| Reviews for Chapter 32 (101-200)
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101 review is by priyab468 on 5/11/20 - (Trinidad and Tobago)
Set in the backdrop of the 70’s, The Embryo Man tells
the secret love story of Charles and Harmony.
Mr. Pendelton is our adult version of Lemony Snicket, as he warns
us from the beginning about the unfortunate events in this tragic tale.
But even his dire warnings could not stop me from devouring this book.
In terms of the writing, there were a few grammatical issues, but they were
few and far between. What I liked about Charlie, is that though he is young,
there is such maturity to him. Charlie teaches us so much, and I respect him
greatly for this. The theme, though controversial, held strong throughout.
But at the end of it all, to me, what determines a good book,
are three simple questions.
Did I enjoy it?
Yes.
Would I read it again?
Yes.
Would I recommend it to someone?
Hell yes.
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102 review is by vanishree on 5/13/20 - (Uttar Pradesh, India)
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103 review is by priyaarg on 5/14/20 - (Sri Lanka)
Charles Pendelton’s “The Embryo Man” is not your average kind of love story.
It is intricate, unconventional and emotional to the core. It’s a bittersweet story
of a young boy falling in love with a teenage girl. As I started reading the novel’s
“Gratissimum”, I was worried that it would be too controversial for my liking, since
the author warns that it could be. However, as every reader, I was swallowed up
by the roller coaster that is “The Embryo Man”. The entire story flows with a poetic
structure of writing, which is heart-warming, unique and romantic. In this era
of unstable relationships and separations, this story stands proud and tall in
depicting the purest form of love that we could only ever read about.
The story has little treats of poetic lines for whimsical readers such as myself.
It almost provides a Shakespearean touch to it. “Like pages to an archaic novel
no one will ever read for, the wind has blown them away; I rush onward” (pg. 107).
The author does not hide the fact that the protagonist of this story is young; it rather is
the crucial element of the novel. He reveals the fact in almost every chapter of his story.
“I came to the conclusion that women were emotional creatures, and a man had to be able
to think on their level. Of course, that is impossible for any man, let alone a child struggling
to understand the fundamentals of life” (Chapter 4, p.g.112).
However, the boy is exceptional and mature for his age. “Any other kid might not have
noticed, but I wasn’t your average kid” (Chapter 4, p.g.115), and this fact is the theme of
this story. He is a man in a boy’s body. Society’s expectations aside, this is the reason he
feels detached from everything and anything that is suitable for his age. He struggles to
adjust with both aspects of his personality. At one point in the story, he says “I feel like
an embryo man”. This sets him apart, alone.
Ultimately, this is the factor which will tip his world upside down:
“to be a man before you can be a boy will ultimately destroy your soul” (pg. 318).
They say, where love goes first, the madness follows.
Of course, the dreams and certain scenes in the “mushroom experience” is far-fetching,
however, we are dragged right into the middle of it. What’s special about this story is
that, in most clichéd novels, either the older person leaves/ cheats the younger one;
or one grows mature and wants to explore the world, however, all these nonsense
are not included in this story.
This is a story of true love between two pure souls, regardless of age, ethnicity or religion.
After finishing this novel, I felt a sense of loss, so deep that I was staring at space for a
long time. I felt every emotion that Charles did: the happiness; the anger; the fear; and
finally the heart-wrenching anguish, when he says “The most ironic part of it all is that
once I was terrified of death. . .Now I'm terrified of life” (pg. 319).
To have experienced love this deep, only to lose it, and to have nobody else who could
understand the level/ kind of emotion that was shared between two people, is the saddest part.
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104 review is by perbat on 5/17/20 - (Pakistan)
Review of ‘The Embryo Man’ by Chas Pen
‘Take what I've given you, my darling, and give it in time to someone new.
Make her your world. The world I can no longer give you.’ -Harmony
This is the summary of the whole novel, as controversial as it may seem.
These words hit you in the deepest core.
The storyline is intriguing, though it may contradict with the era it’s portrayed
in. The author’s feelings have been taken from the depths of his heart and
portrayed on the canvas of these sheets. The writing style is commendable
and the vividness of the dreams relate to the story. Overwhelming emotions
rendered, grasping the reader’s emotional thought.
The character arcs of Charles reflect immense emotional evolving.
Harmony’s character shifted from cynicism to embracing the new relation to
her ill fate or destiny as many may call it. The author’s pain and expressions
are poignant. I may not have been comfortable with how the story began,
but the choice of words, metaphors may have struck a chord.
I would rate it a 4 star!
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105 review is by sereni_tea on 5/26/20 - (Guwahati, India)
It's tough to review a story without a hint of spoiler but I would try my best.
As the story begins to unwind itself with the words of the writer, as a reader you
might feel a dilemma. But eventually you would get in the shoes of the writer.
The epigraph and gratissimum pave a way for the reader to the storyline without
revealing much but comforting the readers before jumping into one of the "not
so typical" love story one has ever read.
The love story could be termed as a controversial one though, but as you walk with
the writer through the story, you would be able to feel the love and respect with which
the whole story has been narrated. Every feeling that the protagonist of the story might
have felt through the entire storyline has been expressed by the writer beautifully and
aptly with his arrangements of words. Anyone who has felt a love larger than his life
can understand the position of the protagonist in the most judicable situations too.
Some of the dream sequences which have been mentioned in the story are too
descriptive at times but again, it would be worth mentioning that those dreams make
us, as readers, be more aware of the stand of the protagonist towards his beloved.
Regarding the sexual and erotic moments, those have been explained by the
writer in a very tasteful way, not in anyway filthy or disrespectful. I would
probably mark those moments as the "conjunction of lust and love".
It could be felt that the writer has opened up his heart towards his audience being
vulnerable with the risk of being judged. As a reader you would feel for the writer despite
of the fact that his story could be termed as one of the most controversial love story.
One should definitely give this book a read to experience the atypical love story
delivering a perfect feel of love, respect and belongingness which dodged the
accepted ideas of time, age and social norms.
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106 review is by antimortem on 5/26/20 - (Mumbai, India)
Few books make one set it down, only to grip their thoughts together.
The Embryo Man is brilliantly written with a great literary sense and
a greater knowledge of human complexity. It takes only the first chapter
to drown you in the protagonist’s life and become him, and it takes
effort to break the surface again once the book ends.
While the prospect of a relationship between a nineteen-year old and a
minor is uneasy (and illegal), is also subject to a nuanced sense of human
perception. This book gets one thing right: it displays the varieties of the
subtleties of mind, and provides a life-like depth to the characters.
They are not to be judged for they do not try to appeal to the reader’s
sense of righteousness. The characters are to be observed and
unraveled with all their flaws, and the book is to be experienced.
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107 review is by solange on 5/26/20 - (Cameroon)
Reading the Epigraph and Gratissimum of this novel I could not help but want to
dive more in to find out what was in store for the young author and the mystery girl
that moved in next door. Yes I know it might seem like “the Girl next Door” is a little
bit cliché, but it was refreshing to see as I dived more into the book that this was far
from being your classic and cliché type of novel where boy meets girl, they fall in love
and end up happily ever after. The novel goes more into a controversial type of ending
with the author mostly recounting what he experiences with his lover in his dreams.
It is clear to see from the author’s words that he is coming from a place of honesty and
little bit of “sadness” where he is still in the darkness of how the story between himself
and his mystery girl “Harmony” ended. Also, the novel goes into a lot of in-depth about
their relationship (more than sexual but spiritual connection) and I like the fact that this
was not meant to be a published novel but just journals the author collected for himself,
makes it all the more authentic and unique. The novel takes you on a journey (emotional
rollercoaster) rather than to a quick and fast destination something I both like and dislike
at the same time. If you have a taste of the “out of the ordinary”, this book is for you.
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108 review is by nehask99 on 5/28/20 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo Man is not your typical love story. It explores a forbidden land,
land beyond mainstream concepts and ideas. It takes great courage to put
forth an account of ones life which does not conform with our traditionalism
but this is the beauty of literature; it is endless.
Charles Pendleton exposes his vulnerability is intricately woven sentences
that enable the reader to feel like a part of the entire setting.
To be very honest, I was very disturbed in the beginning but as the story proceeded,
there was more and more to look forward to. The turn of events are enough to keep
the reader hooked because there is always something interesting churning up.
To think that someone turned a controversial topic into a piece of art in itself is laudable.
The abundance of emotions carefully curated by the author
enable the reader to relate and to some extent, explore.
An overall good read that will leave your head reeling.
Harmony is lucky because through the author, she still lives
among everyone who dares to venture through this literary piece.
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109 review is by jawaria on 5/28/20 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo man without any doubt reflects the intelligentsia of the writer who has
outdone himself in innovating a narrative that could easily have been a simple love story.
The epic tale of two lovers separated by the constraints of years could have been a
book read once an tossed away but the embryo man touches on the issue of a boy’s
infatuation turning into an obsession with giving us a new perspective that love at a
young age can be true contrary to commonly held belief. Harmony was aged, way
more old than young Charles who was only six however the narrative breaks the
stereotype that when it comes to true love age is a mere number.
The writer Charles Pendleton is one of the very few writers who gave direction to his
readers allowing them to see what he saw in this story. It almost reminded me of when
Henry Fielding wrote a preface to his famous Joseph Andrews. While reading this novel
many questions arose in my head like where is he going with the story, why are some parts
strangely bold? But every time these questions came to me I was reminded of the author’s
notes that this story was not written to be read by the world. The gratissimum truly describes
the obsession that the writer had for it describes Harmony as a heavenly being.
The story gets disturbing when it comes to the sexual parts because believe it or not unconventional
does not mean writing about something illegal in a sugarcoated manner and then labelling it as a novelty
in literature. To readers it still would remain difficult to digest because they are the same group of society.
It somehow shows psychological problems on part of both Harmony and Charles. Even though
Harmony was old she acted out on her strong feelings for Charles exhibiting that love has no
boundaries but at the same time the fact cannot be denied that what she did scarred Charles.
The childhood trauma has been reflected in Charles’s behavior when he goes through and rewrites his
journals. His obsession appears scary but at the same time very thrilling. What Harmony did shows her
in a negative light for she had to be more responsible if I am to talk from the perspective of the society.
But if I am to see things as a human I only see two humans
so in love with each other that they are willing to risk everything.
Pendleton has fulfilled his promise of an unconventional tour of the 70s and his description of scenes and
characters also reflect that he is at epitome of his observational diction however one might wonder why could
it not be two adults or two children in love? That would have brought in more readership for the conventional is
cherished by the society. I cannot help but think why would a writer with such fantastic approach towards literature
wishes not to write any further than this story. For if he wishes he can pocket the attention of many avid readers.
Lastly I would like to say that this is a very brave writer who has truly bared his soul for the world to see.
Most basic emotions of a human maybe repressed by the superego but it cannot be denied.
Society may frown upon it but deep down we all know that love cannot be contained so a
big thanks to Charles Pendleton for showing us the hard truth.
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110 review is by rushda_sheikh1 on 6/9/20 - (Karachi, Pakistan)
The plot is not limited to home drawing rooms only.
I enjoyed every scene of it. The places and scenarios.
Harmony's character delineation and the way author
portrayed her physical existence stunned me.
I was lost in this epic.
Romance was balanced and tragedy upright.
I love romantic novels but this story was
more than romance. It was life I think.
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111 review is by toobaghouri on 6/11/20 - (Pakistan)
As a bookworm, I’ve read a lot of books from fiction to non-fiction but this book
has its own uniqueness since I haven’t read this kind of book. I was so shocked
at first knowing that I would be reading a story about a young boy will fall in love
with grown woman. This book is a challenge for me as it narrates a love story
between a kid and a grown woman, which brings me a whole new perspective
that love also can happen even in such young age.
As we all should know, reading and enjoying a book is largely about interpretation.
