A Review of 'Revolver' by Marcus Sedgewick (Audio Book)

"A loaded gun, stolen gold, and a menacing stranger.


In an isolated cabin in an arctic wilderness, 14-year-old Sig is along with a corpse: her father, who has fallen through the ice on the lake outside and frozen to death only hours earlier.  Then, out of the arctic darkness, comes a stranger: a terrifying giant of a man claiming that Sig's father owes him a share of a horde of stolen gold-- and threatening awful violence if Sig doesn't reveal the gold's whereabouts.


Sig knows nothing about the gold, but he does know that there's a loaded Colt revolver hidden in the cabin's storeroom-- a gun that his father had said would protect him, but which his mother had abhorred.  'Revolver' alternated between the lonely cabin and events during the Alaska Gold Rush ten years earlier, gradually unspooling the mystery of the stolen gold and the terrifying stranger, building to a climax that turns on whether and why Sig will use the hidden gun.


'Revolver' is a compelling frontier survival story, crafted with the intensity and precision of a one-act play."

I can't help but feel that the description of this audio book is propping up the actual story being told.  As I was listening, I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something.  This would make me go back and listen to certain parts of the story only to realize that I had understood what was happening during that part.

The description mentions that this could be a one-act play.  I feel like it would have been more effectively told had this story been a one-act play.  I would probably be a little more interested.

The story only picked up towards the end when Wold (the giant man) and Sig end up having to go outside to search for the missing papers to Sig and his older sister can hand over the gold this intruder speaks of.  That was kind of exciting because there was more immediate danger.  Otherwise, were mostly empty threats and talk (at least, that's what it felt like).

As a saving grace, the cover (both versions of it... I couldn't find a big enough picture to post here) are very well done.  Elegant, in a way.

Overall, I wasn't terribly impressed with this book.  Maybe I'll have to give it another try later, but for now, this is my verdict.

I give 'Revolver':

Thanks for reading!

--Jude

P.S. Expect another review in two days!  I take my ACT tomorrow for the second time, so wish me luck!