Areh

by Jeffrey Kinsey, Amelia Dregiewicz (Illustrator), Mia Bergeron (Illustrator)

An ancient and cruel religion, The Purpose, deifies children for their deformities—a beautiful girl with three arms, a brave boy with one eye... the exceptional list goes on. Painted and costumed, they are worshiped on stage. Shy and exposed, they are ridiculed in the streets, often by the same faces. Glorious or repulsive? Gods or freaks? How deep will the identity divide be dredged, and to which side will the truth finally tip? Out of the city, through strange forests and dark dreams, we follow six young friends as they chase their answer. Lightning-lit and pulling moon into mountain, it awaits them at the top of the world.

Beautifully illustrated with over 100 original works by Mia Bergeron and Amelia Dregiewicz, Areh is a decadently lush visual experience quite unlike any other!

More at jeffreykinsey.com

Genres: Fantasy

303 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2016

About the author

Jeffrey writes novels. He is interested in anything which informs his doing so. Jeffrey is married to Amelia. Amelia makes art. They share a home with two black cats, Trina and La'Meow. Life is good.

Reviews

[RaeAnna Rekemeyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Areh is a completely unique work of literature and artwork; weaving the two, Kinsey created a beautiful book with an equally distinctive storyline. Lending itself to realms of spiritual unknowns as well as down to earth sentiments of otherness, this is something different from most anything you’ll find at a bookstore. Not only was it worth the read, it is worth a firm suggestion.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was such a magical journey. Nothing about it is predictable and I loved that. It is tragically beautiful. This is one you will want to reread and also savor. The art work is beautiful and adds a wonderful element to the experience. Such a rare treasure of a book. I LOVE it. (If that wasn't obvious)

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

With Areh Jeffrey Kinsey’s goal was to create a piece of art (you can read more about it here), and with that he has succeeded. He’s combined his words with the beautiful work of Mia Bergeron and Amelia Dregiewicz’s beautiful work.

I do have to say, this doesn’t have the strongest plot. It’s confusing at times, firstly by jumping backwards and forwards in time, before leading on to a rather complex second half.

Rather than being plot driven, this novel leans much more towards poetic writing. There’s sections written from the perspective of the Goddess Areh, flowery descriptions and pieces of poetry. There is a stark contrast between the generally beautiful writing and some of the dialogue. The character Sammy uses very coarse language – at times the was he spoke did feel like a grown man attempting to emulate ‘teenspeak’ which felt a little out of place.

And of course I can’t write this review without mentioning the absolutely stunning artwork. There’s a great mixture of paintings (see the cover above for an example) and intricate ink work. I would have loved to see a few more paintings – there were a few sections of descriptions which were just asking to be turned into a picture.

Overall, in you’re interested in beautiful writing I would definitely recommend trying this out. Personally, I generally lean towards very plot driven novel hence the 3 star rating.

[Hollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a story rich with imagery and artistry, the gorgeous illustrations that grace every single page are a feast for the eyes. The words on the page prove to be just as rich a feast for the imagination. Utilizing the far extremes of fantasy as well as plenty of the gritty mundanity of real life results in a story both believable and transporting. To merely say the visuals are lavish is to neglect the way the author engages all the senses throughout. One will quickly become attached to the unlikely heroes who carry you through these scenes as well. Even now, months after reading this, I find myself thinking, like Remi, "This moment is perfect and it will never leave me." And so was every moment spent reading this book.

[Nicole Dunton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Areh is about a group of misfit and deformed human descendants of gods. The main character is telling the story of them being integrated into human society. He talks of all that goes on around them and how it impacts each one of their lives.

I really enjoyed hearing this. I can't wait to go back and read it physically. I felt that the story was quite unique and creative. It was so hard not to just totally fall for all of the characters. Especially Areh's descendant.

The narrator wasn't that bad. I actually felt like he added some depth to the story. He definitely gave it a more dramatic feel. I mean, to me, it was obvious that he was just as into reading the story as he was narrating it.

