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The River Dwellers
The Rest Is Illusion
Verona College, a small, traditional liberal arts school somewhere in the midwest, is an old and respected institution. The river valley which it overlooks, however, is much, much older; and in those old forest glens and clearings, in the ruins of ancient walls and other constructions of men long past—dwells magic. The focal point of this ancient magic is a tree—a tree preparing to die; And in the magic of this tree, a boy preparing to die finds comfort.
As the ordeal of accepting death and finding life’s meaning roils on in the private life of the beautiful and charismatic Dashel Yarnsbrook, his three friends—and one determined enemy—struggle with their own impediments to attaining adulthood. Sarah must decide whether to face down her domineering father. Ashley must learn to cope with the physical differences which cause others to shun him. Tony must choose whether to accept his burgeoning sexual attractions to Dash, or continue to live in denial for the sake of his family and his athletic career. And then there’s Wilder Rawls—taught at a young age that love is weakness, and the only through the manipulation and destruction of others can one truly succeed in the world. And possibly make his distant father proud of him?
As the four friends meet their respective challenges, and support one another, they become increasingly aware of the magic that has awakened all around them. While it does not give them answers, it does help to give each of them strength. Only their nemesis, Wilder, is alarmed and unsettled by the seemingly inexplicable events of the early spring thaw.
As events come to a head, and tragedy unfolds, each of the five are forced to decide what road they will go down, what obstacles to confront, what truths to face and accept. But the entity is there for them, for all of them, reaching out to offer them a drop of divine guidance, a means to bear the daunting pain that each now suffers—all save one.
With elements reminiscent of Knowles’s “A Separate Peace”, Laclos’s “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”, and even Mick Jackson’s movie “L.A. Story”, brilliant young author Eric Arvin, spins a coming of age tale that is different from the rest, which asks us to touch his characters’ souls, and admonishes us to begin, once more, to take note of the magic that lives on all around us—take note…and bestow reverence.
As the ordeal of accepting death and finding life’s meaning roils on in the private life of the beautiful and charismatic Dashel Yarnsbrook, his three friends—and one determined enemy—struggle with their own impediments to attaining adulthood. Sarah must decide whether to face down her domineering father. Ashley must learn to cope with the physical differences which cause others to shun him. Tony must choose whether to accept his burgeoning sexual attractions to Dash, or continue to live in denial for the sake of his family and his athletic career. And then there’s Wilder Rawls—taught at a young age that love is weakness, and the only through the manipulation and destruction of others can one truly succeed in the world. And possibly make his distant father proud of him?
As the four friends meet their respective challenges, and support one another, they become increasingly aware of the magic that has awakened all around them. While it does not give them answers, it does help to give each of them strength. Only their nemesis, Wilder, is alarmed and unsettled by the seemingly inexplicable events of the early spring thaw.
As events come to a head, and tragedy unfolds, each of the five are forced to decide what road they will go down, what obstacles to confront, what truths to face and accept. But the entity is there for them, for all of them, reaching out to offer them a drop of divine guidance, a means to bear the daunting pain that each now suffers—all save one.
With elements reminiscent of Knowles’s “A Separate Peace”, Laclos’s “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”, and even Mick Jackson’s movie “L.A. Story”, brilliant young author Eric Arvin, spins a coming of age tale that is different from the rest, which asks us to touch his characters’ souls, and admonishes us to begin, once more, to take note of the magic that lives on all around us—take note…and bestow reverence.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2006
280 people want to read
About the author
Eric Arvin
47 books565 followersEric Arvin resided in the same sleepy Indiana river town where he grew up. He graduated from Hanover College with a Bachelors in History. He has lived, for brief periods, in Italy and Australia. He has survived brain surgery and his own loud-mouthed personal demons. Eric is the author of WOKE UP IN A STRANGE PLACE, THE MINGLED DESTINIES OF CROCODILES & MEN, SUBSURDITY, SIMPLE MEN, and various other sundry and not-so-sundry writings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 2, 2016
It's always hard for me to review Eric Arvin's books, especially those in the Valley series. I'm always scared that I won't do the story justice. The Rest Is Illusion was no different. If you've read The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men and Azrael and the Light Bringer you're already familiar with Verona College. In those stories the reader is on the outside looking in. In The Rest Is Illusion you're taken inside the university and introduced to several unique characters.
There's Dashel, an openly gay man who has a secret. There's Ashley, his best friend and roommate, who most fear, but who Dash adores. There's Sarah, the daughter of a strict preacher, who only wants to live her life her way. There's Tony, the closeted football star, who gets caught up in something that could destroy life as he knows it. Then there's the villain of the story, Wilder. Wilder is evil and will stop at nothing to destroy those he considers to be much weaker than he.
The reader follows along as each character finds their way. In the end the story is about friendship and even forgiveness. There's a lot more to the story than that, but I'll stop there.
Another fantastic book by one of my favorite authors. I've been sucked into the Valley world since I read The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men way back when, and later, Azrael and the Light Bringer. There's something magical about the Valley and its inhabitants and Eric Arvin never fails to have me completely engrossed in their world.
Highly recommended.
Full review can be found at -
There's Dashel, an openly gay man who has a secret. There's Ashley, his best friend and roommate, who most fear, but who Dash adores. There's Sarah, the daughter of a strict preacher, who only wants to live her life her way. There's Tony, the closeted football star, who gets caught up in something that could destroy life as he knows it. Then there's the villain of the story, Wilder. Wilder is evil and will stop at nothing to destroy those he considers to be much weaker than he.
The reader follows along as each character finds their way. In the end the story is about friendship and even forgiveness. There's a lot more to the story than that, but I'll stop there.
Another fantastic book by one of my favorite authors. I've been sucked into the Valley world since I read The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men way back when, and later, Azrael and the Light Bringer. There's something magical about the Valley and its inhabitants and Eric Arvin never fails to have me completely engrossed in their world.
Highly recommended.
Full review can be found at -
October 26, 2025
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
A part of me can't help but wonder how much of a scared little gay boy in search of true love, Dashel Yarnbrook's own thoughts and emotions were a personal reflection of the author's own feelings, coping with his own physical health. I felt a bit gloomy to read both his debut and the edited version of it, and learn that it was published the year of his death; it's a numbing feeling.
“It might be a short life, but it was an interesting one all the same.”
GR did not have both editions uploaded separately, which is a shame, because I did have different feelings for both. But I am glad I read the original one first. There were a few differences in the revisions, mainly the inclusion of Dash's memory of how Wilder assaulted him and a little more descriptive detail into Tony's thoughts on his kiss with Dash. 😐 The first cut had each of the five perspectives introduced with their name, which I was glad they removed in the re-release, allowing the story to flow more smoothly.
The plot consists of an insightful if not magical reflection into life and death, with the prevailing question of one's morality. ⏳ Dying is the most alone you'll ever feel. It was layered with this hint of vulnerability and openness, while also having this innate desire to be freed of shackles that exist in various forms, to reclaim what's been taken from you, a forgotten self-love. Be it the literal sense of Wilder's blackmail aimed at Tony's mental state, or a more visceral way in how Dash succumbs to the crippling pain, worsening his health further.
“We’ve only got our own selves to live for, you know? We’ve only got our own souls to free. Nobody else should hold sway on that.”
The relationship between each of the five seniors at Vernon College was steadily built, in a gripping manner that you felt the inevitable creeping forward, despite how you wished to avoid it. 🥺 Sarah and Ashley's playful flirting, Dash and Tony's attraction, affection, the connection entwining about them, Dash's heartwarming friendship with Sarah and Ashley, and the prevailing dark force over their happy coven, Wilder, a heinous figure with his manipulative threats that left an unforgettable wound.
The tone had a touch of being tragic and sentimental, that bordered on maudlin, but could still entrance in how it enveloped you into this semblance of a fairy-tale, an ethereal air amidst a veneer of evil that exists, in the form of a someone envious of others' happiness and chance to experience love. 😟 A story that defines how life is in the moment, for The Rest is Illusion - easily dismissed, when the gift of love is so very precious and real.
“Nobody’s perfect. Cliché, but true. It’s the imperfections that make us interesting and beautiful.”
At times, you do have to dig deeper to understand the meaning behind the purpose of each character, to experience that array of emotions from anger, sympathy, hate, grief, pity, to find a sense of release and comfort to the events that deeply impacted them. Vivid sensory details brought the setting to life with the joys and the sorrows. Each of their lives changed forever, in a span of mere minutes, felt that awakening that was uplifting as it was tragic, too.
