Fiction Review: The Writing Class by Jincy Willet

Fiction Review: The Writing Class by Jincy Willet

Deborah Oakes, NPS
David Sedaris praised Jincy Willet's writing and says she is his favorite writer. I agree with him. Her fiction novel, The Writing Class, is witty, unusual, intelligent and entertaining. And for this fiction review, add scary, daring and suspenseful.

Fiction Review: The Writing Class by Jincy Willet

At the start of this fiction novel, Jincy had me at:

"The fat broad.........lumbers into class five minutes late, dragging along with her yard-wide butt, a beat-up vinyl briefcase stuffed with notebooks.....she's pushing sixty, pushing 200, and she wears polyester fat pants and a Big & Tall man's long-sleeved white shirt with the sleeves ragged and rolled up. Here is a woman that does not give a rat's ass."

For some reason, I wanted to be this woman who turns out to be the teacher of the writing class. Her name is Amy and her outlook on life is classic. At one time, Amy had a best seller book but that was years ago and nothing has taken hold for her since then. So, she teaches writing classes.

This class of wannabes is rich with characters and what takes place among them is ingenious. There are students in the class to actually learn to write, some to meet the opposite sex, a doctor, lawyer, one student who worships Amy and other assorted individuals.

Fiction Review: The Writing Class by Jincy Willet

What Jincy Willet does with this canvas is hysterical. I don't think I have enjoyed fiction writing so much. It was particularly interesting because the story is told from several points of view. One narrator you don't know until the end who it is but it adds interest. Jincy never lost me with this part of the plot in her fiction novel.

Once the murder mystery started though, I didn't enjoy the book as much. Imagine my disappointment because I didn't find the novel nearly as entertaining after that. I felt the material was great without murder and I wanted it to continue. I will say this though, the murder mystery is good and kept me guessing. I felt drawn right into the action of it.

Fiction Review: The Writing Class by Jincy Willet

Although I am sure many readers love the mystery part, I guess I prefer my humor and my murders in separate stories. I want to laugh all the way through or be scared all the way through a fiction novel. It was still a fun read but for this fiction review, I give The Writing Class an eight out of ten score.

Click here to read another fiction review by this writer.

Published by Deborah Oakes, NPS

Certified National Product Specialist, Author: "H1N1 Threat Reduced Using Natural Healthcare" and "Home & Hearth Recipes."  View profile

5 Comments

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  • Alyce Rocco5/3/2009

    AC is on my nerves today ~ google ads covering the text and I wanted to read what you wrote, not ads. I enjoyed this book at the same time it got on my nerves. It felt like Jincy was trying to show off her wit or writing skills as if she will never be puslished again, when she could have saved some of the stuff for a future novel.

  • 3lilangels4/26/2009

    Super review!

  • J. Ann Beaudry4/25/2009

    This review makes me want to get the book and read it right away. Thank you.

  • Danielle "L"4/25/2009

    Another great review that makes me want to read The Writing Class by Jincy Willet (that has to be a pseudonym, but I like it!)

  • Hally Z.4/25/2009

    Hmm...nice book review! It's always nice to get a writer's perspective on current literature.

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