'Stepping off a Cliff" Book Review (3/5)

I received this book for free through the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review.

Stepping off a Cliff is the second book in Doug Dillon’s St Augustine trilogy and it has an interesting, unique storyline.

The book centres on Jeff Golden, a teenage boy who, under the guidance of an old man named Lobo, has learned to develop and control his extraordinary gifts – such as the ability to stop time. Jeff and his girlfriend Carla – also endowed with supernatural capabilities – once again have to use their skills to save their hometown of St Augustine. In this instalment, an evil being threatens to destroy St Augustine and all of its inhabitants and they must combine their powers with Lobo’s wisdom and experience in order to defeat it.

Although I found the three main characters - Carla, Jeff and Lobo – difficult to connect with, they are well developed and have grown and matured since the first book. Their relationship with each other has also developed, although I found the dialogue a bit forced at times.

While I am a fan of first-person narratives, as I found it challenging to bond with Jeff, I struggled to enjoy the story as told from his perspective. I think that based on the plot, a first-person narrative was the correct way to go as it provided insight into the emotional and physical distress caused by the events in the book. That being said, Jeff was a good narrator and told the story with great detail, I simply couldn’t connect with his voice.

Lobo, with his controlling and secretive nature, annoyed me in the first book but this lessened greatly in Stepping off a Cliff. He becomes more open to being a team player, as opposed to his more dictatorial nature in Sliding beneath the Surface. He opens himself up to suggestions from the others and is far more forthcoming with information. Learning his history and backstory was also very interesting.

Lyle, a secondary character who featured briefly in the first book, plays a much greater role in this one and I enjoyed getting to know him better. He too has an unexpected and fascinating backstory and he kept me emotionally hooked. When he wasn’t making me laugh, he made me want to cry.

Once again, I loved the historical aspect to the book and enjoyed learning more about St Augustine’s rich history.

Overall, the book was interesting and well-written and any faults that I found came down to personal preference.