Upon my re-read, I'm still conflicted about Wilder's final outcome. 😕 To forgive, because redemption does not come without a price, a price that he, too, scorned upon himself? Is Tony the bigger man, or is he actually extending the hand of kindness that Wilder was denied, which led to his walk of darkness? It's sad, but also therapeutic that though the loss is grave and heavy, maybe, in time, there is a chance to heal the horrors of their heart, too. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“Love wasn’t just an illusory thing.”
A part of me can't help but wonder how much of a scared little gay boy in search of true love, Dashel Yarnbrook's own thoughts and emotions were a personal reflection of the author's own feelings, coping with his own physical health. I felt a bit gloomy to read both his debut and the edited version of it, and learn that it was published the year of his death; it's a numbing feeling.
“It might be a short life, but it was an interesting one all the same.”
GR did not have both editions uploaded separately, which is a shame, because I did have different feelings for both. But I am glad I read the original one first. There were a few differences in the revisions, mainly the inclusion of Dash's memory of how Wilder assaulted him and a little more descriptive detail into Tony's thoughts on his kiss with Dash. 😐 The first cut had each of the five perspectives introduced with their name, which I was glad they removed in the re-release, allowing the story to flow more smoothly.
The plot consists of an insightful if not magical reflection into life and death, with the prevailing question of one's morality. ⏳ Dying is the most alone you'll ever feel. It was layered with this hint of vulnerability and openness, while also having this innate desire to be freed of shackles that exist in various forms, to reclaim what's been taken from you, a forgotten self-love. Be it the literal sense of Wilder's blackmail aimed at Tony's mental state, or a more visceral way in how Dash succumbs to the crippling pain, worsening his health further.
“We’ve only got our own selves to live for, you know? We’ve only got our own souls to free. Nobody else should hold sway on that.”
The relationship between each of the five seniors at Vernon College was steadily built, in a gripping manner that you felt the inevitable creeping forward, despite how you wished to avoid it. 🥺 Sarah and Ashley's playful flirting, Dash and Tony's attraction, affection, the connection entwining about them, Dash's heartwarming friendship with Sarah and Ashley, and the prevailing dark force over their happy coven, Wilder, a heinous figure with his manipulative threats that left an unforgettable wound.
The tone had a touch of being tragic and sentimental, that bordered on maudlin, but could still entrance in how it enveloped you into this semblance of a fairy-tale, an ethereal air amidst a veneer of evil that exists, in the form of a someone envious of others' happiness and chance to experience love. 😟 A story that defines how life is in the moment, for The Rest is Illusion - easily dismissed, when the gift of love is so very precious and real.
“Nobody’s perfect. Cliché, but true. It’s the imperfections that make us interesting and beautiful.”
At times, you do have to dig deeper to understand the meaning behind the purpose of each character, to experience that array of emotions from anger, sympathy, hate, grief, pity, to find a sense of release and comfort to the events that deeply impacted them. Vivid sensory details brought the setting to life with the joys and the sorrows. Each of their lives changed forever, in a span of mere minutes, felt that awakening that was uplifting as it was tragic, too.
Upon my re-read, I'm still conflicted about Wilder's final outcome. 😕 To forgive, because redemption does not come without a price, a price that he, too, scorned upon himself? Is Tony the bigger man, or is he actually extending the hand of kindness that Wilder was denied, which led to his walk of darkness? It's sad, but also therapeutic that though the loss is grave and heavy, maybe, in time, there is a chance to heal the horrors of their heart, too. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
January 6, 2013
Full review at www.madisonparklove.com.
This story is centered around a group of five college students: Dashel, Ashley, Sarah, Tony, and Wilder.
Dashel knows he is terminally ill but hasn't told anyone at school. His condition is the same one that claimed the life of his father, and when Dashel's symptoms worsen, he knows his days are numbered. Although we get alternating points-of-view, and rich character development, Dashel is the nucleus of the story. The other characters are all connected to him in some way. Ashley is Dashel's roommate and close friend. They're both considered outcasts in their fraternity; Dashel is openly gay and Ash is an albino. Tony is also a member of the fraternity. He's the "big man on campus" but harbors his own big secret and finds himself drawn to Dashel. Sarah is close to Dash, and although she loves him, she's accepted that they'll never be more than friends. And Wilder is a manipulator on a power trip who has his eye on Tony.
Throughout the story, we follow Dashel as he ultimately makes peace with his fate, and we see how that affects the people around him. There's a definite mystical quality to his journey as he turns to nature for comfort and understanding. He's particularly drawn to a large old tree on campus that he affectionately refers to as Old Lady. Dash finds such solace at the end of his journey that I found myself in tears, not from sadness (well, not just from sadness), but from the beauty of it.
Eric Arvin has done a masterful job at creating vivid characters that completely suck you into their surroundings and make you a part of their journey. The prose is beautifully crafted, particularly descriptions of setting. And those final few paragraphs--so powerful, so moving. I want to be thinking those thoughts in my final moments.
September 15, 2012
I seem to be on a trend lately of needing to read my favorite books twice before I'm coherent enough to write a review. With that in mind, I'm going to need to read The Rest is Illusion twenty-five more times. At least.
The Rest is Illusion owned me from the prologue. And while TRII carries some of the tell-tale touches of a first novel, this is not a freshman effort. Nor is it easy to read. But it's worth it. With the clamor for books to be edgier, with more cliffhangers and more explicit sex and violence, it's nice to read a book that is challenging because it makes you consider the heart of your existence and connection to humanity. The Rest is Illusion is about what connects us as human beings and spiritual beings instead of what separates us.
Eric Arvin's writing is a wild, wonderful playground. And I'm not talking about the new school plastic playscapes surrounded by cushy woodchips. No, The Rest is Illusion (and most of Arvin's writing) is as dangerously seductive as a twenty-year old set of cracked cloth swings. Solid and irresistible but not safe. And I want to ride the wobbly merry-go-round until I fall off. Arvin's books are the literary equivalent of the badass metal slide that burns your legs on a really hot day but lets you go higher and faster than should be possible.
I can't wait to see what journey he takes us on next.
The Rest is Illusion owned me from the prologue. And while TRII carries some of the tell-tale touches of a first novel, this is not a freshman effort. Nor is it easy to read. But it's worth it. With the clamor for books to be edgier, with more cliffhangers and more explicit sex and violence, it's nice to read a book that is challenging because it makes you consider the heart of your existence and connection to humanity. The Rest is Illusion is about what connects us as human beings and spiritual beings instead of what separates us.
Eric Arvin's writing is a wild, wonderful playground. And I'm not talking about the new school plastic playscapes surrounded by cushy woodchips. No, The Rest is Illusion (and most of Arvin's writing) is as dangerously seductive as a twenty-year old set of cracked cloth swings. Solid and irresistible but not safe. And I want to ride the wobbly merry-go-round until I fall off. Arvin's books are the literary equivalent of the badass metal slide that burns your legs on a really hot day but lets you go higher and faster than should be possible.
I can't wait to see what journey he takes us on next.
October 8, 2012
I'm not really sure what to write as a review because I'm sick, and slightly incoherent, and the writing in this book is really difficult to describe. It's good. Damn good. Brilliant. There are very few writers that can create the kind of atmosphere in a story that really resonates, but this author did. I could see what he was describing, and it drew me in.
The story was sad, heartbreaking actually, and a reminder of how things don't always work out and sometimes there can't be a happy ending. The first few pages hit a little too close to home for me and I connected with Dash even though I'm nothing like him in any way other than that one, and that was probably a large part of why I was so instantly engaged. But it wasnt just about Dash. I loved Ashley, Sarah and Wilder intrigued me because his kind of psychosis can't really be explained and I'm glad it wasn't.
I know some people don't like to read if there isn't a HEA,but seriously... Read this just for the brilliant writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2010
The Rest is Illusion is a re-issue of the first book Eric Arvin wrote. Thankfully he’s re-issued it so anyone who missed it the first time around, like I did, can now enjoy this fascinating tale. Written almost like poetry with a beautiful flair for prose and description, the story reads like a magical experience. I’m somewhat shocked to read this was Arvin’s first published book since I’m more familiar with his humorous and raunchy romps. This is a departure from any style I’ve read of the author’s and yet it still remains so uniquely his. This is a simple experience yet so complex it’ll stay with you.