People are not the same and we all view things differently; one individual might see
a relationship in a book as "passionate" while another could see it as "damaging".
When characters make bad decisions, some will view it as stupidity and others
will view it as an accurate representation of humanity's imperfections.
Not only that, but time often changes the way one person sees things.
A child does not usually have the same outlook on life and relationships
that someone of twenty does and neither of them have the same outlook as
someone of fifty does. Charles has written a brilliant and disturbing novel.
I found it surprisingly easy to read and became absorbed quickly.
On a technical level, this deserves 4 stars
the language, the wit, the world play!
I don't think I've ever read anything like this before.
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112 review is by anushaa_ on 6/12/20 - (Pakistan)
I have honestly run short of words to describe how beautiful this journey was.
What a raw, marvelous, and candid depiction of what love really is.
What a rollercoaster ride full of emotions this book takes you to -
you’d be bawling your eyes out in one moment, and feeling all giddy
in the other. The plot is decent and unembellished, making it even more
relatable and engaging because the truth is harsh, and sometimes
contains so much romance than any made-up story could ever.
The epigraph had immediately caught my attention and I couldn’t help myself
but literally stay up all night just to finish this book. Sure, it’s unorthodox, but
that is exactly what makes this story unique and beautiful in its own way.
The way this writer expresses his thoughts during the intimate scenes,
I was honestly overwhelmed while reading them myself. The way
Harmony changed his life - I’ve always longed for a partner like
that, and I loved to imagine one while reading this story.
The Embryo Man is an embodiment of perfect literature,
something that I wouldn’t mind reading over and over again.
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113 review is by candygirl384 on 6/16/20 - (India)
As an Indian, I would firstly love to appreciate the way Charles
describes the Indian culture in his novel ‘The Embryo Man’ .
The description of certain food items or attire whilst using the Indian vocabulary was
really impressive to me. I could literally feel every emotion he had gone through, be
it blissful romantic or traumatic despair, while I read. The way he structured instances
and events with his beloved made me anticipate for more of what’s to come for the
couple but sadly, sometimes not all stories have an happy ending.
The novel did a really good job in depicting how true love need not be the stereotyped ones.
As a man, to stand by his feelings and emotions against all odds since the day he saw her
is most powerful form of love to be honest. The journey of how their love blossomed did give
me hopes on a better end. Also reciprocation of his love seemed to have played out very well.
Reading this book definitely changed my perspectives on how love and relationships change
and how if we really want it we do all that we can to keep it safe. Forbidding feelings really
doesn’t lead us a better place but expressing them while we still have the chance does.
I highly recommend Charles’ novel to allow yourself to expand your view on live, love
and cultural bounds we all secretly try to suppress. The struggles/bliss the couple faces
is only felt for them to cherish to which I’ve completely felt while I read.
“The Embryo Man” deserves recognition for the masterpiece it is.
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114 review is by manalfazil on 6/16/20 - (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
The Embryo Man is an unusual novel which clearly states that love hasn't known
any boundaries. It is not an ordinary love story which you can read any day sitting
on your lazy couch as it takes you out of your comfort zone and leaves you uneasy
to breath at various occasions.
Charles Pendelton have kept his word that this isn’t a story we have read so far.
His daring attempt to bring out a controversial escapade of his life with such subtlety
deserves huge round of applause. The author takes us to the 70's with every detailing
which makes this novel a perfect time traveller. This is the real life story of Charlie and
Harmony, a girl of Indian descent, who both struggled with the odds of their love.
This is a strong concoction of raw emotions which blends in innocence,
jealousy, romance, love and I can’t think of better words to explain it.
Let’s just say that it’s exotic as a strong Turkish coffee.
Unfortunately Charlie and Harmony doesn't have a happily ever after like fairy tales,
which makes us join with Charlie in his sorrow. In this novel the author have made a
successful attempt in bringing in a new element "Gratissimum" instead of usual prologues
and prefaces. The only drawback that I found was it is a little bit too lengthy that sometimes
one might lose tracks while reading. A little more grip to it would've solved this issue.
But I am not here to judge because as he mentioned in the very beginning this was written
for the author first before it was for the audience. And I must say Harmony was given justice
for her short life, a girl who deserved to live her life to fullest and to be loved to eternity.
At the end the author leaves us thinking about how cruel life can get.
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115 review is by najifa_ahona on 6/16/20 - (Bangladesh)
To be honest, I am not a LOVE STORY type of person.
Every love story seems to be the same to me. Before I started reading
this book, I was almost sure, this was no different. But after I read the
Gratissimum , I was intrigued to give this book a read.
Every successful story has one thing in common, INCREDIBLE STORY TELLING.
And I think CHARLES PENDELTON has done a spectacular job in it. The author's
use of words with delicacy and impactful expression of human emotions is really
praiseworthy.
This book is a flash back of the writer's own life that had a remarkable impact
on his life. A 6 year old young boy who fell in love with a mature teen age girl
named Harmony. Charles's desperate attempt to show how much he loved
Harmony was simply pure ,heart touching and adorable. At such a young age,
he wrote a journal called " THE HARMONY'S JOURNAL " where he noted his
observations of life in the 1970's.
As his parents were having an unhappy marriage ,his mental state was very vulnerable.
The very thought of harmony kept him occupied in hard times like that.
How a young child builds up a beautiful relationship with a mature teen age girl, who
had a bad experience before , and slowly taking up space in her heart is very adorable.
Through some unexpected events, Charles's fear of losing Harmony was so strong that
it haunted him in his dreams . The unfortunate event where Harmony dies and Charles's
remorseful regret brought tears in my eyes. What added to the tragedy is his incapability
to bade a proper good bye to his beloved angel.
Despite slight mistakes in spelling; where the author referred to God as he rather than He
and a little monotony in some part of the novel, this book is a good read for quarantine times.
The author's attempt to rediscover his long gone past to show his gratitude and respect to his
childhood sweetheart in order to keep her memories as fresh as it can get, is truly amazing.
This book inspires you to think beyond the norms and indulge in the purest form of human
emotions. It takes you out of the black and white world and introduces you to the realm of
grey, where unpredictable beauty meets indubitable feelings.
I don't want to spoil this incredible book for you, so I will draw the line of my review right here.
Overall,as a non-romantic reader, I really enjoyed it. I would highly recommend you guys to
give this book a try, I guarantee, you won't regret whatsoever.
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116 review is by shankeetha on 6/16/20 - (Gainsborough, UK)
This is a very unique love story based on real life events.
It draws you in from the beginning and is a very intriguing read.
It makes you questions things and challenges your way of thinking
as it is based on a young boy and a lady who is older than him.
It is written well, easy to read and the emotions are felt through
the words. It is not your typical love story and if you are willing to
read this with open mind, you will definitely love it as it is based on
real life events and takes you out of your comfort zone for sure.
Worth the read!
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117 review is by sifat01nawshin on 7/10/20 - (Bangladesh)
If you believe
LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES
The Embryo Man is the book for you
In ‘The Embryo Man’ writer and narrator Charles Pendelton has captured an event of his
past when he met a beautiful woman at a very young age and fell in love. It’s avant-garde,
it’s controversial and it’s tragic.
The story is well paced and pleasantly simplistic. It speaks to the inner writer in all of us and
inspires us to preserve our memories in personal journals and look back at them one day as our
narrator has done and has taken us along with him. The book only has a handful of characters
and no other mentionable side story. This keeps the entire focus on the main plot and considering
the unique nature of it, just another side story might be unfitting. We know from the very beginning
what becomes of the characters and reminded of that throughout the book.
This is a perfect narrative device for a story such as this. A writer may consider shocking the reader
with a tragic ending but it runs the risk of coming off as a deux ex machina, as if the writer wanted to
anyhow manage a dramatic ending to a story that was for the most part simplistic. The main event
took place in the glorious era of the 70s. The book reminisced just enough about the technology-free
simpler times. We get a little hint of the political situation and the rebellious nature of 70s progressive
youth reflected through the young adult heroine of the story, Harmony. One of the things that sticked
with me after closing the book is Harmony’s monologue where she expressed her strong disappointment
towards grown men and their lack of understanding of woman and love and how true it is for many men
even in today's generation contrary to what I feel the character Harmony would expect from the much
progressed society in 2020.
The novel chose to tell an intimate love story between two people who are not accepted as lovers
in modern society. It doesn’t just question the society’s moral standards, it fully disagrees with them.
If readers are looking for relatable characters, this book may not provide that for many. Young Charles
is a boy trying to fit in a men’s shoe but in this story that’s not always pleasing. Then there’s Harmony.
Her independent spirit is inspiring and how she wants to be treated respectfully by her male counterparts
is agreeable but the choices she made are not going to be satisfying to many readers.
This is a story about love, yes. But whether it will strike as
romantic or concerning, depends very much on the reader.
However there’s a difference between controversial and problematic. The reason the book is not the later
one is because the characters speak their own truth without imposing their beliefs on others. It’s a story
about two characters happen to be such people who don’t share the same moral ground as the society.
And should a piece of art confine itself only to what is universally accepted ? I think not.
In the era of cancel culture this book stands out as a bold approach in literature.
If you are dismayed by unconventional love, this is not the story for you. To the rest
I’d say, in order to find bold and challenging stories we need to be able to see through
someone else’s vision regardless of the vision not being in accordance with our beliefs.
The Embryo Man IS such story and it holds its own place in the vast sea of literature.
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118 review is by shaluofficial on 7/11/20 - (India)
Great book!
My fiancé said this was the best gift I've ever given him.
This book has the best love story I ever read on ebook. Role
of Harmony made me realize my first love with my girl friend.
Author has explained the story in such a great way that it will
keep every reader engaged. I would love to read more love
stories of this couple and recommending each reader to read it.
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119 review is by amnnahh on 8/2/20 - (Pakistan)
As the name suggests the story is about an unhatched man at an early age.
He met an Indian girl and couldn’t resist falling in love with her every day he
meets her. The gratissimum (the reason behind writing the story and a short
intro about the story) is written so beautifully that it encourages the reader to
go with it. Every day he was falling in love with Harmony and he has beautifully
noted and written what he observed about that Indian girl, how he sometimes
acted foolishly before her, and regret it later. This was a beautiful piece of art
written, wrapped with amazing words that continuously grasp your attention.
The story might make you sometimes uncomfortable and makes you think
that how such a thing could happen but as the writer had claimed in the very
start that if the reader couldn’t imagine something in this story that doesn’t
mean that it hasn’t happened.
A story about love, romantic comedy, attention, happy moments, and life experiences.
The writer has truly depicted how the first sight love could be beautifully portrayed in
words. Charles has beautifully given those random notes and journals the shape of
the book ‘The Embryo Man’. Charles was truly in love with Harmony, with her beauty,
with her fashion sense, with the way she walks and talks, and with the way she was
treating her. Every little detail about Harmony and the beautiful time they spent together
was adorable. When it was Harmony’s birthday and he asked his cousins to recommend
him something to make his woman happy was another beautiful love gesture of a young boy.
Harmony was kind, generous and the most importantly beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.
He wanted to have her love as he was enjoying her company. The writer has beautifully written
that how he used to behave insanely whenever she is with her that once she asked him that how
he finds her and his answer was that she is like an elder sister to him. She explained to her that
men should be more understanding towards their women in their cycle and described the problem
that men get abusive in a relationship when they get too familiar with women. Harmony was
mature and was fighting with her health which she did not reveal in front of Charles.
The writer has also mentioned some unusual and strange dreams which he kept on dreaming
throughout the whole story. One day he saw Harmony with another man and saw that they both
were laughing at him. Whenever Chares tried to talk to her about the relationship she was always
in a bad mood and one day she kissed her and told him that now he can tell all his little friends
about the kiss. The reason behind her annoying behaviour was a bad experience of her
ex-relationship and that is the reason she was mature than her age.
