Impressions

The dialogue. Although the dialogue was in a relatively short and simple form, it delivered depth and expression; it seemed so natural, and the lines were congruent with the characters’ personalities and the overall pace of the story.

The characters. The characters’ depth and personality contributed substantially to the story.

How the story unfolded. There was a very unusual way to how the story unfolded. A strange magnet kept you wanting to know what would happen next without any apparent effort from the author.

New words

  1. wean = accustom (someone) to managing without something which they have become dependent on. “the doctor tried to wean her off the sleeping pills”
  2. sodden = saturated with liquid, especially water; soaked through. “his clothes were sodden”
  3. leaden = dull, heavy, or slow. “his eyelids were leaden with sleep”
  4. deft = neatly skilful and quick in one’s movements. “a deft piece of footwork”
  5. gaudy = extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless. “silver bows and gaudy ribbons”
  6. pall = a cloth spread over a coffin, hearse, or tomb. OR a dark cloud of smoke, dust, etc. “a pall of black smoke hung over the quarry”
  7. bootlegger = a person who makes, distributes, or sells goods illegally. “bootleggers cheat consumers and place a drain on our economy”
  8. woodenly = stiffly or awkwardly in movement or manner. “she woodenly made a joke”
  9. frowning = the action of forming an expression of disapproval, displeasure, or concentration by furrowing one’s brows. “unfortunately, frowning is contagious”
  10. curlicue = a decorative curl or twist in calligraphy or in the design of an object. “the wide bridge was decorated with gilded wrought-iron curlicues”
  11. coy = making a pretence of shyness or modesty that is intended to be alluring (typically used of a woman). “she treated him to a coy smile of invitation”
  12. clasp = grasp (something) tightly with one’s hand. “he clasped her arm”
  13. swathe = wrap in several layers of fabric. “his hands were swathed in bandages”
  14. perdition = (in Christian theology) a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unrepentant person passes after death. OR complete and utter ruin. “she used her last banknote to buy herself a square meal before perdition”
  15. exacting = making great demands on one’s skill, attention, or other resources. “the exacting standards laid down by the organic food industry”