I fully recommend this book. It's witty and funny. It's edgy and bold. Most importantly, it's unique and creative. Yes, it's a tad dark at times, but that really just adds to the story in my opinion. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it! I can't wait to read more books by this author.

[Rune Divina · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I would like to thank you @jeffrey.kinsey for this peace 😍. Really, thinking back I was really lucky to be able to win the GA.
📚.
When I read this, I had the strange feeling that this is a one-of-a-kind art, that it will lead me to somewhere. And it did in a way. The drawing of symbols and paintings sandwiched between poetic words really evoke that fantasy ambience. Though it is fantasy, I feel really really relatable with most of the characters. I felt relatable with Miri and Sammy; I want to be like Sia and Yolandi; I want to have someone like Haruki; and many more; the characters are really relatable. And the drawings and paintings 😍😍😍. Every time I turned to another chapter I kept saying "I love this drawing best" or "I love this painting best." 📚.
This story tells about the children, worshipped as resemblances to gods. Yet at the same time their disfiguration, their weird physiques, their queerness make them shunned by others. Because of this, they experience social anxiety, identity crisis, bullying, depression. But also, friendship, strength, faith, endurance, and love. And growing up, they had to withstand the true test of their lives: to return the God-body Miri Emma unto Areh and save the world from catastrophes. Note: this is not a predictable story. The ending... it's just another beginning.
📚.
This story made me realize how contradicting our lives could be. How ordinary a fantasy could be and how fantastical the little things we do could become. Does that make sense? Hahaha that's how I felt tho.
📚. "...life is a palindrome--aibohphobia--beginning to end, same either way. Nonexistence to helplessness, helplessness to nonexistence, interchangeability of love, learning, suffering, and forgetting lettered in-between. Our beginnings are our endings."
-Areh-

[Samantha Drage · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just finished reading this book and although it is a completely different style to what I am used to reading I was entranced all the way through. I was never sure what was going to happen next and I was always on the edge of my seat. The world that has been created here is completely individual. I have never seen anything like it. Over all a really good book!

[Dagney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has (finally) displaced Kafka on the Shore as my favorite read of all time. That should say everything you need to know...but I'll say more. The prose is absolute silk--graceful, glistening and strong. The story is -completely- original and wonderfully f'ing weird! Again, the prose! The only contemporary authors that come close are Karen Russell and David Mitchell (just my opinion). In compliment, the artwork is absolutely stunning and nearly as beautiful as the writing. All that said, sadly, I expect that much of the genius of this book (and I assure you, it is absolutely that) will be lost on most readers. The skill level and nuance is going to soar over most people's heads. I am deeply grateful that mine is not one of them. This book is the most well-executed example of artistic competancy I have ever encountered.

[Luke Marlowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Jeffrey Kinsey is a native of Jacksonville Florida, and a settler in Charleston, South Carolina. He makes cool stuff with his wife, Amelia Dreglewicz, goes for long walks by the water, and has a heavy interest in the dynamic, graceful and inventive interface of prose and visual art.
It’s that interface that takes centre stage in “Areh” – a book that combines prose and art. That may sound like nothing new, but “Areh” is something unique – a book that places equal importance on both aspects, binding them together to create a memorable, special, and beautiful tome that, even when reading on an e-reader, brings a story to life in vivid, colourful detail.

Set in a dark and troubled society, the book becomes a race against time to prevent a terrible catastrophe befalling the land. However, whilst there is a definite sense of pace to the story, the use of poetic, flowing language makes this a read that manages to be both timeless and current – the sometimes epic art lending it a feel of myth or fable. It doesn’t skimp on character either – with the plight of the children at the heart of this tale one that is conveyed with a great deal of sensitivity, and the character interactions between the children are cleverly written – reading as contemporary and youthful, without falling into any of the traps that many writers seem to plunge into when focusing on the language and syntaxes used by youths in a new setting.

The art that accompanies the prose is mesmerising – beautiful chapter headings that draw the readers eye without fail. Clearly influenced by ancient art forms, they help immensely to transport the reader to an other world, and some patterns linger long in the mind after the close of the book – intricate, delicate designs that represent points in the story and the characters lives.