The story wanders a bit while following four friends and a villain on a small college campus. There is Dash, a young man with a fatal degenerative disease marked by intense and debilitating pain. There is Ashley, his albino roommate. Sarah, the token straight girl in love with Dash but still a strong support while Tony is the classic closeted jock. And finally there is Wilder, the classic evil villain. In some ways all of these characters are caricatures. They are stereotypes of tropes yet somehow they manage to break out of those roles over the course of the story and become more real, more relatable. The story tries to follow these students over a few days as they find love, lose love, and deal with the consequences of their actions.
The story is mostly character driven but also maintains a hefty dose of supernatural. This reads not so much paranormal, but more so a deep spirituality. The forest setting surrounding the college is imbued with life and mystery and the writing reflects that incredibly well. Here the lyrical, poetry quality of the prose brings to life the mysticism and magical qualities that surround the forest and the characters. If you’ve ever taken a moment on a clear night to look up at the sky and think what a magical night it is, this story is exactly that. It’s filled with magical nights and moments of spirituality, making the sum of all the parts greater than the whole.
This is the essence of why this story is so compelling and memorable. It reads like the magic most people want to believe in but don’t. So here is an excuse to revel and indulge in the best way. Some of the characters are overdone and the villain in Wilder is so classically evil, so clearly over the top that he’s too much cliché. The fact that his resolution only happens through some magical forces also frustrates but it’s the moments of honesty that shine so much more. Such as the quiet time where Dash accepts his mortality and fears his hands looking like his father’s. Or the moment when Ash is angry that Dash didn’t let him be there for him from the beginning. Even Sarah and Tony’s selfish whims and fear for their future help bring each of these four characters out of their stoic existence into something more complicated, more intriguing.
There is no classic happy ending but the story is about spirituality, romance, and finding yourself. All of these men and women find themselves, for good or bad, and come to accept their choices, with just a touch of magical help. I’m pretty impressed with this offering and if you’re looking for something different, something memorable.. check this out.
The story wanders a bit while following four friends and a villain on a small college campus. There is Dash, a young man with a fatal degenerative disease marked by intense and debilitating pain. There is Ashley, his albino roommate. Sarah, the token straight girl in love with Dash but still a strong support while Tony is the classic closeted jock. And finally there is Wilder, the classic evil villain. In some ways all of these characters are caricatures. They are stereotypes of tropes yet somehow they manage to break out of those roles over the course of the story and become more real, more relatable. The story tries to follow these students over a few days as they find love, lose love, and deal with the consequences of their actions.
The story is mostly character driven but also maintains a hefty dose of supernatural. This reads not so much paranormal, but more so a deep spirituality. The forest setting surrounding the college is imbued with life and mystery and the writing reflects that incredibly well. Here the lyrical, poetry quality of the prose brings to life the mysticism and magical qualities that surround the forest and the characters. If you’ve ever taken a moment on a clear night to look up at the sky and think what a magical night it is, this story is exactly that. It’s filled with magical nights and moments of spirituality, making the sum of all the parts greater than the whole.
This is the essence of why this story is so compelling and memorable. It reads like the magic most people want to believe in but don’t. So here is an excuse to revel and indulge in the best way. Some of the characters are overdone and the villain in Wilder is so classically evil, so clearly over the top that he’s too much cliché. The fact that his resolution only happens through some magical forces also frustrates but it’s the moments of honesty that shine so much more. Such as the quiet time where Dash accepts his mortality and fears his hands looking like his father’s. Or the moment when Ash is angry that Dash didn’t let him be there for him from the beginning. Even Sarah and Tony’s selfish whims and fear for their future help bring each of these four characters out of their stoic existence into something more complicated, more intriguing.
There is no classic happy ending but the story is about spirituality, romance, and finding yourself. All of these men and women find themselves, for good or bad, and come to accept their choices, with just a touch of magical help. I’m pretty impressed with this offering and if you’re looking for something different, something memorable.. check this out.
October 19, 2012
I tend not to like teenage angst books, let's call this one the odd-one out, shall we?
it's just beautiful, beautifully constructed proze...Eric Arvin transported me to his mysterious landscapes, dreamstate escapades of young tormented souls. just like a fairytale
but it's also emotionally draining and a very exhausting read. I guess it's the reason i don't usually read angsty books. god the amount of time waisted by over thinking, criticising your every thought or feeling disattached from yourself and every one around you... i had enough of that when i was younger. let's keep that bucket closed, please!
maybe it's because the angst is more universal then the obvious m/m subject? Every character is struggling with something..maybe not Ash. hell, Ashley is a beacon for everyone. I also appreciated the fact that Arvin takes us beyond the Angst, it's probably more a story of how to come to terms with it then the actual wallowing in Angst.
anyway: as I said Beautiful
cannot begin to grasp the soul of this book in a tiny review. read it..
it's just beautiful, beautifully constructed proze...Eric Arvin transported me to his mysterious landscapes, dreamstate escapades of young tormented souls. just like a fairytale
but it's also emotionally draining and a very exhausting read. I guess it's the reason i don't usually read angsty books. god the amount of time waisted by over thinking, criticising your every thought or feeling disattached from yourself and every one around you... i had enough of that when i was younger. let's keep that bucket closed, please!
maybe it's because the angst is more universal then the obvious m/m subject? Every character is struggling with something..maybe not Ash. hell, Ashley is a beacon for everyone. I also appreciated the fact that Arvin takes us beyond the Angst, it's probably more a story of how to come to terms with it then the actual wallowing in Angst.
anyway: as I said Beautiful
cannot begin to grasp the soul of this book in a tiny review. read it..
Read
July 27, 2016I am not starring this one, I have to say reviewing this book is difficult. The subject of the story was upsetting from the beginning of the story, and so much of the overall book was disturbing. Additionally it was more of a YA book which is not my thing anymore, yet I can say I would recommend. The end of the book moved me & the overall message of the story was great.
March 10, 2012
This one is not like any of my usual reads. It is a beautiful story that is told like a dream come to life. It is sad and sweet and romantic in the way that only death can be. It breaks your heart but still leaves you with hope for the future. It reminds you of an age when you didn't know what the future held and were still brave enough to have faith that things are not what they seem.
Dashel is dying. We don't know what from and he choses to keep this secret to himself and walk the path to death on his own. His two closest friends Ashley and Sarah forge a friendship together when they discover his illness and find a love there they wouldn't have known if not for their inevitable loss. Tony, Dashel's fraternity brother finds himself drawn to Dash in his final days and it is Dash's enlightenment gives Tony the courage to live honestly and true to himself. Wilder, the villain of the story does everything within his power to ruin Dash and Tony with his pure resentment and hatred toward anyone weak.
I liked reading about Dash's journey towards death and his lack of fear and hopelessness toward is how I would hope my end would be. Ashley and Sarah's story was sweet but I found it repetitive and I was always wanting to get back to Dash and Tony and Wilder's attempts to ruin them. Tony's realization that he doesn't have to live his life hiding his homosexuality is Dash's gift to him and it couldn't have come in a sweeter package. Tony was very lucky to find a savior in Dash. Wilder was absolutely hatable and while I love a villain there was close to nothing redeemable about him other than that he was so far gone I couldn't help but to wonder: Can he come back? I still rooted for him.
A very lovely read and a nice reminder to me that there is more to m/m then sex.
Dashel is dying. We don't know what from and he choses to keep this secret to himself and walk the path to death on his own. His two closest friends Ashley and Sarah forge a friendship together when they discover his illness and find a love there they wouldn't have known if not for their inevitable loss. Tony, Dashel's fraternity brother finds himself drawn to Dash in his final days and it is Dash's enlightenment gives Tony the courage to live honestly and true to himself. Wilder, the villain of the story does everything within his power to ruin Dash and Tony with his pure resentment and hatred toward anyone weak.
I liked reading about Dash's journey towards death and his lack of fear and hopelessness toward is how I would hope my end would be. Ashley and Sarah's story was sweet but I found it repetitive and I was always wanting to get back to Dash and Tony and Wilder's attempts to ruin them. Tony's realization that he doesn't have to live his life hiding his homosexuality is Dash's gift to him and it couldn't have come in a sweeter package. Tony was very lucky to find a savior in Dash. Wilder was absolutely hatable and while I love a villain there was close to nothing redeemable about him other than that he was so far gone I couldn't help but to wonder: Can he come back? I still rooted for him.
A very lovely read and a nice reminder to me that there is more to m/m then sex.
November 2, 2012
This is story of 5 college students and more. Love and hate, companionship and loneliness, honesty and deceit, life and death...
Story has magical feeling, a touch of another world and beings but that doesn't reduce believability of the story, strangely it only adds to it more feeling of reality.