One day they both expressed their feelings for each other and Charles promised Harmony
that he will not tell anyone about this. The writer beautifully mentions how the bond between
the two becomes stronger day by day. We have heard many love stories in many books but
this book is beyond the expected ending and it tells us that not all endings are happy endings.
All love stories claim that it is special and different that someone would
ever read and I must say that this a story beyond imagination.
The writer than talked about the Dark Monday when he has to leave for Ontario as it was
the wish of his parents and he couldn’t resist. On his return, he found a letter from Harmony
which revealed the saddest part of the story that Harmony was suffering from cancer for a
year and she is waiting in heaven for him.
The most beautiful part of this book was a young, not wholly grown-up child who treats a
grown-up woman so nicely and all he wanted was to have her love. It is an unconventional
story where the writer got the courage to write something for the readers that love could be
beautiful and could end like a bad dream in just one glance.
The writer has the ability to choose right and captivating words to grab the attention of the reader.
I would highly recommend it and would suggest you all read it as in this period of quarantine it is
a perfect delight.
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120 review is by aqsaawriter on 9/26/20 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo Man by Charles Pendelton portraits the boyhood of every man who once
has a strong feeling in his life for someone. Usually, a man in his boyhood had not the
perception of love that Charles do when he was just six. Not only this, but most of us
even lacked the courage and words to express what’s going inside us when we fell in
love with someone. Even though most of us experienced love in our early years of life,
solid feelings and hearty expressions of Charles as a boy are exceptional.
The collection of words to describe the beauty of his love, Harmony, is so outstanding
that you can hold yourself to read this book again and again. I do appreciate the writer
for filling the words with his emotions and passions so well. The choice of words and
the writer’s emotions in the heart of those is so heartwarming that you started feeling
a strong connection with the key characters of this love story, Charles and Harmony.
The best part of this book is when Charles raised a desire of kissing his love. You can also
feel the writer’s agitation of one-sided love at that point. After all these long nights of his
dreams, his first kiss with Harmony shines like a new day on the planet of his relationship.
The strangest thing about this love story is that both of its key characters belong to two
different cultures with a little bit of age gap. This unconventional love has many twists
and phases that start with a kissing desire and sexual moments afterward. Before you
start judging the writer and assume all this a lust, I must mention that Charles learned
about love and women's emotions with Harmony.
This love story is so pure that it will make you memorize your love life with tears in your
eyes. The plot is so much smooth and sleek that you can’t say that this book summons
the fifty precious years of Charles with and without Harmony. In the end, I would say love
never remains gracious that’s why the writer has to mention that he is terrified of life.
319 pages of this book will literally make you feel the actual pain in the words of
book titles that are “When love, at first sight, becomes more than an obsession.”
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121 review is by airassyeda on 10/30/20 - (Pakistan)
Charles Pendelton, in the book “The Embryo Man”, narrates his own love story.
This book profoundly involves the readers by telling story of a young boy who falls in
love with a matured teenage girl, Harmony. Charles, during 1970s, and for peculiarity
of readers, at age of 6, had his first ever experience of several tender human emotions
like love, infatuation, jealousy, erotic feelings etc. This love story is so out of norms of
society as Charles himself mentions in the book, “It is a story of a young boy desperately
struggling to win the affections of a very mature teenage girl he cannot stop thinking of”.
(Kindle edition Location 92 of 4106).
The uniqueness of this book is deliberated substantially through the age factors of the
lovers, the experience of tender emotions in such young age and of course, the ending,
which sadly, is not “happily ever after”.
The author begins the book with the motive behind writing this story, which is to portray
the feelings of love arising in the heart of young innocent boy for a mature teenage girl.
Especially the years spend with his girlfriend Harmony, which taught him so many
learnings, lessons, feelings and living the way of life. He noted all these things in
“The Harmony Journal” and then compiled and formed in a book as a symbol of
gratitude towards his girlfriend. The subtle narrative and vivid depiction of emotions
make this love story exceptionally touching and heartwarming. The beautiful inflection
of storyline draws the sketch of underlying reason of Charles’ attraction towards Harmony.
Charles’ parents had troubled marriage and in the midst of his family circumstances, the care,
affection, generosity and open-hearted friendship of attracts him and he anticipates spending
as much time with Harmony. His devotion and yearning for affection and get her attention in
every possible way can be felt through careful selection of words.
As the story unfolds, readers interest is enhanced with the growing likeness of Harmony for
young boy and his pure efforts. At first, the scars of past keep her to fully accept and again
step on to the roads of love again, but Charles efforts and passion make her give in and she
also starts loving him. Excellent selection of words to describe erotic feelings between the
lovers, a young boy and a teenage girl, works as icing on the cake. Author also writes few
incidents and efforts for his girlfriend which seems like dragging the story, but he has
efficiently kept the readers connected to the storyline.
The ending, however, is not as anticipated by us generally. Harmony gets sick and cruel reality
of life hits the innocent, pure hearted boy. Death of his girlfriend leaves him devastated and alone.
I think this book is a daring effort of Charles to write about his everlasting scars, endearing moments
of a child’s mind and present them in front of the world in the form of such unique love story.
The compilation of book, indeed, had proofread errors. Like I found just a minor mistake on page 33,
where in the very first paragraph, the third line where “he” should be “He” which I assumed that the
author is referring to God. Normally, the climax comes in the middle of the story but in this case,
death of Harmony was the climax and twist which reached by the end of this story. Besides that,
the true depiction of his emotions and experience of an unusual love story leave the readers
deeply touched as having a mature mind at such young age is really beyond reality.
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122 review is by sam_sarfraz6 on 11/29/20 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo Man” is an extraordinary emotional love story writing by Charles Pendelton.
The story begins with a young boy falling in love with a teenage girl; however, the unique
poetic and romantic writing style of the author captured my heart. The story represents the
purest form of love, devotion, and sincerity to all the readers. The novel has spectacular
poetry lines for the readers. I admire the fact that fundamental characters of the novel were
exclusively highlighted and Charles talked about the controversial nature of the story in the
beginning. The emotions and love story coming from a young boy might seem controversial
to some readers, but they are purer. His parents were irrationally in love with each other before;
however, their relationship was struggling because of busy working schedules and heated
arguments every single day. Charles got attracted to Harmony because of her loving and
honest nature. Spending time with Harmony was an escape from the fights of his parents.
He was always excited about spending time and learning more about her and leaving an
electrifying influence on her. He narrates her marvelous beauty and wisdom along with the
exceptional maturity of this young boy. The young boy struggling with the aspect of becoming
a man, even before being a young boy brings a feeling of detachment that could have been
suitable for his age otherwise. This story differs from others because of being purest in its
nature without getting affected by the difference in age and religion.
The author has wisely selected appropriate words to connect with the emotions for the readers.
His original writing style along with poetic and traditional sentences leaves a lasting impression.
The lewd experiences are not immoral, but have been long-drawn-out in certain places.
I started feeling at a loss after completing this novel. The story is a masterpiece in the history of
romantic novels. The delicacy and simplicity of the characters make a profound relationship with
the reader, making it harder for anyone to read it without getting emotional or dropping some tears.
After going through serious notes in life, Harmony’s death was the greatest loss for him. I was crying
at the ending. Being one of the most magnificent novels that I have ever read in life, Charles is opening
his heart in front of the audience without thinking about the judgment of other people. Charles love story
delivers a perfect interpretation of love, devotion, care, and affection. I will highly recommend everyone
to read and experience this brilliant love story.
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123 review is by tanyagaur on 12/6/20 - (Pakistan)
My goodness...what a Unique, Unforgettable & Unputdownable book!!
A magical story that reveals the essence of pure love and affection between
a charming young boy and a mature teenage girl. This book is so detailed that
it tickles your vivid imagination and without even trying, the scenes from 70’s
will play out in front of your eyes. This book is a tale of a young boy and his love
that engulfed his entire being at a very tender age of 6. The relationship which is
so beautifully portrayed in the novel might come out as controversial, but I really
like how Charles tried to show the clear picture of the journey the reader is about
to embark on through his own creation, Gratissimum, a “welcome mat” with cited
passages from the novel itself.
The whole book is permeated with love and if you dive into this book with open heart,
I tell you for sure that you are going to love every bit of “The Embryo Man”.
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124 review is by promilahasija on 12/19/20 - (Pakistan)
The unforgettable and mesmerizing novel, the Embryo Man by Charles Pendleton,
is achingly beautiful, lyrical and intensely heartbreaking. It’s a portrayal of emotional
heady feelings of first love. It is not mere a love story, but it also teaches a huge
lesson of life, that is ‘recovering to normal life after losing a loved one.’
This beautiful story, while possessing a very unique and emotional plot, describes a
heart-touching love story between two souls, Charles and harmony who were neighbors.
Unlike other typical love tales, it displays the bitter reality of life. Charles is a six year old
American kid whereas harmony belongs to an Indian and Columbian lineage and was a
living Indian goddess in the eyes of Charles. By every means, this story has the ability to
possess your mind through its unique style of storyline, narration and verdict. Though the
author has narrated the real story of his life and has also tried to escape from typical filmy
feeling, he could not isolate them to the fullest. Even the erotic part of the book is so
unbelievable as far as the ages of the characters are concerned.
The way Charles describes her beauty is so unreal for a boy of such a young age that
compels us to doubt on the veracity of the narrative. However, that feeling is kept persistently
down by the pacing narration. I would say that if you love reading the mere expressions and
the thoughts that one may get when deeply in love with someone; the love that stays beyond
life then one must surely read this book.
The storyline is both touching and at the same time confusing! After reading this, I was left
pondering in my head, “Can this actually happen?” The novel has a great quality in it, that is,
it leaves you confused and focuses to contemplate the story. It is for those who love to think
and go beyond the actual “literal meanings”. I found the book a bit boring in the initial part,
probably because I was somehow unable to follow the track of the novel, but narration
pace covered it well.
This story is about love in its purest form!
It depicts the divinity and serenity of love!
Believe it or not, this book literally changed my perspective of love.
The story teaches that love is all about wait, patience, endurance,
sacrifice, eternity and much more rather that a hormonal rush in the bodies.
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125 review is by monarjmn on 12/19/20 - (India)
“The Embryo Man” gives a different view to a love story.
Charles Pendelton expresses his love for Harmony in each and every page
of the book. This book is truly written for the author himself. It is an unusual
love story. The love story of a young boy and a grown woman isn’t something
one can stumble upon easily. The plot is unique and we are warned about the
absence of a happy ending. The story did start off well, but it did become slow
in the middle. It felt draggy and I lost context a few times. This story isn’t for
everyone, only a few can feel the emotions of the narrator while reading it.
The writing was amazing and it hooks a reader to read the story.
Since it is a real-life experience of the author himself, it made an impact on me.
Personally, I wasn’t hooked to the book during the mid parts, but the writing
really made me want to complete reading the book.
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126 review is by khishar on 12/31/20 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo man is a very unconventional and controversial tragic love story of Charles and Harmony.
The story is narrated by 42 years old Charles who had written it from the fragmented pieces of his childhood
journals. As the story is compilation of narrator’s disjointed entries of journal it is not written in a linear order.
Flashbacks and fragmented pieces of his memories pop up in the story on various instances. Its narrating
style is unique in a way that you get to read the story from the perspective of a young kid as well as an adult.
The Narrator in this story is not only narrating the story but also jumps in as an adult commentator to explain
his point of view about certain ideas and incidents. He also writes about his feelings that he is able to understand
now as an adult but wasn’t able to comprehend as a child. The frequent appearance of narrator as commentator
gives an insight to the characters and their feelings.