All in all, “Areh” is a wonderful read – ambitious and original, it’s refreshing to read something that is clearly the product of years of hard work, determination and love between a group of people.

I've given this review 4/5 Stars, but only because 4.5/5 wasn't an option!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

As narrator of the audiobook version of Areh, I’ve explored the text as both a reader and a performer. Both experiences were moving and thoroughly intriguing. When I record an audiobook, my primary job is to hook into the emotional undercurrent of each scene and process the characters’ experiences moment by moment. Areh is so passionately written that I never had to struggle to find this emotional underpinning; I could feel it pulsing through the text on the first read. On top of this, Kinsey has a smart and uniquely poetic way of playing with language that stimulates the mind and the imagination. This made voicing the text of Areh an immersive, often riveting, experience.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute art. Areh is a truly beautiful work in every regard. Thank you, Mr. Kinsey. (Note: I strongly recommend the hardback version of this title, an ebook could never do justice to the artwork and design)

[Cathy Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I noticed was how carefully it was wrapped. Not in a fancy way - just very neatly and well. A good sign. Out of the package came a beautiful hardback, navy blue embossed with silver; flicking through, I saw fabulous art - both intricate black-and-white-illustrations and strong, vibrant paintings. Frankly, it'd be worth it just for the art.
I was really worried that the writing wouldn't live up to it! Everything else was so gorgeous!
I needn't have worried. The prose is strong - this writer has found his voice - and there's a good range, too. Whether outlining some action, or exploring character, or developing philosophy, the prose is assured and convincing.
It's also original. I've never read a book on these themes, and to have them developed with such beauty and intelligence is wonderful.
I'm glad that it was self-published. I can almost hear the traditional publishers (much as I love some of them!) saying, cut the description, cut the poetry, lose this scene with the two women and the painting, lose the adverbs (even though they're appropriately used) and so on... As it is, this is an exquisite book, put together by three very talented people. And an important book in disability literature, though I don't want to classify it too much. I can see these lovely editions being treasured and passed on, and becoming cult favourites centuries from now.
The poetry is entirely appropriate to the character, a male teenager. He does have knowledge of metre and rhyme, but the work is limited in scope and form. If this is the author's poetry, I'd love to put him through a really tough poetry course, and open his wings. Give me a year and I'll have him writing poetry to change lives. Ah well - there are always plenty of people who want mentoring, so I shouldn't sigh after this one! Particularly as he might not exist, and the poems might be those of the character, not representative of the author's work.
'Areh' has been proofread well, but not perfectly. 'Here, here' I found particularly painful, but the errors aren't numerous enough to lose this a star. I don't think I could have borne to give it anything other than five stars, anyway. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, and I am always honest in my reviews - I wouldn't give it a good rating if it didn't deserve one. My review has been delayed because of illness, and also because I wanted to make the experience of reading Areh last as long as possible. It's beautiful, different, luminous, and will be loved by many, I hope. The images and ideas dance through my dreams.

[Alice Liu · Rating 1 out of 5]

first of all thank you to the author for sending this to me for review! but they asked for an honest opinion so here are my thoughts:

Let's begin with the things I like:
•writing
•art

The writing was so beautiful and extremely poetic and the art that accommodated the writing also complemented the story quite well.

What I don't like:
•pacing
•characters

If you were to ask me what this book was about I would not be able to tell you. Although the writing in itself is beautiful, sometimes it really detracts attention away from the characters and plot itself and is just filler rather than real story. Now, here's the reason why I gave it 1 star. Sammy, one of the characters, constantly makes extremely homophobic comments in addition to saying the n word, and no one calls him out for it or is portrayed as wrong. The characters just let him say it with no reaction whatsoever and that pissed me off. In addition, at the beginning of the book Sammy also said "tasteful rape" once again with no repercussions which is absolutely vile and disgusting. Furthermore, he is a white straight character but yet he says the n word and uses slurs like faggot. That is why this book only received one stars from me. I can not stand ignorance with no consequences and he's a vile character that ruined the whole reading experience for me.