Well written story and descriptions of nature are beautiful
I did like all characters and they seemed real enough, Wilder was most complex character, he was villain but there was light in him too and in the end I found myself caring for him most. Absolutely hated his parents. Some people shouldn't have children.
It was nice as well to have character (Ashley) who was affected by albinism.
Also I have found , I believe, suitable song for this story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh8cV...
This song was on repeat all the time when I was reading.
I should add that The Rest is Illusion is available for free
Story has magical feeling, a touch of another world and beings but that doesn't reduce believability of the story, strangely it only adds to it more feeling of reality.
Well written story and descriptions of nature are beautiful
I did like all characters and they seemed real enough, Wilder was most complex character, he was villain but there was light in him too and in the end I found myself caring for him most. Absolutely hated his parents. Some people shouldn't have children.
It was nice as well to have character (Ashley) who was affected by albinism.
Also I have found , I believe, suitable song for this story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh8cV...
This song was on repeat all the time when I was reading.
I should add that The Rest is Illusion is available for free
May 4, 2012
The story is about a group of college students whose lives are radically changed over the course of a week with phenomenal results. The novel is extremely well written by first time author Eric Arvin with characters that seem to live a life on the page. As you read his prose, the characters are instantly visualised by his use of emotion and colourful adjectival phrases. The situations are extremely believable and the story urges to you to read on as you are never quite sure where the story will lead you. This is a novel that speaks volume for a generation that would be able to associate with the characters and the situation much in the same vein as John Knowles' `Separate Peace' or the outstanding Donna Tartt's `The Secret History'.
The setting sparks with a breath all its own. Arvin has been able to capture the landscape with the utmost knowledge in which every bird can be heard, every bark of the tree felt and every blossom smelt. The author has a keen sense of knowingness about his characters and their surrounds.
This talented author gives promise of things to come. The Rest is Illusion is an extremely accomplished piece of art from Eric Arvin. The novel is pure ingenious in its plot, development, use of wording and structure. If this is the first novel by Arvin, I can not wait to read his other works. It's very rare that you come up to a promising author who has such promise. This truly is a remarkable piece of art that should be savoured. This is a book that should at least be read at least once. Keep an eye on this boy, he is going to go far.
The setting sparks with a breath all its own. Arvin has been able to capture the landscape with the utmost knowledge in which every bird can be heard, every bark of the tree felt and every blossom smelt. The author has a keen sense of knowingness about his characters and their surrounds.
This talented author gives promise of things to come. The Rest is Illusion is an extremely accomplished piece of art from Eric Arvin. The novel is pure ingenious in its plot, development, use of wording and structure. If this is the first novel by Arvin, I can not wait to read his other works. It's very rare that you come up to a promising author who has such promise. This truly is a remarkable piece of art that should be savoured. This is a book that should at least be read at least once. Keep an eye on this boy, he is going to go far.
June 27, 2010
"Wow. I don't even know where to start. This excellent novel is about a group of college students who are all, without necessarily knowing it, poised at the brink of transformation. It's thoughtful, spiritual, ultimately hopeful, and worth savoring; I'm very glad to have read it."
May 30, 2012
Review coming 5/31 to The Armchair Reader.
October 3, 2021
SPANISH:
Estamos en un campus norteamericano, lleno de fraternidades; fiestas, estudios; facultades; parques y campos de juego. Nos es menos extraño gracias al cine y a la televisión, ya que en Europa los campus universitarios son distintos: más solemnes pese a la hirviente juventud que los puebla; más serenos e integrados en la ciudad, de suerte que ciudad y campus se imbrican hasta parecer casi uno y, de hecho, nuestras universidades están por siempre unidas a las ciudades que les dan cobijo. Eso no ocurre en Norteamérica: los campus, contenidos en sí mismos, están alejados de las ciudades, manteniendo un espíritu que les es propio y casi exclusivo, de modo que la realidad vivida por los estudiantes (con sus iniciaciones; sus miedos; el riesgo; la novedad; la pura libertad, en fin) se asemeja más a un sueño vívido que a la teatralidad del mundo real.
Este es el escenario de The Rest Is Illusion, la primera novela de Eric Arvin: el campus de Verona es un útero en donde la vida se sucede en todos sus estadios, y es un personaje más de la obra. En pocos relatos, y menos en un relato novel como éste, la magia del ambiente inyecta tanta personalidad a la historia; sus personajes se mueven en ese mundo casi onírico, en donde todo es posible y en donde todo se descubre, si se tienen los sentidos amplificados y los ojos bien abiertos. Y la Universidad de Verona es el espejo en donde todo se refleja y el río por donde todo fluye, y el seno de la transformación que cada uno de sus protagonistas (Dashel, Ashely, Sarah, Tony, Wilder y Maggie) va sufriendo a lo largo del relato.
Porque The Rest Is Illusion es un libro de iniciación a la vida. A la vida mayestática, que nos obliga a encarar, de una u otra forma, nuestra personalidad real, ésa que se encuentra casi siempre agazapada entre las conveniencias, las opiniones ajenas, las convenciones sociales y nuestro miedo nuclear a no ser amados por lo que somos y sí por lo que creemos ser. Cada uno de sus protagonistas debe afrontar, en un grado u otro, este rito natural tan difícil de encarar y cuyas consecuencias, muchas veces y en muchas vidas, vemos arrastrar en los años posteriores.
Por eso es un libro encantador: enfrentamientos, deseos, descubrimientos, fragilidad, renuncias, aceptación, redención y vida fluyen por las páginas que Eric Arvin ha escrito con un lenguaje bello, reflejando esa misma belleza en todos sus personajes, aún los más oscuros y densos. Y es una historia llena de corazón. Porque hay amor en sus páginas, como hay resentimiento, miedo, postración, lucha y deseo.
The Rest Is Illusion es un caleidoscopio que retrata la aventura de los seres humanos, su diversidad, sus miserias y su triunfo final: Dashel y Ashley, únicos y descastados; Sarah, que esconde en su racionalidad debilidades más profundas; Maggie, cuya inseguridad permite su fácil manejo; Tony, el más deseado y envidiado, que sin embargo sufre por lo que sabe de sí mismo, y Wilder, cuya oscuridad y poder no evitan que acabe identificándose como un juguete roto… Todos ellos se confunden, se entremezclan, se conocen y se desean en esta historia coral, mientras el campus de la Universidad de Verona los acoge en su seno, sin preguntar quiénes son, cómo son o lo que hacen; sin juzgar y sin aparentar ser vista, exactamente como hace el universo con todos nosotros; y para recordarnos, en cada vida vivida, que pese a todo lo que en el fondo nos ocurra, siempre el resto será una ilusión.
Es una novela bella, esculpida con detalle y escrita con un cariño que trasciende al lector, tocándole el corazón, y que encierra en su interior todo el potencial humano que no le cabe en el pecho a su autor, cuya capacidad para transmutarse en sus personajes, para salir vivo de ellos, y con ellos, fascina y encandila a un mismo tiempo.
Eric Arvin crece con cada relato que escribe. Supera sus miedos; se enfrenta a sus fracasos vitales; escapa de la norma y tiende al infinito. Y sus novelas son un reflejo de ese don, un don eterno.
ENGLISH:
We’re in Verona College, a Northern-American college campus full of brotherhoods, parties, faculties, studied people, parks and playgrounds. It is less strange for us, European people, thank to televison and cinema. In Europe, campuses are quite different. More solemn in spite of the boiling youth that populates them; and they are more integrated into the city atmosphere than American ones, than keep its independence from the city they’re in, making the atmosphere of their campuses an unique and strange bubble in which students lives go on like in a vivid and colored dream in spite of real life.
This is the scenario of The Rest Is Illusion, the first novel of Eric Arvin: Verona College is an uterus in which all stages of life happen at once and, at the same time, it is an important character of the novel. It is one of these tales where the scenario goes through the characters and gives them the key to find where their lives are heading. That is not simple to achieve, and so remarkable if we’re talking here of a new author in his very first printed novel. So, Verona College is where everything takes place, and where every character transformation (from Dashel to Ashley; Sarah to Maggie; Tony to Wilder) is reflected.
Because The Rest Is Illusion is about life initiations. Life with capital letters; life that forces us to face our very real personality, the one that is disguised beneath our very own conveniences, other people’s opinions, social conventions and our nuclear fear of not being loved for who we really are instead of what we wanted us to be. And each one of the characters in the book has to face this process of self-acceptance, so difficult to achieve, that we constantly can see the heavy burden that it turns out to be in the living years of people who couldn’t do it completely.
