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Cliff Falls

I'm trying to figure out which kind of childhood star to tell you to imagine. Should I give you someone like Drew Barrymore who was first seen in E.T.? It seems like it would be more fun to poke fun at Danny Bonaduce. Not that the Partridge Family wasn't top-notch. Everything else has come back. Why not that family?

But if we are to actually talk about this book, you're going to want to imagine Gary Coleman or Todd Bridges, you know, poster children for troubled childhood stars. Because that seems to be the mold that author C.B. Shiepe has gotten Clay Grant, childhood star from the fictional Little Guy Mike.

Clay Grant is as troubled as they come. Used and abused by adults who should know better than to view a kid as a cash cow, Clay grows cynical. And why not? He doesn't know who he is or who he even wants to be.

The description on the back was enough to intrigue me.
In a world where entertainment has become our religion and religion our entertainment, Cliff Falls wrestles with the question of what it means to be truly human -comfortable in our own skin when everyone wants us to be someone or something else.


I was not disappointed. This was a quick and easy read with more than one character leaving you asking questions throughout. If you've ever asked questions about identity, then I recommend you take a spare day to read thsi book.

Cliff Falls is a novel by C.B. Shiepe, given to me for review by my great friends at The Ooze.
http://clifffalls.com

Comments

Unknown said…
Really enjoyed this review! As the author, it's fun to hear the feedback. - C.B.

(fyi. I now have banner ads at my website www.CliffFalls.com)
Rick Nier said…
Thanks for the comment. And thanks for the good read.

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