AURA by M.A.Abraham-a review
AURA is a fantasy romance novel written by M.A. Abraham that focuses on a young woman whose need to escape the family will find her travelling back in time to a place that is familiar -yet not. Loved by her step-father and disregarded by her own mother, Aura will pack up her things and head into the unknown where she will awaken several centuries earlier, in a world run by feudal Lords and drunken men.
The reader is taken on a journey that follows Aura as she endeavors to discover where she belongs in the grand scheme of life but Aura’s life has not been full of happiness and sunshine, and to some extent the young woman is a product of her own making. Like many emotionally neglected children, our heroine will develop an armor that prevents anyone from getting too close, but in doing so the character read as unapproachable and cold-it is only my opinion but others may see something else. It was uncomfortable at times to ‘watch’ as Aura would deliberately sabotage any attempts at friendship believing she needed no other than herself and her pup.
Aura’s life is not that unusual for many children of second marriages but in this particular case it is Aura’s own family that has a difficult time accepting her. There is something very Cinderella-esque about the story. We are not privy to the intimate details of what transpired between Aura’s mother and biological father, and in that sense, something is missing. Aura is a constant reminder of a bitter past and with that comes the knowledge that she is unwanted. In this, Aura believes that to survive, she can only depend on herself in the long run and she is the one who truly knows what it is she wants. We watch as Aura survives in another world for two years (basically alone but for a few days) almost blending into the background but it is her persona on the battlefield that will have everyone standing up and taking notice.
For me, Aura is a difficult character to like. She can be rude, condescending and sarcastic (and not in the humor department). She is a feminist at heart-and refuses to give any man the benefit of doubt-even the man who may one day call her wife. At times, her reaction to men came in the form of a patronizing comment and dismissive attitude. Aura has built a wall that she uses as a shield to protect herself from emotional harm. But in the end, Aura will discover that you can never go home, especially when her heart is lost to a man in another time.
The majority of AURA is a written narrative. As the character of Aura is alone for a good portion of the novel, it is the narration that carries most of the storyline and we learn very little about the other characters. There is some back and forth with the time-line but there is no explanation as to how or why Aura initially travelled between the times (although Aura and Thorn first meet in a dream) but in the end, it is her faith that must get her to where she wants to go.
Aura is a well-written storyline of one woman’s journey of self-discovery. M.A. Abraham has delved into one woman’s psyche and given us a glimpse into the inner turmoil between what the heart wants and what the mind knows.
Copy supplied by the author.
Reviewed by Sandy