That’s why The Rest Is Illusion is a charming book: we can find in its pages all sort of human feelings: confrontation, desires, discoveries, fragility, resignation, self-acceptance and redemption…All written with beautiful language, beauty that reflects each one of its characters, even the more darkest and dense of them. And it is a story from the heart, because there is so much love in its pages, so much desire, so much confrontation and revolution, and pain, and relief…
This novel is a kaleidoscope that portrays the adventure of human beings, their diversity, their miseries and last but not the least, their final triumph: Dashel and Ashley, unique and cold-hearted; Sarah, that hides in her rational mind her deeepest weakness; Maggie, whose insecurities allow her to be manipulated too easily; Tony, the all-american-guy, the most desired and envied that nevertheless suffers because of a very silent secret; and Wilder, whose dark power do not avoid him to be identified with a broken toy… All of them are confused, are intermingled and are known and are desired between themselves in this choral story nested in the onyric and mystical atmosphere of Verona College, that allows them to fight and to find out and to restore their lives without any judgamental move, without asking for nothing and pretending nothing…just like Universe does for ourselves; reminding us here that, beyond human visicitudes and dramas and fights and revelations, all that it left behind it’s just an illusion.
It is a beautiful novel written with love, love that extends to the reader, touching his heart and that spread Eric Arvin’s capability to transcend himself beyond difficulties, frustrations, life-threaten moments and disbelieves; unveiled the incredible talent of this author and the bright future that he has in his own hands. He’s a very talented man, a very gifted man. And this gift grows with every book and every story he shares with us, his unconditional readers and, oh!, I have to say it: fans.
Estamos en un campus norteamericano, lleno de fraternidades; fiestas, estudios; facultades; parques y campos de juego. Nos es menos extraño gracias al cine y a la televisión, ya que en Europa los campus universitarios son distintos: más solemnes pese a la hirviente juventud que los puebla; más serenos e integrados en la ciudad, de suerte que ciudad y campus se imbrican hasta parecer casi uno y, de hecho, nuestras universidades están por siempre unidas a las ciudades que les dan cobijo. Eso no ocurre en Norteamérica: los campus, contenidos en sí mismos, están alejados de las ciudades, manteniendo un espíritu que les es propio y casi exclusivo, de modo que la realidad vivida por los estudiantes (con sus iniciaciones; sus miedos; el riesgo; la novedad; la pura libertad, en fin) se asemeja más a un sueño vívido que a la teatralidad del mundo real.
Este es el escenario de The Rest Is Illusion, la primera novela de Eric Arvin: el campus de Verona es un útero en donde la vida se sucede en todos sus estadios, y es un personaje más de la obra. En pocos relatos, y menos en un relato novel como éste, la magia del ambiente inyecta tanta personalidad a la historia; sus personajes se mueven en ese mundo casi onírico, en donde todo es posible y en donde todo se descubre, si se tienen los sentidos amplificados y los ojos bien abiertos. Y la Universidad de Verona es el espejo en donde todo se refleja y el río por donde todo fluye, y el seno de la transformación que cada uno de sus protagonistas (Dashel, Ashely, Sarah, Tony, Wilder y Maggie) va sufriendo a lo largo del relato.
Porque The Rest Is Illusion es un libro de iniciación a la vida. A la vida mayestática, que nos obliga a encarar, de una u otra forma, nuestra personalidad real, ésa que se encuentra casi siempre agazapada entre las conveniencias, las opiniones ajenas, las convenciones sociales y nuestro miedo nuclear a no ser amados por lo que somos y sí por lo que creemos ser. Cada uno de sus protagonistas debe afrontar, en un grado u otro, este rito natural tan difícil de encarar y cuyas consecuencias, muchas veces y en muchas vidas, vemos arrastrar en los años posteriores.
Por eso es un libro encantador: enfrentamientos, deseos, descubrimientos, fragilidad, renuncias, aceptación, redención y vida fluyen por las páginas que Eric Arvin ha escrito con un lenguaje bello, reflejando esa misma belleza en todos sus personajes, aún los más oscuros y densos. Y es una historia llena de corazón. Porque hay amor en sus páginas, como hay resentimiento, miedo, postración, lucha y deseo.
The Rest Is Illusion es un caleidoscopio que retrata la aventura de los seres humanos, su diversidad, sus miserias y su triunfo final: Dashel y Ashley, únicos y descastados; Sarah, que esconde en su racionalidad debilidades más profundas; Maggie, cuya inseguridad permite su fácil manejo; Tony, el más deseado y envidiado, que sin embargo sufre por lo que sabe de sí mismo, y Wilder, cuya oscuridad y poder no evitan que acabe identificándose como un juguete roto… Todos ellos se confunden, se entremezclan, se conocen y se desean en esta historia coral, mientras el campus de la Universidad de Verona los acoge en su seno, sin preguntar quiénes son, cómo son o lo que hacen; sin juzgar y sin aparentar ser vista, exactamente como hace el universo con todos nosotros; y para recordarnos, en cada vida vivida, que pese a todo lo que en el fondo nos ocurra, siempre el resto será una ilusión.
Es una novela bella, esculpida con detalle y escrita con un cariño que trasciende al lector, tocándole el corazón, y que encierra en su interior todo el potencial humano que no le cabe en el pecho a su autor, cuya capacidad para transmutarse en sus personajes, para salir vivo de ellos, y con ellos, fascina y encandila a un mismo tiempo.
Eric Arvin crece con cada relato que escribe. Supera sus miedos; se enfrenta a sus fracasos vitales; escapa de la norma y tiende al infinito. Y sus novelas son un reflejo de ese don, un don eterno.
ENGLISH:
We’re in Verona College, a Northern-American college campus full of brotherhoods, parties, faculties, studied people, parks and playgrounds. It is less strange for us, European people, thank to televison and cinema. In Europe, campuses are quite different. More solemn in spite of the boiling youth that populates them; and they are more integrated into the city atmosphere than American ones, than keep its independence from the city they’re in, making the atmosphere of their campuses an unique and strange bubble in which students lives go on like in a vivid and colored dream in spite of real life.
This is the scenario of The Rest Is Illusion, the first novel of Eric Arvin: Verona College is an uterus in which all stages of life happen at once and, at the same time, it is an important character of the novel. It is one of these tales where the scenario goes through the characters and gives them the key to find where their lives are heading. That is not simple to achieve, and so remarkable if we’re talking here of a new author in his very first printed novel. So, Verona College is where everything takes place, and where every character transformation (from Dashel to Ashley; Sarah to Maggie; Tony to Wilder) is reflected.
Because The Rest Is Illusion is about life initiations. Life with capital letters; life that forces us to face our very real personality, the one that is disguised beneath our very own conveniences, other people’s opinions, social conventions and our nuclear fear of not being loved for who we really are instead of what we wanted us to be. And each one of the characters in the book has to face this process of self-acceptance, so difficult to achieve, that we constantly can see the heavy burden that it turns out to be in the living years of people who couldn’t do it completely.
That’s why The Rest Is Illusion is a charming book: we can find in its pages all sort of human feelings: confrontation, desires, discoveries, fragility, resignation, self-acceptance and redemption…All written with beautiful language, beauty that reflects each one of its characters, even the more darkest and dense of them. And it is a story from the heart, because there is so much love in its pages, so much desire, so much confrontation and revolution, and pain, and relief…
This novel is a kaleidoscope that portrays the adventure of human beings, their diversity, their miseries and last but not the least, their final triumph: Dashel and Ashley, unique and cold-hearted; Sarah, that hides in her rational mind her deeepest weakness; Maggie, whose insecurities allow her to be manipulated too easily; Tony, the all-american-guy, the most desired and envied that nevertheless suffers because of a very silent secret; and Wilder, whose dark power do not avoid him to be identified with a broken toy… All of them are confused, are intermingled and are known and are desired between themselves in this choral story nested in the onyric and mystical atmosphere of Verona College, that allows them to fight and to find out and to restore their lives without any judgamental move, without asking for nothing and pretending nothing…just like Universe does for ourselves; reminding us here that, beyond human visicitudes and dramas and fights and revelations, all that it left behind it’s just an illusion.
It is a beautiful novel written with love, love that extends to the reader, touching his heart and that spread Eric Arvin’s capability to transcend himself beyond difficulties, frustrations, life-threaten moments and disbelieves; unveiled the incredible talent of this author and the bright future that he has in his own hands. He’s a very talented man, a very gifted man. And this gift grows with every book and every story he shares with us, his unconditional readers and, oh!, I have to say it: fans.
