Perhaps the most frustrating issue with this book was the lack of characterization. Although the surface details were drawn with care, the characters themselves came out as flat. Flat, flat, flat, totally flat. You could not imagine an emotion more than a silly grin on any of them. Even the dog and cat seemed more archetypes of the species than real, live, breathing animals. I rate this book one star for lack of characterization alone. Not recommended.
Wow, that was pretty harsh. What was your book about?
It was children’s book that featured a family of gingerbread people… Totally flat.
***
Word count = 100
Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo © Jennifer Pendergast. Read more or join in by following the InLinkz “linky“.
Trent's World (the Blog) 
lol Too funny! Yep, I have read reviews like that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes you have to wonder what the reviewers were thinking….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I read an adult reviewer who said about a young adult book: these read like they were written for teenagers…… Clueless
LikeLike
lol, I think I said something like that once, but, in my defense, I did put it like this, “I don’t read YA often, and I remember why now – this was written for a teenager and, no matter how much I’d like to turn back time, I am not a teen…” The problem (in a good way) is that some YA is great reading for adults!
LikeLike
Ha!! Really funny on so many levels, sounds like the book wasn’t for everyone.
LikeLike
No, the book was not for everyone – if you aren’t four or have an aversion to gingerbread.. ;) Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This made me laugh ….
But certainly not the kind of review I’d want!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol, no I don’t think I would be too happy with that review… Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like that reviewer never visited Flatland. Lack of education is no excuse for a bad review. Hmph. (I thoroughly enjoyed your story).
LikeLike
These days few do visit Flatland. A. Square wrote the wonderful travelogue about his home well over a century ago and many today find it quite misogynistic, so I guess we can excuse that awful reviewer a little for not knowing the classics… Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had forgotten all about that. Good to be aware when reading classics.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I reread it several years back and when I got to the description of the female Flatlanders, my jaw sort of dropped. Wow. Of course, I know some people who have similar opinions, but I tend to think of them as Flatlanders too, so… ;)
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know others have said it, but…very creative, Trent!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Brenda!
LikeLike
Great job! Love the review.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
Ha ha! Flat, but colorful, characters. A difficult task under most circumstances. ;-D
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, the characters were colorful and sweet, though they could be quite hot and spicy at times, but they were very flat… :D
LikeLike
Ahhh, the scathing review. Love how it played out though… Gotta roll with The dough..hehe! It’s looking more and more like we might move to Ohio with or without the this particular job….phone interview went well… Next step in person after Easter. Yeah!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
Hope all goes well on new job/new place to live!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me,too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspect the reader never got to the end of the novel as they had eaten all the characters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Possibly. On the other hand, the book may have been on a shelf for a year or so and the reviewer found the characters a bit stale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Trent,
I skipped through the comments so as not to worry about repeating. Very clever story. Not flat at all. Not even half-baked. Love it!
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rochelle! And reading through the comments you came up with a new pun that hasn’t been used :D
LikeLike
Very clever! I hope my book of toy poems doesn’t get such a rotten review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure it won’t. Thanks!
LikeLike
😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw, sometimes I do feel like reviewers miss the point; an excellent take here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, they sometimes do… Thanks.
LikeLike
What a fun piece. And a great take-off of reviews. I really enjoyed it.
LikeLike
Thanks. Some Amazon reviewers are even worse than this ;)
LikeLike
Hahaha! Definitely not a review I would want, but very clever. I bet they taste good though! 🤩
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, these were (gingerbread) people of very good taste… Sweet as could be and crisp conversationalists.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whimsical and fun. I hope I never get a review about my flat characters, because I’ll probably think of these gingerbread people and laugh through my tears :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol, now all of FF will think gingerbread people whenever they hear the word “flat characters”… Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well I think that’s rather harsh Trent , I am sure the author had done his best.
Hi again Trent I have just read the book ….you are right there was absolutely no character in the book that was more than one dimensional.
Love you take Trent very clever 😂🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
But the characters were all sweet, at least gave an outward appearance of being sweet…
LikeLike
Yes and I had heard they were hot too 💜💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
They may be a little on the flat side but they still look really happy despite the review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are happy, and sweet people at that, or at least a sweet appearance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A ha ha haaa….. excellent! Well now, I think the reviewer was flat, not the story!
👍👏🙏
LikeLiked by 2 people
A flat review – could be. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
;-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
This gave me a really good laugh, Trent. I hope this book isn’t one of mine [smile]
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol, no, I wasn’t thinking of your Sir Chocolate books, though, if I remember correctly, you do have well rounded characters, or at least a little more 3-D than those gingerbread people ;) Thanks, glad you got a chuckle.
LikeLike
Nice one, Trent :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks :)
LikeLike
Textured format appreciated!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are highly textured characters, if not 3-D…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder if a day will ever come there will be a 3-D printer for cookies? I’m so there if they do. Just like on The Jetsons.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do think they should make one! As long as the cookies it makes is real cooky, a 3D one would be great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like a book you can really get your teeth into, but some folk just don’t get it, eh, Trent.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know I sugar coated it a bit, but at the core it is crisp and has bite to it, so…oh well, never know with some of these reviewers.
LikeLike
Interesting take. Incidentally, I was lost by the letter being a picture. I almost didn’t see a story at all here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmm, I had WP put it up as formatted text, I’m not sure why it came across as an image. Really odd. Thanks for pointing it out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suppose it is formatted but it looks separate from the rest of the words you see.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, OK, the formatted text is set off from the conversation below and so your eye didn’t see it as part of the whole.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, thats exactly it. I took it to be a picture then read the after bit and was like ‘what the heck! Something’s missing!’ and then went back to discover the letter in the format box and finally understood.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂 Very good. KL <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
I know I shouldn’t chuckle… but I did!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol, sometimes we just have to laugh at the reviews…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better than cry, I say.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, agreed….
LikeLiked by 1 person
:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll admit, it could use some work, but the characters aren’t entirely two dimensional. The frosting alone adds at least some depth. LOL. This one took me a minute to get it, but once I got it, it was hilarious. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just wished that that darned reviewer had noticed all of the textures and bumps and things that made these 3-D! lol, thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha! Brilliant. I do read some of the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and do wonder about some people… Also, as I’m getting ready to submit my latest book to agents and publishers, this fills me with dread!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have read some funny reviews, but sometimes… Good luck with your book!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha! Love this Trent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sedje.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very clever. Mission accomplished!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike