Book Life Prize 2024 Critic's Score of Ex-Mas Song

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I submitted Ex-Mas Song for a second contest: the Book Life Prize 2024. They score you on a 0-10 for the first round with the top ten scores going to a quarter round and out those the top five go to the semi-finals where there is one winner.

Since I didn't get an Editor's Choice with my review, I didn't expect a 10-9.5. I was hoping for a good showing of a 8.5-7.5. There are over 66 books that have been submitted to the prize's first round and that expected range might put me in the upper 50%. Well, I got a seven out of ten or a 7/10 which puts me in the lower 50%. Perhaps even on the last page. (Which is exactly where I've ended up. Better there than nowhere at all.

I'll be adding this blurb to my Amazon and Barnes and Noble book pages for Ex-mas Song.

"Cummins adds a new twist to Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol in this lighthearted take on mental health in contemporary times. Overall: 7.00 out of 10."--Book Life Prize 2024

Plot/Idea: 8 out of 10

Originality: 7 out of 10

Prose: 7 out of 10

Character/Execution: 6 out of 10

Overall: 7.00 out of 10

Assessment:

Plot/Idea: Cummins adds a new twist to Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol in this lighthearted take on mental health in contemporary times. The plot takes off in multiple directions and veers firmly away from the original story, as main character Justin discovers he's died from a suicide attempt—and must embark on a journey of self-discovery to be able to truly live again.

Prose: The prose tends to be verbose at times, which distracts from the plot, but the descriptions are lively and the setting feels authentic.

Originality: Ex-Mas Song deviates from A Christmas Carol in many ways, as Cummins spins it to be a modern tale of addiction, trauma, and recovery.

Character/Execution: Justin experiences a fair amount of growth as he works through his suicide attempt and tries to move forward, and Cummins places a big emphasis on faith throughout his odyssey. Justin's on again, off again ex-wife Blair shows less development, transforming into more of a caricature as the novel progresses.

Date Submitted: July 22, 2024