Book Review: Reverb by J. Cafesin

Source: Author J. Cafesin

James Whren seems to have it all. He’s rich, talented, classically handsome, and is one of the most sought after musicians in the industry. Despite his popularity, the nature of the music industry resulted in his one-year disappearance being largely overlooked and it is upon his return that Reverb kicks off.

Psychologically damaged and lacking a sense of self after a hellish ordeal, James sets off to figure things out. The problem is that he doesn’t know where to start, what he wants, or how to cope with his past. When James meets a woman and her young son, he begins to see himself through her eyes, not only for the damaged man that he is, but for the good man he could be.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. There are some sexually violent sections in this book that are hard to stomach and that I skimmed over, but the story of James and his path to redemption is a classic tale mixed with shocking and difficult components. Directionless, James is endearing in a narcissistic way. It is his utter lack of direction that both endears (and at times, annoys) the reader to him.

Many of the reviews that I read said that the book is hard to follow, and while I understand where they are coming from, I disagree. When it comes to books that are hard to follow, there are two ways to approach them: analyze everything to ensure you don’t miss anything or sit back, read on, and assume anything confusing will make sense in the end. I approached Reverb the second way and it all worked out in the end. I was actually more confused when I tried to overanalyze things.

I recommend Reverb for those who like fast-paced, psychological thrillers, so long as you remember that it has some unsavory scenes that might make your stomach churn.