Synopsis

Deep within the hidden library of Los Angeles’ iconic poetry venue, Beyond Baroque, all modern electronics mysteriously fail. There, 19-year-old Beatriz encounters Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley, who promises a magical adventure back to 19th-century Europe.

There, Beatriz meets literary legends John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelley, and Lord Byron, experiencing the romantic landscapes and dangerous exploits of their world. As she navigates this liminal space, Beatriz discovers the power of poetry and art, and the courage to find her own identity.

Rosenthal, an acclaimed author, brings historical figures to life, offering a deeply intimate tale of passion, creativity, and self-discovery. Awake For Ever in a Sweet Unrest is perfect for anyone who has ever lost themselves in the magic of a hidden library.

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Review

This literary fiction novel explores how you might react or change your life if you could go back and meet some of the great Romantic poets of the 19th century. How would you act or react to how they lived their lives? Would it be something you expected or not?

Beatriz ventures into a basement library where light cannot penetrate the darkness. She meets many poets, such as Shelley, Keats, and Byron, and experiences life in their world. It is definitely a magical place because time does not pass quickly, even though she feels like she has been gone for months.

I found her interactions with the various poets interesting. Their life differed from what she knew, yet they didn’t seem to care much about societal norms. However, I appreciated what Beatriz learned from these people and where to direct her life. She was lost and had no direction, so these excursions and conversations benefitted her.

The book is not long, at 102 pages, but because of the literary aspects, it took me much longer to read than normal. I’ll admit, I am not a literary fiction type of gal. I did gain a few insights from this book, but this would not usually be on my list of books to read. If you love poetry and romantic era poets, you will probably enjoy this book.

We give it 3 1/2 paws up.

About the Author

Chuck Rosenthal is a writer living in Topanga Canyon, California. He is the author of Awake For Ever in a Sweet Unrest as well as fourteen other novels and five other books. He is a Romantic writer.