[Caitie (Find Me In Fairytales) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A sadness inside of someone you love will impose itself on you through your failure to fix it. It will break your heart through your inability to heal theirs.”

First and foremost I would like to give a HUGE thank you to the author of this book, Jeffrey Kinsey, for reaching out to me and asking if I would read and review his book, Areh. Whenever an author reaches out to me and asks me to review one of their books, I always pop on over to my holy grail (goodreads) and read the synopsis. This synopsis was unlike any I have ever read before, and immediately intrigued me! Along in the email, Jeffrey also sent me a link to his website, which I looked up, and was absolutely blown away by the gorgeous artwork that accompanied the book! The drawings were done by Amelia Dregiewicz Kinsey, and the paintings were done by Mia Bergeron. So needless to say, I was rather giddy at the prospect of not only photographing this book, but also reading and reviewing it! So thank you again Jeffrey, Amelia, and Mia for this opportunity!

Not only is every page in this book absolutely visually stunning, but the writing is so lyrical and heartbreaking. I went through a slew of emotions reading this story; I laughed, I pondered, I was amazed, I cringed, I empathized, and I also felt heartache. I haven’t read a book in a long time that was able to take me on a journey of emotions like this one!

The story is mainly seen through the main character, Remi, and is about his experiences and love for Miri and his group of friends. The twist here is that they are all physically deformed in some way, but instead of being seen as outcasts within their religion, which is called The Purpose, they are actually worshipped as being reincarnates as different Gods and Goddesses. Unfortunately to those outside of The Purpose, they are still seen as freaks and made fun of. During these scenes of ridicule, it broke my heart, because I could feel the characters pain for just wanting to fit in and not be different. The first half of the story starts out by jumping back and forth between past and present, so we get an idea of how the characters grew up a bit and what they are doing now. I enjoyed reading the book this way because it gave a different element to the story, an almost nostalgic feel. The second half of the book is set in present time and it follows the characters journey to save their friend, Miri. I won’t go into too much more detail about it, because it would spoil the story, but the group of them have to travel to a place called the Ascension, and they wander through dark woods and battle strange creatures, it was all very exciting and action packed!

In terms of characters, each had their own distinct and quirky personality, which I loved. I’m a huge fan of books that have strong characters and this one certainly delivered! It was like a rag-tag team of outcasts; Remi was the thoughtful one, Sia (Remi’s sister) was the free-spirited artist, Miri (Remi’s wife) was the brooding introvert, Sammy was the wannabe gangster, and Del was the spunky and sassy one. Normally I’m not one for characters who have a distinct “style” like this, but the author made them all so complex that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with each and every one of them! It was almost like they were my own friends and I was on this journey with them to help Miri.

Unfortunately, it took me about a month to read this book, not from the lack of interest, but I found the content to be quite heavy. The story and everything else was really intriguing and well written, but for some reason I just didn’t devour this story the way I hoped I would. I think my issue with is, was while it was beautifully written, there wasn’t a lot of action or driving force behind it to push me forward. I can usually sit for a couple hours and read 100+ pages if I’m fully engrossed in the story, but with this one I found myself only being able to read for 30 minutes or so, and tackling 20-25 pages at a time. Again, not because of the lack of intrigue, story, or characters, just the content was very wordy and maybe came across as a little over-thought. Some of the parts I read reminded me of how I sit and think about certain things when I’m alone, I tend to overthink a lot (haha like everything), and some of this story felt exactly like that. I have to say though, despite the heavy content, the author blew me away with his insightful words about love and life. Here are some of my favourite quotes from the book:

“Going back and reobserving my life through these windows, I understand very clearly why people are made so defectively incapable of recognizing the true scope of their negative implications in real-time. We don’t understand the ways we hurt and disappoint the hearts around us. The net is too complex and spread far too wide for our like observations and empathies to ever collect. And for very good reason-the catch would simply be too heavy.”

“All these pretty pieces, these found flecks of gold in the stream of my forgetfulness, I wondered if they were me. In the truest sense, literally, the same way that cells or spinal fluid, am I made of these things that float around inside my heart and head? If yes, then what are we to each other?”

