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Title: poetic but excessive
Review: I have not read any of Charlie Smith's other work, so I can't compare this to previous efforts. His writing is poetic, and truly impressive in short bursts. But over the long haul, the poetry interferes with the prose. Words and phrases seem to be chosen more for their sounds and rhythms than for their contributions to plot, and dialogue can be stilted. Imagery is vivid but occasionally self-indulgent. The storyline is interesting at first but eventually grows gaudy and distasteful. The power of Smith's language is his greatest strength, but it is a strength better suited to poetry than novels.
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