Connection and Engagement: A review of "Saddlebags"

"Mia gave this book to me as an artistic prompt...so to speak. I was to execute some artwork for "Saddlebags". I executed several drawings for the book, but their inclusion in "Saddlebags" never came to fruition. That is a long story...I think. I say all of this because it gave me a connection to the novel. I discovered the importance of creating the author's vision through the lens of art. Well, enough about me. M.J. Mays' (MiaMultiplied) novel "Saddlebags", is a complicated novel. Perhaps, a better way to phrase this, the novel requires thought and engagement on the part of the reader. "Saddlebags" is not a novel that one can "blow through" in a couple of hours. There is a lot that is packed into this work. What kind of novel is "Saddlebags"? Science Fiction? Horror? Fantasy? Gothic Horror? Romance? Autobiographical? To me, it is all of the above. I stated earlier, that "Saddlebags" is a complicated novel. It requires careful attention on the part of the reader. Does not all art require this? Yes! Art, whether prose, poetry, painting, drawing, film, dance, or music have this connection between the creator and the reader/listener/viewer. In my most humble opinion, "Saddlebags" has this connection. As I have said before, engagement on the part of the reader is a must to enjoy this novel. If one fights this novel or tries to "blow through it", the essence of the work will be missed and/or misunderstood. I have forgotten to introduce myself (how rude of me!). My name is Anthony Pope. I have been an abstract/realist artist for nearly thirteen years; an on again/off again writer for nearly twenty-five years; and a reader, book lover and bibliophile since the first grade. "Saddlebags" and its author, have a special place in my heart. Therefore, I recommend it as reading for the Summer. I will "practice what I preach", and re-read "Saddlebags" this Summer... Anthony Pope Springfield, OR 9 July, 20222"