And this one of my favourite quotes in the whole book:

“Love is a world without a map. Ever-unexplored, ever-unfolding. There’s valleys, there’s mountains, wind, and rain. There’s sunshine and storms, and all other hallmark topographies and climates of a love-world metaphor. There were two things that stayed with me though, and they were the parts that came back to me again. In this unmapped journey through the world of what love is, there are oceans, the stretches without newness, without novelty, that seem to go on and on forever. There’s beauty to the slowness, to the predictability. That it’s only these places, upon the oceans, where you can see in every direction, where you can see where you’ve been and know where you’re going. The surface is deceptive. That beneath the stretches of placidity and sameness, there lay the greatest depths of our love. And the second thing, this love, this world without a map, if you continue on for long enough it will always circle you back to the start, land you once more at the same place you began. That again and again this world will spin itself anew beneath your feet. True love never ever, ever, ends.”

After reading that passage I had to sit back and take a few moments to let all that sink in. I’ve never heard of love being described that way, but I think he nailed it on the head! Much like how the author described love as an ocean that looks the same on the surface, I have to say that I fully agree. So often in our lives we are told that love should be exciting, butterflies, a rush of emotions, etc etc., and while I agree that you should be excited and feel emotions about the person you are with, there is a lot of dullness, a lot of sameness, and a lot of routine within a relationship. But of course no one wants to hear about that… everyone wants to hear about the adventures and the fun times that being in love involves. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I want to hear about all those stories too! I think a lot of us want love to be a storm—a whirlwind and a wild ride. After everything I have learned and gone through these past 6 months, I have learned that love isn’t a storm, but it’s the calm after the storm. It’s the quiet, almost insignificant, moments of every day solitude, with the constant and consistent effort you put forth. It’s as simple as a touch, a kind word, or even just a smile acknowledging the other person. But more than that, it’s being next to this other person, being present in that moment with them, and thinking that this is everything you could ever want. I believe that’s how love comes full circle and you can finally find satisfaction in knowing that this is what happiness feels like.

While I think this book is visually the prettiest I have ever seen, and the story was beautifully written and it definitely made me sit back in awe of the gorgeous writing, I feel think the content was a bit too heavy for my liking. There were parts that I feel were a bit contrived, like the author was purposely trying to use flowery language to get his point across, but I would still recommend this book for anyone wanting to read a gorgeous story filled with amazing visuals.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my thoughts.

The first thing you notice about Areh is that it's an incredibly beautiful piece of art. Because it is so much more than just a book. Throughout, there are inked illustrations and full colour, full page paintings alongside the lyrical prose. The chapter titles are all handwritten, and you really get the sense for the love and care that was put into the project, as well as the vivid imagery and unique experience that is the story of Areh.

The second - and perhaps more subjective thing - is just how confusing it can be. Some scenes are very easy to follow whilst still remaining the poetic tone, but there are others (namely Areh's mini chapters) that I personally could not get my head around. They're steeped in metaphors and wrapped in analogies and I've never been very good at deciphering those sort of things. Which is one of my own shortcomings, not the book's. If you enjoy descriptive, flowery prose and what could be classed as a slightly more challenging read then this is the story for you. If not, though I would still recommend giving this a chance, I'd also recommend allocating a decent amount of time to reading it as I found it did slow me down a little bit.

Nevertheless, I got through this pretty quickly, as it is quite short. It's jam packed with details about each character and goes into great depth about Remi's life, starting in childhood and following him and his friends into adulthood and everything that awaited them. Areh is most definitely a character driven novel that takes its time exploring human nature and the intricate relationships of the main characters. We see things through Remi's eyes, but we still get a good picture of everyone else as the group is so close thanks to their weekly Presentations and the journey they set out on halfway through the book. We also get to see a fair amount of growth, even throughout adulthood, not just as the characters age. Sammy, in particular, started out as an obnoxious brat but by the end of the book I'd come to understand him more - close to the point of even liking him.

