Book Review - The Mouse That Roared
The Mouse That Roared
by Dwayne Murray, Sr.
A gritty portrait of urban survival amid the quest to gain a toehold on life, The Mouse That Roared packs an unexpected emotional wallop. Dwayne Murray, Sr. debuts with a fine tale with the upside for a potential run for greater success if others see this book the way I do. It tells a story of violence and redemption that’s even more remarkable when you consider that Mr. Murray wrote with unabashed wisdom in creating a moving tale with just the right amount of interludes and deviations to add intrigue to make continuity par to this course. It’s little wonder that it gets rave reviews, and touted as a subsequent best seller.
Questions will always abound alluding to what indeed would cause the downtrodden to stand tall and rebuke his/her tormentors, and roar with the satisfaction of triumph, snatched albeit from the jaws of defeat. The title alone has garnered much talk, and as the author surmises – “The title The Mouse That Roared is a metaphor describing how the most innocent, docile, and powerless creature will find in their soul the strength of a lion if backed into a corner. It is at this time the mouse is cornered and has no other choice but to come out fighting…” With this analogy giving insight to what’s to follow therein, the book involves a young woman, Sandra Lyte struggling to survive, who ventures to the big city for a new start. Unfortunately, betrayal, terror, and disappointing circumstances render her vulnerable to the guile of Doug Gunner. Unwilling or unable to see his peers as equals, he finds it impossible to feel compassion for others and allows money to dictate his every move. Suffice it to say, reasons that make Sandra roar can be attributed to the adjuncts to the story that make subplots and a moving back story the tour de force that drives the drama. I speak of the large drug organization that Doug caters to, a mafia leader out to avenge the death of his son, corruption in the city’s police force, and gaining leverage to turn the tables on the evils that have plagued her sanity.
One of the things that have riveted me to this offering is the author’s attention to detail, the intricacies given to character makeup, and how he managed to make me feel that the drama was so believable as if I was there to revel in it. It made you silently root for Sandra all the way, and marveling at how true friendship was able to define perseverance. The storyline was wrenching and well written. This nail biting thriller will enlarge the courage of a woman, extol the need for familial bonding, and embrace the importance of friendship, thus giving true meaning to what prevails when one is backed in a corner and forced to do what one has to do to survive.
As much as the good is extolled in this book, there were a few gaffs that were glaring. I felt a proofreader or an accomplished editor could have cleaned up the book a bit and given it more of a broader vista toward the end guarding against predictability, but the details I mention here are minor and in no way detracted from the outstanding storytelling ability of this author. I enjoyed “The Mouse That Roared” and highly recommend it for a change of pace from the plethora of books vying for our reading time. I hope to hear more from this talented writer in the future.
Reviewed by Alvin C. Romer for The Romer Review
All rights reserved 2006