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Reviewed by Anne Boiling for Readers' Favorite
Jealousy is the theme of Thunder Destroys Me by Lisa Burke. Our main characters are Charles and Lucy. They met in a bookstore and for Charles it was love at first sight. Lucy made him what he wanted to be. She was like sandpaper that smoothed the edges. He noticed her long slender fingers, her long legs, her easy laugh, the way she smelled, and he loved everything about her.
Charles had no self confidence or self esteem. He was sure no one as special as Lucy could ever care for him. “David was perfect for her. She couldn’t love me, but she could love David. In that moment, he hated David. He wanted to destroy him…” David was Charles best buddy. He told him about Lucy and suddenly he hated him. Charles fantasized about Lucy. He imagined touching her face, kissing her and wrapping her in his arms.
The “Militia” spoke in Charles head. It told him how inadequate he was and how other people felt about him. “You’ve got nothing. Maybe, maybe if you kept your mouth shut you could hold onto her. But even then… not much hope.”
I’m not a professional but I’d say Charles is a paranoid schizophrenic. He was obsessed with Lucy to the point she was constantly on his mind. The reader watches as Charles spirals downward in his illness. Charles was a bit frightening. It was very interesting to hear what the Militia said to him. The story is told from Charles point of view. We learn little about the other characters other than what Charles perceives concerning them.
Charles character is well developed. It was easy to see him slipping in to madness. The end has a surprising twist. The author has cleverly demonstrated what goes through the mind of a man obsessed with a woman. Jealousy is a destructive emotion. It can and will destroy a relationship. A jealous mate can push a mate away and into the arms of the one they fear. The author skillfully illustrates the result of jealousy. This book does not have a typical plot I think readers will find it refreshing.