I would, however, have preferred there to be more of a plot. Particularly in the first half, which I found to be dull compared to the second part which took us up the mountain and focused more on explaining the character of Yolandi and introducing some intensity. While I can appreciate and do enjoy profiling characters, I'm big on action, and it's this one gripe that results in the three stars, but overall my views remain favourable as this is a very thought-provoking read.

I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to read this, so thanks again to Jeff, the author, for sending me a copy. I don't think I've experience anything quite like this, and I doubt if I'll come across another book half as unique any time soon.

[Gemma McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was asked to read Areh by Jeffrey Kinsey for a fair and honest review.

First thing I need to comment is the art work, even reading the book on my ereader the art work was stunning. I bet the art work is more stunning seeing it physical in the book. I think the book and the art work would be great as an adult colouring book.

Areh is set in a world where an ancient religion 'The Purpose' has been cruelly altered in where children born with deformities are made to dress up and become the Gods and Goddess that they worship. They are mocked by the peers and worshiped by adults when they are just trying to find their own identity.

The book is mainly from Remi view the beginning of the half of the book Remi shows us the world from present day and flashbacks. The second half of the book Remi is on an epic religious journey to stop 'The Purpose' version of the apocalypse.

Remi is a poet and the writing style is some what poetic as well, the author has crafted a story that flows like a memory. That different things set Remi memory off allowing us more of the story to hand.

This book gives a new meaning for being burden with grief and questioning your religion.

If you like stories that brings you on a journey where the character world is turned upside down and has you and the character questioning reality, then you should read this stories. One of the reasons I enjoyed this book was the fact that they way this story started gave no clues on how it would end.

[Kelsey Wheeler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book took me forever to get through. I would have "Did Not Finish" it, but I really don't like not finishing books I started no matter how long it takes me.

I really don't know what this story was really about.It was very confusing at times, jumping backwards and forwards in time with very complex writing. I suppose it was just about these kids lives and then their adulthood. They are very unusual people and a lot of bizarre random things happen.

What really ruined the story for me was one of the main characters constantly makes homophobic and racist comments. I don't mind strong language in a book, but this books use of it was unnecessary and overused. The story could have redeemed it self if it pointed out that its wrong, but it's never portrayed as wrong. Yes, there is LGBT relationships after the fact, but regardless of how rude it was. It's distasteful and unnecessary. It made the writing immature. But no young adult should read this.

Also for the weak hearted and stomach there is some death and bloody scenes in this book.

If none of what I said bothers you and you don't mind a book that is very complex and jumps a lot then you might enjoy this book. There's a lot of poetic writing in the story as well, but although it was beautiful I found it to be just a filler.

[Amber Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this book from the author for reviewing purposes.**

Everything about this book was beautiful - the artwork, the writing, the story itself. Very poetic writing, I enjoyed every moment of reading it, though I was confused a lot when the POV changed or it jumped from the past to the present (or future?).

[Lura Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book that was hard to put down. The beautiful artwork throughout the book was visually stunning. Looking forward to listening to the audio version! Definitely recommend you pick this one up as your next obsessive read.

[Anie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been sitting in front of my computer screen for at least five minutes, going back and forth between three and four stars for this admittedly unique book. So in a compromise to myself I award it 3.5 stars. I promised to review it honestly, so that is what I am going to do, in a spoiler-free fashion:

In a world where physical deformities are both praised and condemned, Remi and his core group of friends are alone in a society that pulls them in opposite directions. On one side, they are revered by adults as reincarnations of the gods and goddesses they resemble. On the other they are still subject to the tyrannies of childhood and all the bullying and separation that goes along with being different.
Gods they may be on the outside, but they are still kids who struggle to figure out their own identities in a world that has labeled them since birth. Even in adulthood, they still have to wrestle the same problems faced by any "normal" individual: love, friendship, death and so on, even when the society around them is blind to their circumstances, attempting to box them up neatly on the shelf.

This story is heartfelt and filled with amazing artwork that flows wonderfully with poetic lines that are instantly quotable. At times I felt myself shiver, and overall enjoyed this "uniquely portable magic".