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A review by jsedge
The Invasion of Tork by Al Stewart, Claire Davis
2.0
Both characters were just far too stereotype-y to get on board with. Their introspection's were smack-about-the-head repetitive, and their conversations felt so forced and stiff (I found the lack of contractions hugely distracting).
Tork started the story as a guy who's hit rock bottom. Living on the streets, he's caught up in the past that landed him there, follows a bunch of made up rules and self harms. He ends the story with a place to live and a nonsensical attraction to an obnoxious moron, somehow seeming in a much better mental place despite the fact none of his core issues are ever properly addressed.
Adam starts the story as a douche who delights in hating on the homeless, and he ends the story as a douche who decides that, actually, one of the 'great unwashed' is sexy enough to have his repulsive status overlooked.
Neither character had any depth, with the flimsiest of flimsy backstorying and a non-existant supporting cast.
So many things didn't add up for me in this, too. Like:
- Tork got seriously ill, and I thought something would be made of that - perhaps Adam would save him from a near death or even just realise the extent of his feelings because of how worried he becomes - but, no. Tork just miraculously gets better. Tork's self-harming, also, seemed included for no reason other than to highlight just how dire his situation is.
- Tork eats from bins but manages to maintain his green hair.
- Despite knowing Adam hardly at all, I'm supposed to believe Tork could have rewritten an exceptional college statement for him, and in only the few minutes he was left alone with it?
- As if getting sorted with benefits and council housing happens that fast and with so little effort!
Tork started the story as a guy who's hit rock bottom. Living on the streets, he's caught up in the past that landed him there, follows a bunch of made up rules and self harms. He ends the story with a place to live and a nonsensical attraction to an obnoxious moron, somehow seeming in a much better mental place despite the fact none of his core issues are ever properly addressed.
Adam starts the story as a douche who delights in hating on the homeless, and he ends the story as a douche who decides that, actually, one of the 'great unwashed' is sexy enough to have his repulsive status overlooked.
Neither character had any depth, with the flimsiest of flimsy backstorying and a non-existant supporting cast.
So many things didn't add up for me in this, too. Like:
- Tork got seriously ill, and I thought something would be made of that - perhaps Adam would save him from a near death or even just realise the extent of his feelings because of how worried he becomes - but, no. Tork just miraculously gets better. Tork's self-harming, also, seemed included for no reason other than to highlight just how dire his situation is.
- Tork eats from bins but manages to maintain his green hair.
- Despite knowing Adam hardly at all, I'm supposed to believe Tork could have rewritten an exceptional college statement for him, and in only the few minutes he was left alone with it?
- As if getting sorted with benefits and council housing happens that fast and with so little effort!