September 11, 2011
I am long overdue in writing my review of this uplifting, magical debut novel. Like most GLBT fiction I've enjoyed, the hero of The Rest Is Illusion may be gay, but this is hardly a "gay" story. As a matter of fact, with its rural setting and underlying message about spiritual destiny, I'd go as far as to say it has more in common with John Irving's A Prayer For Owen Meany than any of the countless frothy urban gay dramedies on the market these days.
In brief, this is the story of a group of New England college students whose lives intersect during one chilly winter week. The book's primary conflict is precipitated by the scheming, upper-crust son of a right wing politician, who uses blackmail to control the lives of those he deems his social and moral inferiors. These include the book's protagonist, who may be dying of an unnamed, hereditary illness, a timid girl and a closeted athlete. Rounding out the story are the daughter of a conservative Christian minister and a charismatic albino with a genius IQ. For the most part, the characters are well defined and over the course of the story each undergoes a personal growth arc - some expected, others delightfully surprising. My only disappointment here was with the "villains" of the piece, who would have been far more intriguing as characters had Arvin depicted them with a lighter touch and perhaps offered readers more insight into their inner lives and motivations.
The stolid, no-nonsense writing style nicely balances the book's supernatural elements. And although the book has a spiritual message at its heart, even a hardened atheist like me felt deeply moved by the ending. On the topic of the ending, the Epilogue reads a bit like it was tacked on to provide closure in the form of a tidy denouement which, for me, blunts the emotional impact of the book's haunting climax. But this is a minor caveat. I'd recommend this for fans of GLBT literature who seek thought-provoking and meaningful work.
In brief, this is the story of a group of New England college students whose lives intersect during one chilly winter week. The book's primary conflict is precipitated by the scheming, upper-crust son of a right wing politician, who uses blackmail to control the lives of those he deems his social and moral inferiors. These include the book's protagonist, who may be dying of an unnamed, hereditary illness, a timid girl and a closeted athlete. Rounding out the story are the daughter of a conservative Christian minister and a charismatic albino with a genius IQ. For the most part, the characters are well defined and over the course of the story each undergoes a personal growth arc - some expected, others delightfully surprising. My only disappointment here was with the "villains" of the piece, who would have been far more intriguing as characters had Arvin depicted them with a lighter touch and perhaps offered readers more insight into their inner lives and motivations.
The stolid, no-nonsense writing style nicely balances the book's supernatural elements. And although the book has a spiritual message at its heart, even a hardened atheist like me felt deeply moved by the ending. On the topic of the ending, the Epilogue reads a bit like it was tacked on to provide closure in the form of a tidy denouement which, for me, blunts the emotional impact of the book's haunting climax. But this is a minor caveat. I'd recommend this for fans of GLBT literature who seek thought-provoking and meaningful work.
May 18, 2012
This was beautifully written but I just couldn't get into it. I did like the ending quite a bit though.
May 15, 2020
Mi è sempre difficile trovare le parole per esprimere cosa siano per me i libri di Eric...
Ho rimandato per tanto tempo la lettura di THE REST IS ILLUSION. In effetti questo era il primo libro pubblicato da Eric e io l’ho letto per ultimo per vari motivi. Per questo motivo è stato un po’ come tornare a casa, al Verona college che è parte del mondo degli altri suoi libri (the mingled denstinies of crocodiles and men e Azrael and the light bringer), ma mentre negli altri stava nello sfondo, qui è protagonista. Le persone, descritte in modo vivido dalla magia di Eric sono studenti del Verona College e qui si svolge la storia.
Non voglio dire troppo della trama, solo che non è un libro facile da leggere. Non mi fraintendete, è scritto in maniera magistrale (non mi aspettavo niente di meno), ma le situazioni e i sentimenti che si trovano tra le pagine colpiscono dritto al cuore e fanno male.
Ad accompagnare, anzi a guidare i protagonisti c’è questa presenza, questo spirito della natura. Una specie di magia.
Ma
“The magic of the world lies hidden under the brush and bramble of human misgivings and harsh imagining that we associate with reality”
(La magia del mondo giace nascosta sotto la boscaglia e i rovi delle paure umane e delle rigide credenze che associamo alla realtà) *
Una magia che Eric racconta tra i rami di un vecchio albero e i sospiri del vento che arrivano dalla valle vicina. (Valle che è protagonista negli altri libri che ho nominato prima).
Insomma una scrittura soprannaturale e coinvolgente, magica, poetica e che ti spezza il cuore mentre ti rimette a posto l’anima.
Un gioiello.
Grazie Eric.
*NB. La traduzione, per quanto accurata è stata fatta da me in quanto il libro non è disponibile in italiano e potrebbe non rispecchiare il pensiero dell’autore*
Ho rimandato per tanto tempo la lettura di THE REST IS ILLUSION. In effetti questo era il primo libro pubblicato da Eric e io l’ho letto per ultimo per vari motivi. Per questo motivo è stato un po’ come tornare a casa, al Verona college che è parte del mondo degli altri suoi libri (the mingled denstinies of crocodiles and men e Azrael and the light bringer), ma mentre negli altri stava nello sfondo, qui è protagonista. Le persone, descritte in modo vivido dalla magia di Eric sono studenti del Verona College e qui si svolge la storia.
Non voglio dire troppo della trama, solo che non è un libro facile da leggere. Non mi fraintendete, è scritto in maniera magistrale (non mi aspettavo niente di meno), ma le situazioni e i sentimenti che si trovano tra le pagine colpiscono dritto al cuore e fanno male.
Ad accompagnare, anzi a guidare i protagonisti c’è questa presenza, questo spirito della natura. Una specie di magia.
Ma
“The magic of the world lies hidden under the brush and bramble of human misgivings and harsh imagining that we associate with reality”
(La magia del mondo giace nascosta sotto la boscaglia e i rovi delle paure umane e delle rigide credenze che associamo alla realtà) *
Una magia che Eric racconta tra i rami di un vecchio albero e i sospiri del vento che arrivano dalla valle vicina. (Valle che è protagonista negli altri libri che ho nominato prima).
Insomma una scrittura soprannaturale e coinvolgente, magica, poetica e che ti spezza il cuore mentre ti rimette a posto l’anima.
Un gioiello.
Grazie Eric.
*NB. La traduzione, per quanto accurata è stata fatta da me in quanto il libro non è disponibile in italiano e potrebbe non rispecchiare il pensiero dell’autore*
Want to read
November 5, 2016I've very recently discovered this magical world that Eric Arvin created for us. A beautiful place to get lost. A place to call home. The way he phrases things makes a desire to memorize every word on every page. It's always a delight to pick up some Eric Arvin story.
And the destiny knows its work.
In connection with 4th anniversary celebration of On Top Down Under Book Reviews, I've been honored to win the contest. These 6 of Eric Arvin's e-books are a gift of love.
Thank you very much to the donors who made the prizes possible- Wilde City Press, and of course Mr. Arvin. And Cindi love you so much!
And the destiny knows its work.
In connection with 4th anniversary celebration of On Top Down Under Book Reviews, I've been honored to win the contest. These 6 of Eric Arvin's e-books are a gift of love.
Thank you very much to the donors who made the prizes possible- Wilde City Press, and of course Mr. Arvin. And Cindi love you so much!
no-thank-you-i-quit
October 30, 2024DND at 29%
Not that it is bad, but I reached the point where Wilder sets Tony up (getting him drunk, then alone and naked in his room, passed out and taking a pic of both of them naked). Nah, I want to avoid drama at this point.. right now I am only looking for a nice book :(
Not that it is bad, but I reached the point where Wilder sets Tony up (getting him drunk, then alone and naked in his room, passed out and taking a pic of both of them naked). Nah, I want to avoid drama at this point.. right now I am only looking for a nice book :(
Read
June 13, 2010This is the first novel by Eric Arvin, I think he self-published it years ago. It’s not the first book I read by Eric Arvin, and I’m happy about it, since I had the chance to read the witty humor of Eric Arvin in his other books, to read contemporary and fantasy tale, but in all of them there was also the bright light of hope. Why am I telling it? Since The Rest is Illusion is filled with autobiographical hints from Eric Arvin’s real life, and Dash, the young college student around who all the other characters turn is probably a propelled image of Eric’s himself. And it’s not a light story, it’s not an happily ever after story, at least not a classical happily ever after: Dash will find his way, but it’s a way that will cause pain and open questions to many of his friends. And so I’m glad to have had the chance to know another Eric Arvin, one that fought and won his own battle, and now is writing happily ever after romance.
