Book Review of The Storyteller By: Aastha Kannan

Book Review of The Storyteller

By: Aastha Kannan

            Written by Antonia Michaelis, The Storyteller, is a book I have glanced over and walked away from numerous times while searching for books to read in the library.  Thankfully, on my last visit I passed it once more except this time, I stopped and picked it up. When I saw the purplish pink cover littered with blood drops and a single rose, I knew I had to read it. Good thing too because until that moment I did not know how much I was missing out on. Michaelis is a terrific author who blends in mystery and romance flawlessly. The story follows two characters named Anna and Abel, a good girl and a bad boy, classic tale right? Except, this romance involves a murder and a storyteller’s story. The book goes back and forth between the storyteller’s story and reality and strangely Anna starts to realize that Abel (the storyteller) seems to be incorporating murders that have not yet happened but will eventually in his stories. She does not realize until it is too late, until she has already fallen in love with him and his younger sister Micha for whom he tells stories. Beautifully written, using vivid colors and characters that who can be made relatable to young people, Michaelis knows just how to draw out every emotion throughout the course of the novel. Anna and Abel’s desperate love and need for each other gives the story a certain degree of heartbreak and grief because Michaelis’ genius writing allows your subconscious to realize what the story is saying without actually interpreting it till you are told. Therefore, you are left with a feeling of anxiety about who the murderer is while wishing that everything works out for Anna and Abel but at the same time knowing who the murderer is and praying that you are wrong. The other characters in the story are wrapped up in the rawness aspect of the story and Michaelis ties them in perfectly, just enough for the reader to be aware of them but not enough for the reader to think much of them until much much later. Until it is too late. Overall, this book is a 10/10 for me and any and everyone must read it should they get a chance. This book will truly change your perception of writing.