: Amazon  B&N


About Charles M:

Despite growing up in a small town, I always knew I was destined for bigger things. At age eighteen, I enlisted in the US Navy, a move that allowed me to see the world and explore my passion for life. After 6 years and an honorable discharge, I settled into civilian life, earning my Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Technology Management.

Always eager to challenge myself with new and different roles, I took on the role of "Author," writing my debut novel among the roles of full-time engineer, local business owner, and family man. But, I have no plans to stop there!

I am an avid outdoorsman, enjoy camping, hiking, snowboarding, shooting, and fishing, making the Land of Enchantment an ideal place to call home.

I look forward to sharing my novel and experiences with all of you!

Charles M.

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