I wondered a lot on the title, The Rest is Illusion: in the end I found my own meaning, the group of college students living in Verona College campus are also living in a secluded place, almost a limbo between their teenager years and adulthood; all of them are trying to find their path in life, to find their own persona separated from the family they were born in; all of them have to prove something, mainly to their parents. The life in campus is not still real life, but for them it’s the most important thing now, the rest, everything is out from that campus, is illusion, not real. But even in their secluded college they are living a lie, pretending to be someone they are not.
Dash is on a time limit, he has a degenerative illness who has already killed his father, and he is going step by step along the same path. He has no hope to find an exit from this nightmare, and I think that, even if not in a conscious way, he is trying to help his friends to find that exit he is not allowed to have. Ashley, the albino guy who is his roommate, always trying to fill his life with color, always trying to be as much a presence as his own body without color seems to not allow him. Sarah, who fell in love with Dash, but soon realized she couldn’t be anything else if not a best friend for him. Tony, in the same fraternity as Dash, who is hiding his own sexuality, while instead Dash is openly gay. For all of them Dash has a way out, and his journey in life will not end until he will not help all of them; it’s like if, until Dash has a reason to be, a purpose to follow, his illness will give him time: like for his final college paper, always growing, always researching, always without an end; Dash is not running ahead of time to finish it before the end, Dash is always finding a way to not put the “end” word on that paper.
There was this feeling while I was reading the book, the feeling that I didn’t want for things to find their right spot since I knew that once they did, Dash would have not reason to be. I think this book was a way for the author to exorcize his own fears, and once he did, he almost buried it in a drawer; the fact that now he is ready to let it out again is for me a good sign, Dash/Eric has found a way out of that limbo that was Verona College, into the real life.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984510907/?...
I wondered a lot on the title, The Rest is Illusion: in the end I found my own meaning, the group of college students living in Verona College campus are also living in a secluded place, almost a limbo between their teenager years and adulthood; all of them are trying to find their path in life, to find their own persona separated from the family they were born in; all of them have to prove something, mainly to their parents. The life in campus is not still real life, but for them it’s the most important thing now, the rest, everything is out from that campus, is illusion, not real. But even in their secluded college they are living a lie, pretending to be someone they are not.
Dash is on a time limit, he has a degenerative illness who has already killed his father, and he is going step by step along the same path. He has no hope to find an exit from this nightmare, and I think that, even if not in a conscious way, he is trying to help his friends to find that exit he is not allowed to have. Ashley, the albino guy who is his roommate, always trying to fill his life with color, always trying to be as much a presence as his own body without color seems to not allow him. Sarah, who fell in love with Dash, but soon realized she couldn’t be anything else if not a best friend for him. Tony, in the same fraternity as Dash, who is hiding his own sexuality, while instead Dash is openly gay. For all of them Dash has a way out, and his journey in life will not end until he will not help all of them; it’s like if, until Dash has a reason to be, a purpose to follow, his illness will give him time: like for his final college paper, always growing, always researching, always without an end; Dash is not running ahead of time to finish it before the end, Dash is always finding a way to not put the “end” word on that paper.
There was this feeling while I was reading the book, the feeling that I didn’t want for things to find their right spot since I knew that once they did, Dash would have not reason to be. I think this book was a way for the author to exorcize his own fears, and once he did, he almost buried it in a drawer; the fact that now he is ready to let it out again is for me a good sign, Dash/Eric has found a way out of that limbo that was Verona College, into the real life.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984510907/?...
March 30, 2017
Talk about a heart wrenching read. This book is not for those who want a light read. It is a book that is heartbreaking. There is hope in this read for some of the characters. There is the possibility of a new beginning for another character. There is truth for a character and finally the most heartbreaking of all is there is acceptance for one the characters.
This book revolves around 5 main characters. There worlds are intertwined with one another for different reasons. One of the characters is the one who binds them all. Dashel is the one that brought all these characters togther in one form or another. Sarah and Ashley are the ones that are Dashel's best friends and accept him and support him no matter what. Even though Sarah knows that Dash is gay, she is still just a little in love with him but when he finally confessed to being gay o her that love turned into the type of love for another human being that ever lasting. Ashley and Dash have a special bond with each other that no one will be able to break. Dash accepted their friendship from the moment they met and never treated Ashley different because of the way he looks like most people do.
Tony is the one that Dash gave hope too. Because of Dash and getting to know him better and even falling in love with one another, Tony was able to accept that he was gay and not care what others thought of him. Dash gave something to Tony that he will probably never be able to explain to anyone else, he gave him the freedom to be who he is and live that way openly.
The final main character is the one in the end I felt sorry for the most, Wilder. Wilder is the bully that makes everyone ms life miserable and takes great pride in it. He made Dashels life miserable for a while until Dash took the power back. But the thing with Wilder is, he was the loneliest one of all of them. Dash had more love in his life then Wilder has ever known and in the end I think that is why Wilder was jealous of him. The thing is I think Dash would have given Wilder whatever he wanted and needed had he given Dash the opportunity too but Wilder never seen it or realized it. And in the end h me missed out because of it.
This is one of those books that you have read to understand why it is heartbreaking and why I was in tears even after reading it. I am not sure if there will be other books to follow this one up but I hope there is because I felt that there could be more story to these people. I just don't feel like it is the end for them but I do not know that for sure. It is just how I feel.
This book may be heartbreaking but I felt it is a book that others need to read because I believe that it is some ways inspiring also. Again it has to be read to understand why I think it is inspiring. I hope to read more books in the future with these characters because I think it would be a good read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
This book revolves around 5 main characters. There worlds are intertwined with one another for different reasons. One of the characters is the one who binds them all. Dashel is the one that brought all these characters togther in one form or another. Sarah and Ashley are the ones that are Dashel's best friends and accept him and support him no matter what. Even though Sarah knows that Dash is gay, she is still just a little in love with him but when he finally confessed to being gay o her that love turned into the type of love for another human being that ever lasting. Ashley and Dash have a special bond with each other that no one will be able to break. Dash accepted their friendship from the moment they met and never treated Ashley different because of the way he looks like most people do.
Tony is the one that Dash gave hope too. Because of Dash and getting to know him better and even falling in love with one another, Tony was able to accept that he was gay and not care what others thought of him. Dash gave something to Tony that he will probably never be able to explain to anyone else, he gave him the freedom to be who he is and live that way openly.
The final main character is the one in the end I felt sorry for the most, Wilder. Wilder is the bully that makes everyone ms life miserable and takes great pride in it. He made Dashels life miserable for a while until Dash took the power back. But the thing with Wilder is, he was the loneliest one of all of them. Dash had more love in his life then Wilder has ever known and in the end I think that is why Wilder was jealous of him. The thing is I think Dash would have given Wilder whatever he wanted and needed had he given Dash the opportunity too but Wilder never seen it or realized it. And in the end h me missed out because of it.
This is one of those books that you have read to understand why it is heartbreaking and why I was in tears even after reading it. I am not sure if there will be other books to follow this one up but I hope there is because I felt that there could be more story to these people. I just don't feel like it is the end for them but I do not know that for sure. It is just how I feel.
This book may be heartbreaking but I felt it is a book that others need to read because I believe that it is some ways inspiring also. Again it has to be read to understand why I think it is inspiring. I hope to read more books in the future with these characters because I think it would be a good read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
February 26, 2017
Wierd and good. The books was slow to start, while all of the characters being introduced. Most books I read go in a line from start to finish. The Rest is Illusion swirled and spiraled to its conclusion.
Wow.
Wow.
August 12, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Allow me to first remark on my reaction when I read that The Rest Is Illusion was a re-release by Wilde City Press and had been author Eric Arvin’s first novel. In a nutshell, I was absolutely floored. I had just finished a stunningly beautiful story that would linger long after the final page. The characters now resided in my heart and the way in which this novel was brought full circle with both redemption and forgiveness as the end result made this book even more special. Realistic, well planned, packed with twists and turns and even a nod to the coming of age trope, The Rest Is Illusion has it all.
