Drama Dolls, by Jason Tanamor

There are some books about which I think, "This book is not for me, but it's probably for somebody."  Jason Tanamor's Drama Dolls was definitely not for me.  I suppose it could be for somebody.  The basic premise: a widower copes with his grief by dressing up like a cheerleader (skirt, makeup, pom-poms, etc.) and burglarizing houses.  And by the way, he brings along his life-size doll, dressed up in his late wife's clothes.

Sorry if I'm giving away important plot points.  I just didn't appreciate the story, the development, or the characters.  Lena's in love with Jeffrey, but why?  I never saw much to love in him, just someone to be pitied.  Pity-love, I guess.  Wouldn't be the first time.  And the "punch line" pay off I saw coming a mile away.

It's not that Tanamor is a bad writer.  He's not.  (Well, except for his annoying habit of writing sentences like this: "Short blond hair, feathered, it was cut down and parted on the side.  The boy, he was clean shaven."  That antecedent, pronoun construction, it got old.  That style, it's cumbersome and overused.)  It's just. . . . He wrote a pretty bad story.  If I were his literary agent, I think I would try to get him to channel his skill and energies into something different.  So perhaps what I have written makes you think, "Well, this reviewer didn't like Drama Dolls, but maybe I will."  More power to ya.  Based on the five-star reviews on Amazon.com, I'm in a clear minority.


Thanks to the author for the complimentary electronic review copy!