First of all…
An Heirophant is an interpreter of sacred mysteries.
Yes, I had to use a dictionary to understand the title, even before I had cracked open the book.
The Hierophant of 100th Street by Cullen Dorn is a metaphysical themed story of life on the streets of East Harlem; somewhat resonant of Dito Montiel’s autobiographical film A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints sans the vulgarity.
Cullen Dorn creates outstanding sentence snapshots that condense scene and mood of life in East Harlem. He also has a good ear for dialogue and sound. These talents are the cornerstone of a gifted short story writer and poet.
Unfortunately, the author’s attempt to synthesize the metaphysical plot line with the story of two brothers coming of age in the hardened streets of Harlem in novel form does not work. The plot line is choppy. Scene shifts happen abruptly and introduce too many characters without enough transition for the reader to keep pace. There was simply not enough back story for the reader who is uninitiated in all things New Age.
I felt that the work was too ambitious for a first novel. This probably is true for the majority of authors in regards to the first novel. I felt that this work needed more time to germinate and required tighter editing.
Cullen Dorn definitely is an author worth noting. He has a fascinating life story (check the links provided below) and he is talented. He is not an author for the casual reader, but someone who appreciates the beauty of words.
I hope to see more work from him.
The Hierophant of 100th Street available at You Are What You Read Book Store
CULLEN DORN (author) on AuthorsDen
CULLEN DORN MySpace.com
formerly: INFINITUDE
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