Writing style is very descriptive. Writer has used vivid imagery while describing the detail of characters,
their personalities, surroundings and setting of the novel. The writing style becomes poetic at times as
Charles describes his feelings for Harmony or when he shares the details of their intimacy. The major
theme in this novel is love. The whole story revolves around Charles’s love for Harmony. As a seven-
year-old kid Charles had no idea what love is or how one feels when in love but he could only
comprehend his feelings in a way he saw people showing their affection to their loved ones.
“I had no idea what love was all about, but I knew it had something to do with the way two people kissed.
First, I needed to get that special kiss from her, but how?”
For Charles lover is not only showing physical affection but a beautiful feeling and
bond that you share with someone. For him love was intricately woven in subtle
moments they share together or the ordinary things Harmony did for him.
“Harmony was always singing for me as she played her acoustic guitar, and that made
me feel good, but what I really wanted was for her to sing to me. To feel that bond of
togetherness. That heartfelt cloying of over-exaggerated needs. I think it’s called love”.
The story is very controversial as it discusses a kind of tabooed topic.
The love between a 16-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy. The characters not only transcend the ethnical,
racial and societal boundaries but the age as well. It is really disturbing to read the kind of relationship
Charles and Harmony shared. They broke all the norms of society and sometimes it seems disgusting
and unbelievable that a mature girl is sexually involved with a young boy of only nine or ten years old.
The intimate details of their relationship can dismantle you.
Sometimes you find difficult to comprehend the kind of intimacy they both shared but it is not entirely fiction.
These kind of things happen and we find the traces of them in other pieces of postmodern literature as in
“The Reader” by Bernhard Schlink as well.
As Charles falls in love a girl 10 years older than her we constantly see a conflict in Charles’ personality.
He is torn between being a child and wanting to be a man and acting like an adult throughout the story.
“I honestly believed I had the mind of a fully-grown adult.
An adult who stood firm in curiously piecing together the puzzle known as life”.
He wants to be mature and older so that he could show and announce his love for Harmony publically
and he won’t have to feel ashamed about their relationship. And in his constant fight always considered
him an adult.
“A child I may very well have been indeed, but around Harmony, I felt more like a man
trapped inside a boy’s body”.
Towards the end of the story we see that like all other things Harmony is ultimately the one
who helps him overcome this conflict.
“You have to choose one, and that is what you will become.
Do you choose to be an embryo, or do you choose to be a man?”
Harmony’s character is shown to be very delicate and sweet from the beginning of the story.
She has deep rooted cultural values.
“The one thing that really fascinated me about Harmony was she had never become Americanized.
This country had not changed her. She knew who she was, and wasn’t afraid to show it”.
Their relationship ends with a really tragic incident that shatters your heart into pieces.
The ending is so heart wrenching that you cannot hold your tears back.
I do not want to give any spoilers but be aware when I say it this novel
will leave you heartbroken as it left Charles.
“If I have to wait a lifetime for the pain to subside, then so be it”.
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127 review is by aasmii on 12/31/20 - (Nepal)
Personally, so far, this is one of my favorites read with a brilliant love story,
a perfect interpretation of love, care, deviance, and affection. Actually, it is more
than a whisper. Charles unlocks his heart to the readers without thinking about
the moral judgment they would have on him.
The novel has phenomenal lines of poetry. I admire the fact that the novel's main
characters were exclusively highlighted and that Charles spoke at the outset of the
controversial nature of the story. Feelings and love coming from a young boy seem
somewhat controversial to some readers, but they're denser and pure for sure.
Time spent with Harmony was an escape from the fights of his parents.
This story differs from the others because it is pure in nature without being affected by
the age difference and religious dogma. This love story is so out of the norms of society
that Charles himself says in the novel, "It is a story of a young boy desperately struggling
to win the affections of a very mature teenage girl he cannot stop thinking of."
The dramatic plot and vivid portrayal of emotions make this love story incredibly touching.
I must say that the excellent choice of words to describe erotic thoughts between a young
boy and a teenage girl made us all overwhelmed at some point.
The story is a masterpiece of mature and intricate plotlines taking you to the roller coaster
of emotions, leaving you tearful eyes to parts of it. Harmony's death was the greatest tragedy
to him. So basically, you're going to read about the life of two people and how heartbreakingly
their story ended. The love story left me deeply touched as having a mature mind able to
love at such a young age is really beyond my imagination.
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128 review is by dikshasharma24 on 1/3/21 - (India)
"The Embryo Man" by Charles Pendelton is a journey of how a young boy
fell in love with a young girl. This story is a roller coaster ride of emotions,
a story that depicts true and pure love.
A very unconventional and unorthodox love story which will surely not disappoint you.
This novel is a romantic non-fiction taking place in the early 70's which narrates
the innocence, passion, fondness, warmth, attachment and intimacy of young love.
A crush that grew into something that is precious and beautiful. It surely must be
magical to experience love so deep and a connection so strong.
The climax will break your heart, leave you crying.
I would highly recommend reading this tragic and heart-rendering
love story composed by Charles Pendelton.
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129 review is by secretraaz on 1/12/21 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo Man by Charles Pendelton is not your average romantic story.
It’s not a book you pick up when you want to do some lighthearted reading.
It starts with cautionary remarks about how unconventional this story is and anyone
who reads it should proceed at their own risk. That caution was absolute necessity
because not everyone can be open-minded about these situations.
It is the story of young boy, a child in fact, who falls in love with a young girl of nineteen.
It is a very controversial book but it shows love in its purest form. The book has an amazing
feel of olden times. We are often reminded of how much times have changed. The writing is
lengthy at some points but very beautifully written. The thought of such feelings coming from
a boy of 7-9 years is incomprehensible but everything is explained in such details that you
can’t deny the truth of his feelings.
Spoilers ahead: Charles was instantly attracted to Harmony the first time he saw her.
This is the story of how through his undying affection, he finally drew out the truth from
her as well that she loves him, too. Being an adult, she was trying to be sensible about
it but couldn’t hold her feelings anymore in face of his true love. Nowhere you get the
feeling that what Charles is feeling is just infatuation or crush.
The love he feels, they both feel is very real. They pass all stages of their love together
and in complete accordance. But this is not a happy story. It’s a tragedy whose end will
leave you feeling very sorry for both of them. The only thing I didn’t like about this story
was that it seemed to miss some elements of continuity. I would have preferred if the
ages were mentioned at most of the points so it became easier to see the situation.
Overall, an out of the box book that summarizes love. It also has such profound
thoughts scattered all over that anyone who reads it will end up learning something.
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130 review is by abeera_3kay on 1/12/21 - (Pakistan)
Charlie I read your entire story and now, below, I'll write my
complete unbiased feedback to your book, "The Embryo Man".
Firstly, I am tremendously sorry for your loss, and the trauma you had to go through
as such a beautiful childhood. But, I'm not here to offer pity, but power to you. In the
beginning of the novel, the author mentioned a word 'intricately', the author is a man
of his word, indeed each of his emotions that he passed through counting 46 years
ago was sewn with such precision, GOD! Indeed, each of his words, sentiments,
everything made sense to me when I finished the novel.
I am a human, and yes I did judge Charlie.
Even Harmony, while I read the novel, at various occasions.
The bond Charlie and Harmony had, the love, the affection, those moments, the love making,
the dreams they held, the future they wanted together, the wait, the time limit, everything and
so many more big and small things, they had something to cherish, something really different,
and most of it, IT WAS PURE. His parents didn't had that but as a child he had a man within
himself to protect the woman he loved. That was something that held me spellbounded.
I don't know how to pay my tribute to the author for dwelling into his most painful moments
and write all of them, relive the sweet and salty moments and I know it must've taken great
courage and CHARLIE PENDLETON YOU DID IT.
Yes you've indeed opened a door of your memories that you can't even lock ever again,
how it must have affected you and your entire life, but honestly, this wasn't just any 'novel',
it was a 'part of you, part of your life'. And you must hold it with happiness.
Yes, it wasn't a fairytale, at all.
But, it was REAL.
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131 review is by roshnikiran on 1/12/21 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo Man... It is a love story with an unpredicted twist at the ending
between Charles and his girlfriend Harmony. As Sugar, spice, and everything
nice is the variety of life same like companionship, compromise, and memories,
are the varieties of love! Every love story will give you a bit of tragedy and plenty
of romance. But Charles’s Love Story gives you an additional bonus of how an
actual romantic relationship should be without any boundaries.
The readers may find this book surprising cause of the love feelings arising in
the mind of an innocent child for a teenage girl. The author beautifully explains
the situation when the young boy saw Harmony first time, her physical traits,
and especially her mature reaction to his first compliment for her brown eyes.
Charles’s parents have an anxious marriage and they fight all the time. During all this,
Charles develops feelings and attraction towards Harmony due to her caring and friendly
nature. Harmony also starts liking the innocent nature of this child and his efforts to win
her heart. All this remains very helpful to forget her past where she was betrayed badly.
Spending time with each other was an escape from that grief they were going through.
In the end, tragically Harmony got sick and passed away and Charles
didn’t be able to effort her leaving in a good way. That’s where I feel
so upset and it brings a tear in my eyes that hit me hard too.
Charles’ style of writing is very simplistic. Every scene has its charm, and leaves
a sweet little smile on your face. This Love Story is a story that remains close to my
heart across time! Once you pick it up, you simply HAVE to finish it at one stretch.
Apart from being an innocent story of love between two people, from different
age groups, Love Story brings to you, two characters who unintentionally creep
into your conscience and make a place for themselves.
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132 review is by ridaihsan on 1/29/21 - (Pakistan)
'The Embryo Man' is a romantic story written by Charles Pendelton, extracted from his own life.
The author is narrating his love story that happened in the 1970s. He explains how he falls in love
with a girl at first sight who is older than him and struggles to win her love. In the beginning, Charles
explains the motive behind writing his story. He always wants to be mature and older to love Harmony
without fear of being ashamed about their relationship. The whole novel revolves around Charles's
love for Harmony. He beautifully explains when he first saw Harmony, her physical appearance.
He got attracted to Harmony for her loving nature. She taught him so many learnings, lessons, feelings,
and the way of living life. He was always excited about spending more time, learning more about her.
His thoughts and observations in the story are explained poetically and attractively, unlike traditional
moral sentences. Charles’s style possesses originality for effective writing.
It is not a typical love story. The writer was six years old and, this age is too young to understand
the emergence of human emotions like love, infatuation, fascination, erotic feelings, and jealousy.
In Charles’s own words, 'It’s is a story of a young boy desperately struggling to win the affection of
a very mature teenage girl he cannot stop thinking of'. For him, love is not only showing physical
affection but a beautiful feeling. His unique poetic and romantic writing style captured my heart.
He truly depicts his love, emotions, and feelings for his beloved. The emotions and feelings coming
from a young boy might seem controversial to some readers, but for me, these emotions and feelings
are pure and sincere. I like this novel because it is different from other love stories as it is real and the
purest. This story is about love in its purest form and out of the norms of society. This novel brings me
a whole new perspective that love also can happen even at a very young age.
In a nutshell, it is a very unconventional love story, and the author profoundly involves the readers and
makes them feel that they are present at that time. I like this novel very much because it is not just a story,
but has happened in the writer's past. I recommend everyone to read this phenomenal love story.
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133 review is by qureshishaheena on 2/1/21 - (Coimbatore, India)
First, I would like to mention my special thanks to Mr. Charles Pendleton Sir,
who gave me an opportunity to read one of the most peppiest love story of all
times in the Romance genre. While reading the book, I read each and every
line and sentences twice, because each and every feelings and emotions are
explained very well with most appropriate words in a poetic way...
The entire book and it's chapters are very well connected that you go into a
world of imagination as if the entire scenes are happening in front of you in
your thoughts.. (kind off a theatre play or movie)
I really appreciate the guts of the author who dared to convey the little love
story of a little boy (himself) who's just an Embryo in the world of Love..
