REVIEW: The Workshop by Matt Mills

Genre: Literary Fiction | Adult Fiction | Satire | Romance

Release Date: Part 1 & 2 out May 17th 2023

Publisher: Self-Published

Nine writers enter … only one will Escape. (Figuratively - the door works fine)

In a forgotten corner of Americans third most expensive university, nine students start their sixteen week creative writing programme. It might be a slight hyperbole to say they'd die if they don't come out on top, but for these students it feels like it.

Don’t let the indie video game-esque cover fool you, this debut isn’t your average academic adventure.

This first edition starts off a riotous novella collection, with sixteen episodes for each term of this slightly sinister and satirical schoolroom series.

This story moves a mile-a-minute, with a punchy voice full of dry humour, sarcasm and wit. With a blasé, irreverent style that runs off on tangents and meanders and drags us along with it, it has an almost non-linear narrative with interspersed clippings of other writings and poems, and diarised entries of comings and goings that dominate the content at times but still manages to establish an eclectic cast of characters for the reader to try to figure out who will undoubtedly drive the story forward in the follow-ups. It is utter, glorious chaos and I can only imagine how the pressure will continue to rise in the coming weeks.

All of our characters have their own motivations, something that drives their desperate need to succeed — and their little nuances is what moves this from a privileged group of seemingly insufferable rich kids to a boiling pot just waiting to explode.

Whether you’re a writer, or a reader, the critique and observations about other writers is painfully funny, taking the stereotype of the tortured artist and playing with it in a refreshingly entertaining way. It toes the line of parody and satire, with characters that border caricature — it left me feeling a little attacked but very entertained.

Think Battle Royale meets Breakfast club meets Big Brother. This book is the very definition of marmite — a bit dark, a little bitter and you’ll either love it or hate it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted an copy of this title in return for an honest review. Please check content warnings before reading this title. The Workshop: Week One and The Workshop: Week Two available May 17th via Amazon Kindle Store, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Press, Google Play, Rakuten Kobo, and Tolino Media.

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