The action takes place in a small, private college named Verona. The handful of students that orbit around our main character, Dashel, range from his closest friend and roommate, Ash, to a fellow frat brother who is deep in the closet, Tony. Along with Sarah, who is one of Dash’s closest friends outside Ash, there is the thoroughly evil and despicable Wilder, son of a politician who specializes in destroying people. Dash is terminally ill and trying to hide it from his friends. He has already felt the humiliation only Wilder can heap on a person and is now worried that Wilder may turn his sights on Tony—an incredibly kind frat brother who also happens to be the college quarterback. Little does Dash know that Wilder has others working on his behalf—those he has already been blackmailing who will assist in bringing Tony to his knees and pushing Dash to the very edge.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Allow me to first remark on my reaction when I read that The Rest Is Illusion was a re-release by Wilde City Press and had been author Eric Arvin’s first novel. In a nutshell, I was absolutely floored. I had just finished a stunningly beautiful story that would linger long after the final page. The characters now resided in my heart and the way in which this novel was brought full circle with both redemption and forgiveness as the end result made this book even more special. Realistic, well planned, packed with twists and turns and even a nod to the coming of age trope, The Rest Is Illusion has it all.
The action takes place in a small, private college named Verona. The handful of students that orbit around our main character, Dashel, range from his closest friend and roommate, Ash, to a fellow frat brother who is deep in the closet, Tony. Along with Sarah, who is one of Dash’s closest friends outside Ash, there is the thoroughly evil and despicable Wilder, son of a politician who specializes in destroying people. Dash is terminally ill and trying to hide it from his friends. He has already felt the humiliation only Wilder can heap on a person and is now worried that Wilder may turn his sights on Tony—an incredibly kind frat brother who also happens to be the college quarterback. Little does Dash know that Wilder has others working on his behalf—those he has already been blackmailing who will assist in bringing Tony to his knees and pushing Dash to the very edge.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
August 8, 2011
This is not a romance. And, it was a difficult read for me. But don’t mistake me - the characters come alive and suck you in. I felt an emotional connection to them, and the private college setting was realistically portrayed. The problem is that it is sad, and at some points painful, to read. Most of us know the horror of being bullied, or the agony of losing someone we love. Both of these are major events in the novel. In some ways, this was reminiscent of “The Dead Poets Society” in tone and feel. And also like “The King of Cats” – it’s about life. And life can be hard.
This is not done in the usual first person, or single character, POV. It has become almost unheard of these days, but this book rotates among several characters, slowly revealing who they are. Readers are not suddenly handed the “hero,” introduced to the object of his desire and boom! Dash is the protagonist, and he is dying. We never know of what because it’s not important. What is important are the people in his life, even his enemies. Because they are dying too, though not of disease. Unlike him, they can find a cure. The story alternates from his best friends Ash and Sarah, to the bully Wilder, to the popular jock Tony who's struggling with his identity. Readers spend time with each as threads and events slowly bring them together. And though nothing really substantial happens – no identifiable crisis, no murder mystery or complex plotline - I was strangely drawn in to these lives. I wanted to know, and the pages kept turning.
I wouldn’t recommend this to people just looking to pass some time with a little fluff. This is NOT light reading, but it IS very good writing.
This is not done in the usual first person, or single character, POV. It has become almost unheard of these days, but this book rotates among several characters, slowly revealing who they are. Readers are not suddenly handed the “hero,” introduced to the object of his desire and boom! Dash is the protagonist, and he is dying. We never know of what because it’s not important. What is important are the people in his life, even his enemies. Because they are dying too, though not of disease. Unlike him, they can find a cure. The story alternates from his best friends Ash and Sarah, to the bully Wilder, to the popular jock Tony who's struggling with his identity. Readers spend time with each as threads and events slowly bring them together. And though nothing really substantial happens – no identifiable crisis, no murder mystery or complex plotline - I was strangely drawn in to these lives. I wanted to know, and the pages kept turning.
I wouldn’t recommend this to people just looking to pass some time with a little fluff. This is NOT light reading, but it IS very good writing.
January 26, 2011
‘The moon’s brightness made the creek below resemble a forgotten cobbled road leading to some ancient and terribly important place. A place out of which myths are born. A place where the feeling of new experiences never dies, never exhausts or extinguishes, where the passion for truth is enmeshed in the very notion of life.’ (page 99)
The Rest is Illusion tells the story of a tree, watching a river and witnessing the story of Dashel.
Dashel is grabbing the last days of his life, and his friends Sarah, Ashley, Tony, and ‘Wilder’ are jumping the last obstacles so to reach adulthood.
The ancient Celts venerated trees as font of wisdom, hope, and imagine of the cycle of life / seasons. So The Rest is Illusion tells the relation between Nature, also as weather, physical universe, life, and people wanting to hear about magic, helped by Nature.
Eric Arvin could have written the usual coming of age tale, but he has preferred magic’s help. The characters find comfort close to the tree and its surroundings, and Nature give them advises through magic.
I didn’t like: the end of the story, kind of life goes on; Wilder’s character is depicted too many times; some dialogs say more than once the same concept.
A note, page 127: Giacomo Puccini’s title opera is Gianni Schicchi, and not Scacchi (chess). An aria from this opera is quoted ‘O mio bambino caro’ (Oh my dear child), instead of ‘O mio babbino caro’ (Oh my dear daddy). Maybe the correct quoted aria is coherent with the character of Sarah Coheen and her father’s relation.
The Rest is Illusion tells the story of a tree, watching a river and witnessing the story of Dashel.
Dashel is grabbing the last days of his life, and his friends Sarah, Ashley, Tony, and ‘Wilder’ are jumping the last obstacles so to reach adulthood.
The ancient Celts venerated trees as font of wisdom, hope, and imagine of the cycle of life / seasons. So The Rest is Illusion tells the relation between Nature, also as weather, physical universe, life, and people wanting to hear about magic, helped by Nature.
Eric Arvin could have written the usual coming of age tale, but he has preferred magic’s help. The characters find comfort close to the tree and its surroundings, and Nature give them advises through magic.
I didn’t like: the end of the story, kind of life goes on; Wilder’s character is depicted too many times; some dialogs say more than once the same concept.
A note, page 127: Giacomo Puccini’s title opera is Gianni Schicchi, and not Scacchi (chess). An aria from this opera is quoted ‘O mio bambino caro’ (Oh my dear child), instead of ‘O mio babbino caro’ (Oh my dear daddy). Maybe the correct quoted aria is coherent with the character of Sarah Coheen and her father’s relation.
October 29, 2012
WOW...just...wow!
What can I say about this. I don't know where to start to be honest. Well, lets start by saying that strictly speaking this is a 'traditional' romance. And it's not an easy, light or fluffy read. I actually couldn't read it through in one go. I had to stop and start so I could process what I had read and move on. But this book was oh, so worth it.
Eric Arvin's style is unique. He brings his characters to life and makes the paranormal seem normal. The reason that I couldn't read through, that I needed time to deal with what I had read, was because the people are real, the surroundings are real and therefore the emotions are real as well.
Thank you for giving me this gift.
What can I say about this. I don't know where to start to be honest. Well, lets start by saying that strictly speaking this is a 'traditional' romance. And it's not an easy, light or fluffy read. I actually couldn't read it through in one go. I had to stop and start so I could process what I had read and move on. But this book was oh, so worth it.
Eric Arvin's style is unique. He brings his characters to life and makes the paranormal seem normal. The reason that I couldn't read through, that I needed time to deal with what I had read, was because the people are real, the surroundings are real and therefore the emotions are real as well.
Thank you for giving me this gift.
November 19, 2012
I almost don't want to give this a star rating at all, seems unfair, because I really just don't know how I feel about it. Hence, settling on a 3. To be honest this got a little slow and overly flowery/deep for me once the 'magic' set in. All of a sudden all these kids are philosophers. And although they had the whole thing with the weather, the 'magic' (for example, Ashley and Sarah in the Vale) kind of seemed to come out of nowhere and just felt a little too forced to me. I liked the four main characters as people, I enjoyed Dash the most, but Wilder was a little bit of a caricature to the point where if he were a real person I think he'd actually be a sociopath. Anyway... yeah.
August 19, 2012
Eric Arvin is a very talented and gifted writer. I've read many of his books but somehow missed this one. I do not understand how a mind like his is able to travel on so many diverse paths. I'm so glad I discovered him and all him amazing gifts. I just hope he keeps producing and this is not all just an illusion.
December 10, 2012
Good book, showing how the lives of a handful of interrelated people are changed by the events of a couple days. If this was made into a movie it could be another Donnie Darko. It was very deep but I found myself reading it impatiently, like the pace was a little to slow for my tastes.
February 2, 2013
mixed emotions.... gah!! a well written and beautiful story. was sweet, sad, and infuriating at times.
a coming of age story with loss but also about finding yourself and maybe a little love too!
a coming of age story with loss but also about finding yourself and maybe a little love too!
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