While reading the first quarter of the book, i was just wondering who could a
little boy of age 6 will go through so many thoughts, feelings and emotions in
such a short span of his life... Mostly I had a personal opinion of having a crush
or infatuation has an age of above 12 or 13, twice that of the author.. But after
reading the entire novel I realised that, few things can happen at any age and
all it needs is a pure heart as that of a little child..
A little heart with pure love, no demons and no evils...
That doesn't count of what you gain or lose...
it's just love only God knows and the tiniest little heart...
I hardly cry!!! But this little boys pains and struggle eached a little in my heart
too and my tears acknowledged unknowingly while having a vision of Maya's
(Harmony) tragic end...
I appreciate how the author has beautifully essayed the beauty of our Indian Lady..
And am very much surprised to read out words like earnings, nose pierce, mehandi
and lehanga ( a very rare case in an American novel) and am proud to be one of it...
Every woman is beautiful in her own way but still our indian ascent are Angels..
And I agree to it...
Well!!! I won't break the surprise, that's hidden in each and every line of this book.
which comes out in a bundle of emotions and feelings of the author... Anyway!!! I agree
with the author that's it's truly something neither read or heard before in my life span...
Am giving 5 star to this book, because it actually deserves a 5 star...
and I also respect the hardwork and dedication of the author who gave more than 10 years
of his life to write this master piece by Putting back forth of his broken little heart...
I would like to recommend you all, to read once at least first few chapters,
but I bet! you will not stop reading/completing the entire book...
Charles Pendleton Sir!!!
Great work!!!
Thanks!
Regards!
Shahena Z
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134 review is by dorazray on 2/9/21 - (India)
(((To me personally)))
Hello Mr. Pendleton. I hope you are doing well. Firstly, I would like to thank you
for providing me with the opportunity of reading your wonderful work. In all of my
honesty, I have never come across something so wonderful, so naturally.
I feel lucky that you chose me to read this wonderful piece of art.
As your book gets more popularity, I am pretty sure your contribution to the literary
world will be remembered as a masterpiece. I can confidently say that I have a new
favorite novel in the genre of romance. The review that I have attached is for the
goodreads page, and if its fine with you , I will add it there. Thank you and regards.
(((Goodreads Review)))
I haven’t read a novel in a long time and I am glad that I broke my hiatus with this
spectacular book. It was an enchanting experience to go through the whole story.
The most fascinating thing about the novel was that I felt like a teenager high on
love, while reading the story. You know it’s a good book when all the characters of
the story come alive effortlessly in front of your eyes. Charles’s careful selection of
words to describe the events of his story kept me captivated throughout the novel.
The authors way of thinking and conveying his feelings
for the love of his life is extremely heartwarming.
The love that the protagonist displays from a very young age, appears to be platonic at
first however, as the story progressed, I felt like I have traversed a whole new dimension
of love, which is more than physical and platonic combined.
Love has many phases and one can travel through all of the warm and cold stages of
true love while reading the story. There was a big smile on my face while reading the
parts where one could clearly feel how wonderstruck the author was by Harmony.
Then came the harsh phases where one could feel the author’s pain and heartbreak.
I literally felt my heart sinking while reading the painful parts of the author’s life in the
story. The story was bittersweet and can remind one of their own incomplete love story
while providing a type of closure, as it did to me.
Overall, Mr. Pendleton’s style of writing was very refreshing and the book
restore my faith and love for good romance novels. I would like to thank him
for this wonderful book and I congratulate the readers for finding this gem
of a book amongst thousands of novels available in the market today.
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135 review is by mahaqaiser17 on 3/2/21 - (Pakistan)
The writer has impressed me with the way he described his feelings for Harmony.
It is something in the words he chose that takes you into the story, back to the 1970s.
I have read quite a few literary books and being fond of literature, I found this piece of writing
extremely interesting and the one that enthralls the readers. It is as if you are experiencing the
whole situation in person, the way the child reacts to his parents fighting, the first time he saw
Harmony and just the perfect description of the way she looked so exquisitely beautiful.
Love, an emotion described so well by the author, I must say it is difficult to put into words how
one feels this extremely intense emotion. As the writer grew old, his love for harmony blossomed as
he describes in one of his lines, “How a gentle woman with unembellished beauty could mesmerize
my world and take hold of my very soul was a mystery of mysteries for me at the time”.
This line touched my heart like any other and I really felt what true love is.
The story takes a very interesting and unexpected turn when Charles expressed his feelings
for Harmony. The writer sure knows well how to pen down his thoughts in the most appropriate
manner. The casual feel and the mystery associated with their relation is what makes it highly
interesting and encourages a reader to get to know what would happen next.
Moving on, I would like to appreciate the fact that the author tried to imply repeatedly in his story.
The child who was at the time just a third grader, could so perfectly understand the way Harmony
reacts when her parents came over unexpectedly and she had to remove her bindi. The emotions
so well described, let alone from a child, makes it even more interesting, as he now knows what
true love is, companion whom you cannot live without.
I was rather impressed by the way it has been described that how this nine-year-old consoled
her lover when she went into the retrospect and remembered her past traumas. The emotional
roller-coaster took me within the intense situation and I failed to hold back my tears over the
misery and ultimate misfortune that Harmony had been inflicted with.
As the story goes on, the writer tells the readers how Charles felt like a man old enough at one instant
and like an embryo at another. From there, the author knew, the book was to be named as the embryo
man. In my perspective, the imagination of the character itself, the ability to co-exist in different world,
to experience one’s desires in the most intense state, is what marks the specialty of this book. There
is an on-going suspense which keeps the reader stuck onto the book.
I think the ending to this book is what will shatter your heart into a million pieces. We can never
go through the exact pain that the writer experienced but for sure this writing made it clear that
whatever existed between Charles and Harmony was the divine form of love, something that
would be impossible to bury with the body of his beloved. The book does justice to Harmony,
she will live in the memory of each one who reads her story.
I would really recommend this piece of writing to be read far and wide, so
that people shall be able to experience and to know love in its purest form.
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136 review is by chhavigupta89 on 3/11/21 - (India)
Books are commitments. You need to be very careful with what you choose and I
am super glad that I chose this one to accompany me for a couple of days and fill
me with so much love and empathy. I could connect with the author extraordinarily
well and understand the deep emotions that have been portrayed by Charles.
The Gratissium and the Introduction are so gripping as if they're almost
a part of the storyline, while the story doesn't even start there!
As the first chapter backdates to the ‘70s of the twentieth century,
you realize how different - only more beautiful-love stories were then.
This book is everything cute and a true definition of love. It explains how love and
life can't be separated from each other. Doubtlessly, as it is also touted as one of the
most unconventional and controversial books ever written, it's everything that one
wouldn't see as normal. Yet you wouldn't find it unusual while reading; it's filled with
innocence and purity of a child's love. Obviously, though, you do see (visualize)
Charles experiencing his first kiss with the first love of his life!
Further, it's amazing and worthwhile to read how the author has described the beauty
of his beloved. Keeping this review without of any spoilers that could kill your mood,
I end this here and give this book ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
All in all, if you're looking for something to fill your time, The Embryo Man is a must
to go, you'll soon see the book filling your time because you'll want to keep reading
it until culminates, which *Spoiler Alert* is not a conventionally happy ending.
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137 review is by rlorraine on 3/12/21 - (Pakistan)
You will never be the same person once you give your heart to someone. Sometimes
it turns into a blessing but unfortunately, it never happens very often. That is the price
you pay for loving someone wholeheartedly and giving that person your precious heart.
‘The Embryo Man’ is the author's 'Journey through the past’ shakes the soul of the
reader and grabs you by the throat until the very end. The author’s genuine feelings
speak directly to the reader because everyone of us has felt the passionate feelings
of first love but never had the courage to express it to the world.
It is a love story so unique and pure, untainted by the worldly lust.
Love knows no age, it just happens.
As the author says, ‘In theory, we all live in glass houses’.
Glass house can be a metaphor used to describe our hearts. As once broken can
never mend again. Once we let someone reside in it, it is hard to let go of the feelings.
It changes everything. So, did it changed everything for Charles who when first saw
Harmony, found himself in an interwoven net of feelings and passionate love. His
burning desire to win her and his constant fear of losing her creates curiosity and
keeps the reader engaged to know what road this love story will take.
As the author says in the novel that ‘for every step taken on life’s long journey,
there is one we do not come back from’. Indeed, it is true, there is that very one
decision we make, that one thought we act upon has lasting marks on our personality.
The marks, the experience, the feeling, which we can never escape from.
The essence of pure love is that wonderful beginning
that ultimately ends in sadness and impossibility.
A breathtaking love story engulfed with purity took place in New Drop,
Borough of Richmond, Staten Islands, from 1970 to 1974.
Neither a ‘time machine’ nor ‘Aladdin’s lamp’ can bring back what is lost. This is the bitter
truth of life that we learn at the end of the novel. In this transient world, nothing stays forever.
Sooner or later it is meant to be perished, living only in the hearts and memories of the living.
The deeper the love with the lost individual, the more painful it becomes to move on.
Death comes as a thief and steals Harmony from Charles. Their heartbreak love strikes
like a dagger in the heart of the reader. Their destiny eclipses their world, blows out their
light, their flame, breaking the dream they were living in. Each of them was experiencing
a fairy tale, where everything was perfect and lovely, however, it is a dark truth that such
dreams don't last forever and become a prison where the dreamer stays a prisoner forever.
The story utterly reckons to a quote by Emily Bronte:
‘Whatever our souls are made of His and Mine are the same.’
‘The Embryo Man’ is spectacularly a different novel in its nature as it comes directly from the
heart of the author. The novel is rich in metaphors and similes. The poetic and philosophical
language of the novel makes it mesmerizingly different from the conventional moralistic language.
The title of the novel is striking as the word ‘embryo’ depicts the developmental stage of an
unhatched offspring. As you read the novel it unfolds how a young boy develops into a mature
man on the journey of love, the maturity he gains. It reminds me of a quotation I read somewhere
that we get mature not with age but with the damage. It takes a lifetime for some people or perhaps
it never happens in their lifetime to learn what the author learned at a very young age.
It was a tantalizing experience reading the novel. If you are done with reading the regular and typical
style of writing, then ‘The Embryo Man’ is the number one choice, I would recommend you to read
and experience the out-of-this-world descriptions of the tender yet passionate first love.
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138 review is by samfarooq725 on 3/19/21 - (Pakistan)
I'm so glad that I get a chance to do the beta-reading of this beautiful piece of writing.
I was intrigued to read the book just after reading its epigraph. I thought why not explore it
further and guess what? I get a beautiful love story of an amazing boy when he was a child.
Those pure feelings of love, sincerity, and affection will take you to another world. If you have
a strong imagination then trust me this love story will take you to another world. Charles has
used mesmerizing words and his writing style is quite different than normal writers.
Since he has used a different approach to deliver his exquisite love story.
His constant efforts to tell the story in its original form are quite appreciated.
His sincerity and innocence will make you fall in love with his love story.
Highly recommended!
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139 review is by sru5hti on 3/22/21 - (India)
I have read so many books and this by far the most interesting book that
I have ever read. The ending was unexpected. The lovestory is so unique
and so full of emotions. The climax was heartbreaking but I loved the
story so much. The book is worth it. I am so glad I got to read this book.
The author really did a great work.
Every scene had something new.
The way the author wrote is so good.
This is the first time I have completed a book
in two days because it was really really good !!!
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140 review is by tlvidya on 3/29/21 - (India)
I loved the way the words are used in this novel.
It is more poetic, and it just flows through very nicely.
This book is more like a biography where the author narrates his story
when he was a child. The characters are defined in a good way. It is very
easy to visualize what is happening in the story by the way it is narrated.
