Juxtaposition Paradox by Charles R. Stern

If you've never read Magic Realism, I highly recommend this book as your first investigation into the genre.  When asked, I describe this genre as "Twilight Zone" meets the written page.  There are twists and turns that you don't see coming, and others that you do see coming, but don't fully understand until the end of the book.  The end, by the way, is especially nifty... this particular book has the distinction of ending twice.  Not like a "choose your own adventure" tale; but it actually ends, and then it ends again.  This plot device makes you want to reread the book a second time, to see how both endings are connected to the main story.  What details did you miss... What dialogue was more telling than you realized the first pass through?

Like a decadent chocolate cake, this story has two layers to it, and when you mix it with the delicious frosting of the subplots... it's story desert!  The characters are rich and multi-faceted, even in their blandness.  The love story that's hidden here is rich, and the psychological creepiness of the reality is enough to make you set it down, walk away, and return only to re-read a paragraph or two to find something new and unexpected.

This is a superb debut for this author, and I look forward to more from him!

​Highly Recommended!  Five Stars!

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