A review of The LENS and the LOOKER by Alex of Fantastical Book Reviews

I was beyond impressed with The Lens and the Looker. Kaufman did a wonderful job setting up the world of his story and creating dynamic characters. His writing really made the book what it is. Kaufman puts you in the story with ease through the language he uses; his style isn’t what one would categorize as pedantic, but it does set the mood beautifully. Because the story takes place in Verona, Italy, you get a sense of the Italian language when he throws in a few words or when he uses words that were common from a time period of the past.

My favorite thing about this novel was probably how well Kaufman managed to integrate all the minute parts of his story. There really was something for everyone (adventure, suspense, romance…) without any one aspect taking over.

The characters in The Lens and the Looker were very easy for me to relate to. For the most part, they were down to earth and interesting.

Shamira was my favorite. She has so many talents and she really seemed to accept her new circumstances. I loved how strong of a character she was. Throughout the novel, Shamira is one person that all of the others can count on. Even though she is from the 24th century, she fits in well with the 14th century just as well. Plus, who wouldn’t want her amazing artistic skills?

Lincoln and Hansum were great too. Lincoln was absolutely hilarious! I loved how he thought everything was “Zippy!” Hansum was cool because he was kind of the big brother sort. He, Lincoln, and Shamira weren’t actually siblings, but Hansum did treat them as if they were some of the most important people in his life.

By the end of the novel, all of the characters really grew into themselves. The Master was far deeper than he seemed at first (and far more of a softy than he liked to show). Guilietta proved that she wasn’t just another pretty face. She was a great character. I loved her because of how caring she was.

Mr. Kaufman is a Master Writer. He created a lovely cast of characters that just felt so… human. I have no doubt that The Bronze and the Brimstone will be a fabulous read as well!

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To Read Alex’s review of The BRONZE and the BRIMSTONE, plus many other reviews of both books, click on the REVIEWS tab of this site.