Child of the Heart
by Ron Kempton
iUniverse


"There’s a Universe as vast as the Starry Heavens right behind your eyes."

Inspired by the author's desire to face his anxiety head-on, Ron Kempton weaves a tale reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland as he takes his readers through the landscape of his mind on the search for his inner child. At first sight, the plot appears detached from reality with the characters and their world, but it doesn't take long to realize that this fictional world is more real than it seems. With its bizarre and speculative events, the story is a unique display of anxiety and the inner workings of the mind.

Kempton's expertise in poetry shines through not only the bits of poetry throughout the book but also in his use of metaphor and simile. The very characters themselves are personifications of his emotions and mind. In order to rescue his inner child, Ron encounters these personifications in numerous comical as well as strange acting and looking characters. Some help him along his quest, while others are obstacles that push him further away from finding his inner child. Although there are moments of confusion because of the constantly changing surroundings and appearances of these characters, Kempton still manages to portray the influx of emotions jumping around in the mind of a person who deals with anxiety on a daily basis. As Ron struggles with his weaknesses and fears between moments of wanting to give up and moments of determination, he comes face to face with his worst enemy: himself. Only by overcoming himself can he see his inner child to safety.

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