Especially the Indian /Columbian cuisines are very beautifully defined. On
the little bit of improvement side, I felt the story nagging at some point of time,
Where in Harmony and Charlie keep romancing fearing if someone would see.
Maybe I am bit orthodox, I could not accept a 9-year-old boy having intimate
relationship with a woman in the beginning. But I got used to it with Charlie
started behaving in a mature manner towards the end of story.
Some parts of mystical happenings when
Charlie comes of age is also little bit confusing.
The end can be predicted before hand as the author keeps saying he is going to
lose the lady. The mixture of present as to what his mind says (where the words
are highlighted) and past might make the reader wonder what exactly is happening.
Overall a breezy, quick read with great usage of poetic words.
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141 review is by myran28 on 4/1/21 - (United Arab Emirates)
When the book started and the author mentioned he was in love with a girl 10+ years
his senior when he was a child, I was apprehensive because I thought it might be about
grooming and I really didn't want to read a real life story where that happened.
As I progressed through the book, I realized it was a pretty much one sided love from the
little boy, and I was hoping it would remain that way throughout the book. Alas, that was
not the case and there were certain..activities..between them that are pretty illegal almost
everywhere in the world and certainly in the United States. That part was definitely shocking
and something I did not anticipate even from reading the gratissimum before I read the book.
Some dialogues were surprising, like Harmony saying girls dress up and look good
for men, not just for themselves. I know in the present day that's certainly not true
because women do these things as a form of self care and creative expression.
The author wasn't kidding about things being different in the 70s, which is a super
interesting insight into how different the thought process was at the time.
Also, I won't lie, the author kinda romanticizes Harmony's ethnicity and calls her
exotic for being of Indian and Colombian descent. Stereotyping her, basically.
At one point in the book, the author says that her parents would not accept
him because of cultural differences. Um no, it's because you're literally ten.
The author writes well, and the story of a kid growing up in New York suburbia
in the 70s would be an interesting read even on its own. As it stands, this book
is wildly polarizing, but the author is quite aware of this fact and honestly says
that he wrote this book for himself first; the readers are secondary.
That explains why he chose the subject matter - clearly it's something very close to his heart.
Overall, this book is quite risqué and the "romance" is something that is honestly just illegal,
however much the author thinks of it as pure.
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142 review is by nisha4you on 4/4/21 - (India)
Before I make any comments or start to give my utmost honest opinions on the book I must
declare this, that up until now I have just read only a couple of books most of them being
autobiographies. Still, to be true I am always open to read books pertaining to any genre.
Now that I have finished reading the book I can definitely say that you definitely
succeeded in reanimating Harmony in my heart and mind forever.
For the beginning I was quiet uncertain about what I was going to read.
As you mentioned you were going to relive those memories with Harmony and that you would
like to be with her once more. But then as I went further I realized that this was far more intense
that just remembering or reliving memories that you created with your loved ones. Especially the
way you poured life in the moments that you and Harmony spent together is far beyond amazing.
The theme of the entire book definitely resembled 70’s.
As I went on to read the book it certainly did turn a little bit erotic and blurred that thin lie between
pleasure and love. But as the story unfolds in the later chapters, your love and uneasiness in the
relationship redraws that line. For the ending I actually felt the pain of Harmony passing away.
Your story is definitely deep and impactful. I don’t want to bring this up but I did have some trouble
catching up with the timeline of the story from pt 4 to 6 probably. If that’s not an issue, then I think
the book and Harmony would definitely catch up to everyone out there.
As I mentioned earlier, being almost a novice reader I had some problem keeping up with the
time line in the middle. The events and feelings were crystal clear but the sudden shifts from
one day to another or the change of seasons was really tough for me to keep up for a while.
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143 review is by kinzajavedch on 4/9/21 - (Pakistan)
How do define a sweet, innocent and pure love?
I would define it as THE EMBRYO MAN - the love of sweet Charlie!
This book signifies that love is a feeling which is independent of all
the other factors. It is what you feel, when you feel and how you
feel for someone. It does not follow any rules or boundaries.
There is no limit to true love!
Do you want to learn how to love?
Read this book and learn from little Charlie.
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The Rainbow Journey by Kinzajaved Choudhry on Goodreads
The Rainbow Journey by Kinzajaved Choudhry on Amazon
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144 review is by mah_noor_8 on 4/9/21 - (Pakistan)
When I began reading the novel, I can’t deny that I thought it would be just another
Tragic Love story. In the very starting I even felt bothered by the forbidden nature
of the romance and undoubtedly judged it as well. Maybe I was the reader that the
narrator kept warning about for I was absorbed in morality and was judgmental.
However, once I casted that aside by imagining myself as the protagonist, I could
actually feel all that he felt. The vivid descriptions and the realistic imagery started
to play in front of my eyes like a cinematic reel. Though, I wasn’t the third person,
I felt like the first person who was experiencing it all.
From my own perspective the narrator felt like a man in an embryo. His outer shell had
always been a child but his inner self was a man entrapped in the skin of a boy. There
laid before my observant eyes, two people in love who would be marginalized by the
discriminating society if discovered under the roof of the temporary comfort they’d found
in each other. In fact they are twisted characters with a unique emotionality of their own.
I also had to thoroughly impress the idea that this was a middle aged man writing a story
about his childhood. His time had been frozen since he was barely twelve and it began
ticking once again when the Pandora box of his sealed love had been broken wide open.
Time started ticking for him. He was already well-cognizant when the time would eventually
flow from the stillness. He’d already had a premonition that it was the end for whatever
sanity he had left for all these years where he kept dragging himself forth through time.
As a reader, I was honestly more absorbed in his well-developed thoughts rather than
Harmony herself. For me, sometimes Harmony felt unreal. Unreal, not in the sense
that her character wasn’t described enough. But in a sense that such a complex yet
understanding woman could only be a part of an imagination.
It almost reminded me of Damian by Herman Hesse. Harmony felt like Damian who
was guiding Sinclair over a journey to self realization, acceptance and discovery. This
is also one of the reasons where at some points I felt that Harmony was probably a
figment of imagination of the narrator where he sought comfort and discovered his
sexuality as well as his identity. This theory of Harmony being a figment of imagination
stood more ground at the scene when the two had the mushrooms which led them
over to crossing a spiritual bridge towards adulthood i.e. the coming of age ceremony.
Whether or not it was a psychological figment of his imagination, it doesn’t matter.
The whole journey of life is the point. This is the man that had lived his life all in two
years that he’d spent in loving his friend, his teacher, his lover and his soul mate;
all in one. Even after so many years, all he can do is wait for her to finally come
and be his guide, his light and his companion in his final journey.
There is no other way for me to put it in words except to say that this is indeed a
heartbreaking tragic love story that is meant to trek you from suffering towards the
realization how futile the efforts of man are in front of the cruel goddess of fate.
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145 review is by fayimaaa on 4/12/21 - (Pakistan)
‘‘I often wonder how our children would have looked.
Part me and part Harmony, they would have been remarkable kids.
We would have given them the world, and in return, I am sure they would
have given us consolation, but some things are just not meant to be.
They are the forbidden fruit of our sorrow.
If I should never have another enjoyable day.
See another beautiful smile.
Touch another wonderful face.
If I should never hold another gentle hand,
then I can genuinely say with a whole heart,
you were worth it, my darling’’. (p. 316)
Oh, my heart!
This was heart breaking and beautifully written. I love the sad way this sounds.
This letter, that Harmony wrote for Charles, holds such a grief in it that I couldn’t
help but mourn for Charles’s loss. His words are real and his story is truth.
Charles Pendelton's "The Embryo Man" is a romantic non-fiction that teaches us the
lesson that love knows no boundaries. It grabbed my attention from the first page and
kept me smiling and crying. The language is eloquent and will stick with you till the end.
The theme tackled is hugely impactful, dealing with innocence, passion,
endearment, vehemence, attachment and intimacy of young love.
The warmth in the story narration will make you fall in love with Charles’s innocent self and
his exquisite love story. As a young boy, he warmed up my heart. He had a man within
himself to protect the woman he loved. That was something that held me spell-bounded.
The different emotions in between lines are so deep; sometimes it made me
heart broken, sometimes it made me feel really helpless. The very best and
unexpected part of the novel was its warm depiction of the Indian culture
It takes great courage to be vulnerable and to share, with the world, your precious
and painful parts of life, without having a fear of being judged. I want to pay tribute
to Charles Pendelton for penning down this heart warming master piece from his life.
You have given harmony a new birth through this book.
She will always be in the memories of your reader :)
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146 review is by kristentru on 4/16/21 - (United States)
Pendleton does an amazing job of pulling the reader in and creating
a nostalgic feeling of love.
There is no love as powerful or breathtaking as young love, and The
Embryo Man pulls at every memory that I may have once forgotten.
It’s the unlikely love story written with such passion and drips of loss that
it’s easy to get sucked into this story. Then he pulls you out of your almost
love trance with some real tragedies and heart-wrenching moments.
There were times that this novel admittedly made me a bit uncomfortable,
but I think that being uncomfortable is necessary when it comes to creating
a unique text that makes you really think.
I really enjoyed this novel and hope to see more from this author!
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Rated 4-Stars)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Kristen Tru - One Dead Girl on Amazon
Kristen Tru - One Dead Girl on Goodreads
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147 review is by aisha_rafique on 5/14/21 - (Pakistan)
Love has been elucidate in a splendid way in The Embryo Man by Charles Pendelton.
A unique lovestory of a boy falling in love with a woman much older than him that made
him nothing but a finer human. Together they traversed the intangible as well as the
corporeal journey of life that bumped off their humdrum life. The aesthatic composition
and the choice of words in the novel leaves one amazed beyond expectations.
The debonair personality of both the leads and the amalgamation of different cultures
keeps the reader hooked to the book. The harsh realities of life they both went through
created a sense of mutual affection in them. And in the climax scene, the death of charlie's
love has the capability of tearing up anyone. In a nutshell, this novel describes the emotions
of two persons deeply in love and how love has the power to change one's life. Hands down
this is one of the best love-stories I've ever read. Highly recommended.
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148 review is by nadaasjad on 6/28/21 - (United Arab Emirates)
This novel is undoubtedly one of the finest accounts of romance I have ever read.
Charles Pendleton forces the reader to open their mind and keeps pushing moral
boundaries. The story begins when a young child finds himself falling in love with a
teenage woman at the gates of adulthood. What follows is a beautiful story of love,
craving, and sorrow.
The Embryo Man is not a book you can keep down.
Once you start reading it you are captured within, leaving you with no choice but to
complete the entire journey. As pointed out by the author in the beginning, the story
may be controversial to many but the love portrayed is pure. Young Charlie finds a
home in Harmony. He finds solace in her when his parents are constantly fighting,
she is always there for him.
She is patient with him, when his parents are not. She is loving and warm. To Charlie,
she is an angel. He loves her because she is affectionate, loving and simply the most
beautiful woman he ever laid his eyes on. She loves him because he gives her the sense
of security that no one else ever did. This feeling is captured by the author’s unique,
yet traditional style of writing.
The whole book is poetry.
Charlie and Harmony grow quite close, and he learns a lot from her. He learns about her
and her Indian culture. And most importantly, he learns how to love her. He is extremely
mature for a boy his age, and quite often he feels like a man stuck inside the exterior of a
young boy. Yet he still struggles with the thought of becoming a man. All their differences
never seem to overcome them.
Together, Charlie and Harmony explore each other, mentally and physically.
They expand all boundaries and submit themselves to one another completely.
Some of the love-making parts are bit weird to read when you realize that this
is a young child you are reading about. Nonetheless, it is beautifully written.
The story is definitely one in a million.
A beautiful account of a unique love. I would call it tragic, but experiencing love like that could
never be a tragedy. The author bared his heart and soul for the world to see, not caring about the
consequences, just so that his love and his lover could stay alive through the memory of others.
