Customer Reviews

Father Luigi's Chameleon

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

While it continues to amaze me that Ms. Burton managed to publish a book at an age when I was still interested in Hot Wheels, her novel is just that--the work of an 11 year old girl. The characters are poorly drawn, the plot is scattered and rarely cohesive, and the themes struggle to convey some deep hidden meaning. I also find it slightly presumptuous for a girl not yet in Junior High to be giving philosophical life lessons. I hope, however, that Ms. Burton remains a dedicated writer, as she clearly has talent; she simply needs the maturity and life experience to back it up.

When I found out that an eleven-year-old writer had published a philosophical book, I was skeptical, to say the least. At the urging of a friend, I reluctantly purchased a copy, thinking that I would skim it and put it aside. I was wrong. After the first few pages, I was hooked. I stayed up until 3 am reading it in one sitting. The book is amazing. Not only was the storyline intruiging and the characters believable, but the philosophy of the book really got me thinking about my own life. I would recommend this to everybody, and have already forced everybody I know to buy copies.

This is a fascinating and complex work definitely worth taking the time to read at a pace that allows the reader to comprehend and enjoy the author's unique view of matters both religious (especially her "corrections" regarding biblical events and the nature of Heaven) and secular (particularly those relating to love and relationships. While there are a few grammatical and other errors to be expected of a writer this young, which I assume the editors did not correct so as to leave the work intact as the author wrote it, her writing style is more akin to nineteenth century British authors than of contemporary American novelists, and her descriptions of the settings in Rome, Ischia and Paris were superb!

I was astounded when I found out than an eleven-year-old wrote this. The book is an amazing piece of literature, even when compared to adult novels, and certainly superior to the average junk that is put out every year. The philosophical aspect of the book is profound, a totally new approach to the afterlife, while the romance of Raoul and Christine is intriguing and original. I definitely recommend this novel to any and everybody willing to read something more intellectual than a cheap romance novel or thriller.

I loved everything about this book, from its rich descriptions of the Italian settings, its intriguing characters and their complex relationships, its original religious ideology and philosophical viewpoint, as well as the offbeat allegorical subplot of the chameleon.(This is a copy of what I said in my review on another online site, where I bought my first copy, as I felt compelled to put in a word after seeing the last two reviews...having noticed them when I was buying a second copy for a friend, and afraid people would miss a great read)

I was disappointed after completing this "novel". I thought it would be good, but it was uneventful and downright immature and strange. My son Timmy read it and started to cry.

This was a thrilling book. I read it quickly, waiting to look for the deep motivating things. As an editor, I found many mistakes, and did not seem to find what she was trying to get at. Miss Burton, you tried very well indeed. Like I said, WOW... It was a very good try, and my advice to you from experience is: if one tries to be deep, one stays in shallow waters until they see what it takes to swim deeper.

Very good attempt, but I hope your next novels create a better atmospherical sense. I didn't catch your message. GREAT TRY, AND KEEP YOUR BOOKS COMING. WE HOPE TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU!

I found the book to be just that of an eleven-year-old; while not intensely awful, it seemed to be something not particularly good cleaned up by an editor. My vote: if you want a good read, go buy the next Harry Potter.