The Complete Book of Aspen: A Novel

The Complete Book of Aspen: A Novel by Danna Smith is a story in poetry that is well crafted and that features a stunningly imagined and well-executed conflict. Aspen might have a lot to learn from her best friend, Sophie, about DNA, but when a DNA test results reveal that she is not who has always believed herself to be, and her mother is not ready to reveal her true biological father, Aspen must go out of her way to uncover the truth. Who is she and who is her real father? Everything becomes even more complicated when she discovers that she is the guardian of a family secret that is so closely guarded. Can she uncover the true identity of her father and unravel the mystery behind her existence?

I love poetry and when I read The Complete Book of Aspen: A Novel I was utterly absorbed, thanks to the author’s deft execution of the plot and wise rendering of the conflict. The characters are real and Aspen’s voice — as the persona — is mind-blowing. The sudden discovery that she has lived a lie all her life constitutes a solid premise for an enthralling tale and what happens after the discovery is an adventure and a quest that is in turn heart-wrenching and captivating. Danna Smith’s novel is original, a work of art that will appeal irresistibly to readers who enjoy both well-crafted and intelligently-plotted stories and poetry. The poetry is rhythmic and the author never fails to deliver when it comes to style, employing devices such as pathos — like when Aspen holds her father’s hand, promising to watch over mom on his deathbed — that augments the delights readers have when following the exciting tale. It is suspenseful and a thing of sheer beauty, emotionally rich and psychologically engaging.