If you are someone who likes indulging in stories of forbidden romance, this is the tale for you.
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149 review is by Aishaghias on 6/29/21 - (Pakistan)
OMG I am totally in love with this book.
Once I started, I couldn't stop reading and completed it in less than 2 days.
Charles Pendelton has beautifully personified the character of his love which
is still same in his heart. He perfectly described his beautiful relationship with
his girlfriend "Harmony". He described her as a perfect example of perfection.
Their story started with childish love and move towards intimate feelings for
each other. They were so happy with each other until a cruel day came and
took away Harmony from Charles. Even though she is not with him but he
still feels her. This erotic story is full of love and life lessons. There was
not a single moment when I get bored of reading this.
The climax of this book gave me tears, really!
I really wish this book to be filmed. If someone makes a
movie on this story, it surely ll break all previous records.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Rated 5-Stars)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
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150 review is by aeni_kh on 7/1/21 - (Pakistan)
Sometimes we read a book that we wish would never wrap up. I exactly
feel the same for The Embryo Man by Charles Pendelton. It is the kind
of book which pulled me in from the beginning and kept me inquisitive
till the exceptional conclusion. The story started in 1970 when Charles
met Harmony who was elder than him. She was a beautiful young girl
with a kind heart. As we always hear love has no age boundaries,
Charles has successfully proved it right.
Charles at the age of 6 gets matured enough to deal with different shades
of love, anger, friendship and jealousy. He knew well how to care and how
to give respect to his relationship. Rueful for the misfortune and tragedies
they both passed through and that pain cannot be indited.
In terms of writing, the author has used words beautifully and adeptly
to express his feelings and emotions. The strong plot and the epic
conversational style made this creation extraordinary and highly
valued. I truly wish him to keep on writing as he got astounding ability.
I found nothing controversial and this book is highly
recommended to experience something distinctive.
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151 review is by Noor Ahsan on 7/2/21 - (Pakistan)
I am glad that I got an opportunity to read this masterpiece based on
pure emotions and eternal love. It was an amazing experience to know
about Charles and his love Harmony who was an Indian descent.
Charles was a full-grown child and Harmony was a broad-minded
young girl with a beautiful heart. There were moments where I was
like holding my breath and hurriedly reading to perceive the exact
resolution of a situation. It was so unfortunate that Harmony has
gone by too early and her space will remain vacant forever.
I absolutely loved the captivating writing style of the author.
I have enjoyed reading it and will also suggest my friends to go for it.
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152 review is by deejashahid on 7/3/21 - (Pakistan)
I’m not really fond of reading literature especially love stories
as they have a typical storyline but I could not resist reading “The
Embryo Man” a pure masterpiece written by Charles Pendelton.
The Embryo man is a story about an enchanted man as the title describes
and his love for an Indian girl named Harmony. This novel captured my
attention as soon as I started reading it. It's full of love, care, affection,
and romance. While reading it I did shed down a few tears as well
because I could feel the depth of the story as I continued reading.
The main thing I love the most about it that makes it even more interesting
to read is that it’s a very pure form of literature and it makes me feel as if
it was written for the writer himself first and the reader second.
While reading I could feel the depth of the story and It felt as If I couldn’t help
but dive more to find out what was more for the author and his love Harmony
and I think this is a great skill that only a few talented writers have I usually
take months reading a novel but to be very honest and precise I fell so much
in love with the story that I actually finished it within 9 days only according to
me this novel is a must-read and I’ll be looking forward to reading many more
masterpieces like these by Charles Pendelton. May you always be rewarded
with success in whatever you do and you may achieve whatever you thrive for.
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153 review is by proofreading_ed on 7/16/21 - (Pakistan)
"The Embryo Man" written by Charles Pendleton is an amazing love story
I've ever read, full of emotions, care, love, and romance. It is the real love
story of the author's own life. It's a love story with an unexpected twist at
the ending between Charles and his girlfriend "Harmony" of Indian descent.
It is not a usual love story with "happily forever" ending between same age
life partners etc. It is a story of a young boy desperately struggling to win
the affection of a very mature teenage girl he cannot stop thinking of.
The author has a good sense of choosing appropriate words and
sentences to express his emotions which impresses the reader.
The erotic experiences explained in the novel are not filthy but somewhere,
they seem to be a bit overstretched. The same happens with the dream
situations, where the child dreams of Harmony leaving him suddenly,
following a series of incidents.
The reader may feel bored somewhere in the middle of these situations and
want to jump on to the next chapter. But all of this was wrapped beautifully
at the end. Barring a couple of flaws, Charles deserves an applaud for the
honesty and efforts he has put into this book.
It was so detailed, so shaped. I loved it!
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154 review is by mona_khalid on 7/17/21 - (Pakistan)
As gratissimum starts with “it was a warm Friday” wait a minute what I was
thinking is that how all the best children’s stories begins how can he start a
book with this apparent contradiction but since at every moment of our lives
we all have one foot in a fairy tale and the other on abyss, let’s keep that
beginning basically this novel is an autobiography of Charles he gives a
vivid description of his childhood in his autobiography.
He started loving a girl name Harmony I love the way he describes her
features and beauty every time when he see her in Charles own words
“She looked like a model from another planet
Or something you might see on a star trek episode”
As a child he knew she would not be able to love him but “I refused to give
up hope” they were friends first then Harmony starts liking him too Charles
has used poetic language throughout the novel the way he describes the
erotic moments with Harmony it attracts the reader’s attention as romance
is one of the most popular genre but for me Charles has over stretched the
romantic part of the novel as I started feeling bored in the end.
“To me she the god’s finest creation” this was my one of favorite
lines which Charles has quoted I would say that it a romantic
novel with tragic ending which bring tears to reader eyes.
in the end I would say it was a great effort and everyone should read this novel.
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155 review is by asra2790 on 7/21/21 - (Pakistan)
I feel honor after reading this novel, and I enjoyed every word of this novel, a
Warm-Hearted Novel Bestowing an Honest Depiction of a Child's Love Feelings.
The book impacts my heart when you read it, but this novel deeply affects my
heart that I go to my dreams and imagine the same. This novel is a masterpiece,
and I enjoy a lot while reading it and I read it twice because I cannot even stop
myself from reading this again and again. The most sensual and exceptional
love story you will ever read in this quarantine!
I'm so glad that I received this book during these gloomy days of quarantine,
and it was the most unexpected and infrequent love story that I have read so far.
The author brings out a real-life experience in the form of a romantic love story,
and the characters are very well defined with finer details.
I am waiting for the next novel from this author.
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156 review is by Dawood Waseer on 7/23/21 - (Islamabad, Pakistan)
Unfolding the events of personal life, this memoir upholds a coherent
first-person narrative embolden with complex vocabulary. It is exquisitely
written and amalgamation of complex and extensively vocabulary compels
the readers to ponder upon what they might comprehend in this memoir.
In addition to this the discourse of this memoir reflects the vivid emotions of the
writer. Characters are memorable as their character sketch is robust, accentuated
with tiny details. Storyline is riveting because the presentation of the memoir incites
and intrigues the readers for the most part.
Memoir has its fair share of subtle humor, and the robust portrayal of erotic scenes is
the true manifestation of sophisticated writing however, plot at times seems convulsed
and for some reason excessive focus is drawn to the superficial elements of this memoir.
Complex vocabulary Is no hindrance for the adept readers, but it might come out
as a challenge for the beginners because they might not be able to comprehend
the enigmatic thoughts of the writer encompassed in perplexing words.
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157 review is by mahnoorzubair on 7/24/21 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo man is most certainly a very unique book – as was promised by the author –
and as much as it is a pleasure to read, it leaves you feeling many types of conflicting emotions,
including discomfort in certain parts as well. Nonetheless, it has been a pleasure to read with how
beautifully it’s been penned. When I started reading this book, I had no idea what turn it would take,
and then it chose a direction and continued with it. Your emotions get mingled and your brain gets
muddled as to what you should be feeling.
There were a lot of times in the book where I had to highlight sentences because of how pristine they
were. One of them being, “How a gentle woman with unembellished beauty could mesmerize my world
and take hold of my very soul was the mystery of mysteries for me at the time.” (1971 pt2, page 43).
I’d be lying if I said that parts like these did not make my heart go “oof”.
It is an enticing story that sparks your curiosity through and through. There is no predicting what comes
next and it leaves you at the edge of your seat. Set in the 1970s, this book is about a 6-year-old boy named
Charles, who falls in love with a 19-year-old Indian girl called Harmony. You develop a love-hate relationship
with the characters because of how intricately they’ve been designed, and the depth to which their character
traits are written. This young boy who is too charismatic for a 6-year-old, and this girl that has been mistreated
by men ends up finding solace in this young soul. The way that their relationship progresses is described in
such a detailed manner that I had to sit and soak it in for a minute or two before continuing.
I'm gonna be honest here – the sexually explicit scenes did make me feel uncomfortable, but the writer did an
amazing job at describing the relationship dynamic between the two characters. It isn’t your everyday romance
novel, but reading it will not leave you disappointed. Moreover, there were parts in the book where the author
takes you through some of the dreams that young Charles was having. These dreams and the way they are
written really makes you feel as if you’re the one having them. I have never read a book that has such perfectly
transitioning scenes, so well-written that it’s like you’re watching a movie with how descriptive they are.
Moreover, the author’s personal way of writing makes you feel as if you're his friend and he's directly
narrating his story to you over a couple of drinks. This quality of his narration makes you feel a deep
connection that's rare to find between an author and their reader.
As for the end of this book and the depth of emotions that the author captured within these two characters
is mind-blowing. It really gets you in your feels and triggers a part of you that hadn’t been triggered before.
Besides that, its peculiar topic mixed with the author’s Shakespearean style of writing draws you in
and delights you, as it is truly a literary masterpiece. If you've been searching for something different
to read, then this is definitely the book for you. I assure you will be left overwhelmed by emotions,
fidgeting in your seat with an elated heart because of what a pleasurable experience it is.
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158 review is by fakhra_writes on 7/28/21 - (Pakistan)
The embryo man is an emotional read and the language is on spot from the writer.
At first, it perturbed me to see a six-year-old boy falling in love. It was not
what I expected but as the story progressed I started to catch-on on the idea.
The events in the book are beautifully expressed, and it touches the heart of the
readers. As a reader, I wanted to keep reading because the story hooked me and
I loved the expression of emotions by the writer like when he said, “My heart
melted like butter.” I mean the words made me feel like in the situation.
I could feel what was written in my body and existence.
That is a sign of true writer to move you through his sensory details.
The writer description of harmony’s beauty also took me in, and I could envision
her aura nonetheless. As suggested in the title, it is a different love story with the
boy so young to understand love and the girl mature and older than him.
Yet, what they shared in terms of emotions is bliss.
And the test of any love is the test of time which in this story proves it right.
The story started early because their love was short-lived followed by emotional trauma.
I was in tears towards the end, and I can see the true love of the writer outpouring
from each of his words and sentence. I am honored to read this book and I wish
that the two beautiful souls meet each other in some other life and engage in a
beautiful love fill with joy and away from these worldly miseries.
I see great potential in this writer and would urge him to write more for us.
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When He Met She
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159 review is by srushtikale7 on 7/29/21 - (India)
The Embryo Man written by Charles Pendelton is an artistically written love
story that takes you on a journey of star-crossed lovers in the 1970’s era.
The storyline is unlike any other books I have read before. Here there are no
rules, boundaries, or age differences in Love. It’s the kind of love you get to
see in the purest form where the two souls are fascinated and mingled with
each other that they don’t even care if the world will accept their love or not.
Charles and Harmony were each other’s soulmates. She taught Charles the
importance of being a gentleman and how a man should love and adore his
woman instead of treating her like an object and Charles in return did everything
in his control to keep her happy and kept those memories alive with this book.
It’s very commendable for the author to write his love story. He gives us several
warnings before proceeding with the story and also allows us to read and judge
his intimate experiences including some explicit detail scenes mentioned in the
book, which will make the reader uneasy while reading. But I read this love story
without being judgemental and kept aside the ethics and legality of the same.
The dreams of the Author mentioned in books are like waves of water,
as if waves on his mind, subconsciously created due to his feelings which
takes his charge in sleep and these were connections between what he
saw or felt and sometimes he co-related those incidents into reality.
With full details and explanations, the author has depicted the 1970s era before
the reader and describe food, music, culture, etc. of that time in vivid detail.
The eminence of his narration creates a deep connection between the story and
forces us to go on reading to reveal what will happen next and whether they find
their happy ending or not.
The author has taken so much effort to write such a captivating story power-packed
with intense emotions and with a fascinating simile so I suggest you read this book
as it will take you on a journey full of emotional rides you might not want to miss on.
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160 review is by maryamqnissa on 7/29/21 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo Man by Charles Pendelton is an unconventional tale of love and infatuation
that is as real and raw as it gets. This coming-of-age novel is more than a story of growing
up and deeper than your average first love. The connection that the protagonist feels for
his love is explained in such a relatable way that I am sure all of us have experienced it at
some point in our lives, and that is what makes it such an interesting read.
The tale begins by giving the reader a view of an innocent world, set in the scenic Staten Island
in the 1970s, seen from a youngster’s eyes who is just beginning to experience the real world
and cannot wait to do it more., We read how an ordinary, boring summer can turn someone’s
life around, and in this intriguing setting, Charlie spots the woman who will capture his heart,
inspire him in ways he never imagined, and forever become his muse. Charlie meets Harmony,
a beautiful young neighbor, who embodies all the perfect traits that fascinate, excite, and fixate
the young boy into an affair to remember. He becomes drawn to her beauty, her grace, her maturity,
and her gentleness, and especially the way that she seems to tease him out of his shell and makes
him want to become more deserving. Harmony becomes like an enthralling and sensual mystery
for Charles, one that he cannot get enough of.
The innocent way that Charlie is drawn to Harmony soon captures her attention too, and the
two embark on an emotional journey that forms a beautiful bond over the years. Charlie is willing
to give her his all, even at the tender age of 10, and the author does well in explaining the confused
yet profound feelings of the protagonist that make most of the plot. The age difference, while striking
in the setting, is a key component in the story, explaining Harmony’s reluctance and the feeling of
‘forbidden love’ that excites Charles. It is, however, in no way distasteful, and the love story is
managed with the grace and innocence that every first love possesses.
Considering that this is a true story from the author’s personal experience makes it all the more
beautiful and tragic. As the time moves and the story progresses, we see Charlie mature from
an infatuated adolescent to a teenager in love facing social, emotional, and physical challenges,
but the love he feels for Harmony never wavers and soon blossoms into a relationship that will
affect the rest of his life. We can see how his experiences shape him and how the new romantic
and sexual experiences awaken a new side to him that becomes a part of his existence.
The epilogue, in particular, is a raw and heart-rending ending that leaves an impression on the reader
and highlights the profound impact this experience has left on the author. The love and the loss, the
side effects of life if you will, from the mind of Charlie are relatable, touching, and tender.
Reading-wise, the book is a well-developed telling of a tale that wishes to be told. The author manages
to convince the readers of his feelings and emotions quite well and lets the events unfold naturally over
the course of the story instead of forcing them. In some respects, the philosophical style of narration does
get overdone a little, with emotion taking precedence over events, like in Charlie’s sexual encounter scenes,
which while tasteful could use some more refinement in the execution.
Having said that, one of the most impressive things about this read was the unique story.
It is not often you see a love story like this in literature and while there are many
coming-of-age stories out there, The Embryo Man manages to hold its own with
its intense and complex sentiments. It was a beautiful read.
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161 review is by nusrika09 on 7/31/21 - (Bangladesh)
The first thing I'd like to say is that I looooove the novel.
We all know that love is a wonderful emotion. Some love stories occur only
once and continue until both lovers starve to death. This love story is a bit like
that. I've read a lot of books, both fiction and non-fiction, and everything from
love stories to crime scene investigations, from history to modern comedies,
but this book is different. It has real emotion. You can feel the story.
The Embryo Man by Charles Pendelton is not a typical love story. It is indeed artful,
unconventional, and deeply emotional. It's a sad tale about a young boy who falls in
love with a teen girl. The whole story is written in a poetic structure that is heartfelt,
different, and romantic. In this age of unhealthy relationships and breakups, this story
is proud and rich in the purest form of love we can ever read. The story has a little poetic
remedy for fantastic readers like me. It almost gives it a touch of Shakespeare. The writer
doesn't cover up the fact that this story's protagonist is young, but is the key component
of the novel. In nearly every chapter of his story, he reveals this.
The part I most love is when harmony was presented to the writer. How lovely he spoke
of her beauty. When I finished reading this book, I wondered who I was to assign a rating
to such a work of art. The best I've ever read in romance, the pretty amazing novel. The plot
is simple and subtle and the adorability of the characters is profound and there is absolutely
no way for someone to read it right to the end without tearing. The novel reflects a roller coaster
ride of emotions before landing on a more serious journey and feels for Charles, who has lost his
adored Harmony. Still, some of the conversations were so painful. I couldn't stop crying.
Furthermore, Charles' love for Harmony was so genuine that
we rarely see true love in real life. I recommend this book to all.
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162 review is by smart_writer008 on 8/3/21 - (Pakistan)
This is a beautifully written piece of literature.
If you want to read something about true love,
this is going to be one of your favorite books.
"The Embryo Man" is an evidence of true love.
The love which has innocence and passion.
I love the way every word is carefully and beautifully placed to create a
mesmerizing imagery for its readers. Charles, I found him an innocent yet
passionate boy while Harmony is the lucky girl whom he treats like a queen.
The ups and downs are very heart touching in the whole story.
Every scenario described on the page leaves an impression on your personality.
It teaches you honesty and love. It proves that being loyal to the person you love
is the most beautiful part of life. Harmony and Charlie have a beautiful chemistry
while belonging to different generations, this is truly amazing!
Every story is beautiful but some are magical!
This literature gem is just like that magical one with a heart breaking end.
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163 review is by aymunathar on 8/3/21 - (Pakistan)
A truly different and unconventional experience, the blurb doesn’t lie!
The book, “The Embryo Man” unfolds the journey of two young individuals as they navigate
the turbulent waters of a romantic sea. The story is even more profound, as it is based on an
actual series of true episodes of the author’s life. We get a full range of emotional teaspoons
including feelings, infatuation, love, jealousy, lust, sadness, etc. which are beautifully woven
into the narrative. The interracial love between Harmony and Charles keeps you on your toes
with an unexpected twist, at least for me.
Fair warning, if you are looking for a cheesy, sappy teenage romance – this book is not for you.
However, if you are into stories that are different and can take you on an emotional journey,
go right ahead! It is an actual representation of all that Charles went through and had combined
in a journal for safekeeping. Both Charles and Harmony, the main protagonists in the novel
have a troubled past, with Charles going through his parent’s divorce and Harmony with her
own experience of a failed relationship and accompanied trauma. However, together they try
to fix and respect each other, blossoming into a pure lovely relationship.
The sentences, grammar, and vocabulary is top-notch and will be a treat to readers who are
particular about these aspects. The writing is effortless, yet intriguing and was the very first
thing that actually attracted me to this book and kept my interest engaged. The emotive language
compels the reader to actually feel the emotions of the characters in the book as well – scenes
where readers actually feel the pain of Charles is extremely well-written. However, I did feel that
in certain areas, an abundance of descriptions might have ruined the mood, where readers might
get bored due to increased explanations of dreams which became a bit repetitive.
However, the story and writing are authentic and original, so kudos to the author for not falling into the
conventional trapping of a teenage sappy monologue, but instead delving into a more mature outlook
towards life. The book does have explicit scenes as you would expect from a romantic novel, however,
unlike usual erotica, it is hidden under beautiful expressions that do not come across as crass.
However, there are some scenes that might be disturbing to readers
since this book is challenging the prevailing stereotypes and norms.
Character development, I felt was average. Looking solely at the male protagonist, he matured from a
young boy to someone who came into his own and realized the importance of his experiences. I felt that
the female protagonist’s character was a bit neglected, and frankly, I would have liked more insights as
to her thoughts and the origin of her strong personality. I also felt that the ending was a bit abrupt, and
could have been handled in a much more explained way however that is my personal opinion.
Saying that I do believe that this book is original, authentic, and a treat for readers who like a heavy dose
of emotion and profound realizations of the main character’s journey throughout the book. The author has
been extremely brave to pen down his thoughts and journey in this way and I applaud him for this step.
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164 review is by ayeshaashra01 on 8/4/21 - (Pakistan)
The book “The Embryo Man” written by Charles Pendelton is a unique love story
based on his own life. He fell in love (at a very young age) with a teenage girl of
Indian descent and describes how he continue the struggle to win her affection.
He wonderfully explained his first encounter with the love of his life.
Charles has a very fine ability to give words to his emotions which makes the reader
see from the author’s mind. As a young boy Charles struggles to understand his love
story. The age gap between the two lovers makes it hard for the world to understand
the definition of love. Such emotions could be repressed but can not be denied of
their existence.
The embryo man describes a young boy’s love towards an older girl; breaking stereotypes
because when it comes to love, love has no age. The two people, different ages, different
backgrounds, different histories develop feelings of love for each other, without being
judgemental. They enjoy the best time they could have together, they stayed in present
to experience the emotions to their fullest.
But at some points of the story, for instance, the erotic scenes were disturbing and some
readers may find it hard to digest them. If we see this novel from a society’s perspective
it would face criticism as it introduces a new definition of love and how the young man
was obsessed with it. On the other hand, if we read this novel out of societal boundaries
it depicts a picture of love between two individuals.
To conclude, Charles is a brave writer to pen down his controversial love story
for the world to see. You are such an amazing writer that you make it so easy
for the readers to experience your emotions, sadness, emptiness, and loss.
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165 review is by masooma5572514 on 8/4/21 - (Pakistan)
Literally, I feel myself lucky enough that I got the opportunity to read this fantastic
mesmerizing love story. Although having age differences, Harmony and Charles
(the author) made a perfect couple in the story. The author knitted the words in such
a beautiful manner that I am in love with her after reading about how Harmony looked
like and how she dressed up. How they spent quality time, how they shared their
unhidden feelings at the start, I felt like I was not reading a novel but watching the
whole love story as an eyewitness. From the preface to the end, I was unable to
withdraw my attention. I smile with them; I cried with them. I understood from them
that however you belong to different culture, different region, different family background,
love bonds you together.
I especially loved the excitement of Charles for Harmony’s birthday;
how he thought about the gift.
Although I believe in the happy ending of all love stories, in reality, it is not possible,
and this is the real story of the author. So, the sad end made me sad. I wish two
lovers never went through the situation as Charles and Harmony went through.
Honestly speaking, I have never thought that someone can love someone so deeply,
so truly as Charles did Harmony. For me, now is the symbol of Love. I have great
respect from Mr. Charles in my heart now. I read the novel only in three days,
and surely I will recommend “The Embryo Man” to all lovers.
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166 review is by simmy_ss on 8/9/21 - (India)
First of all, hats off to Charles for showing the courage to put forward your heart
touching story and giving a chance for everyone to be a part of your tail. There
are always different perceptions of Love for everyone, but this perspective was
one of the best I have read or heard of till now. This book will demonstrate what
are qualms of destiny and what faith actually is. Charles, his book and his love
story sets an example of true love for everyone out there in this era.
Well, talking about the book, I feel I am so fortunate that I got to read this book and
be a part of their gut wrenching story. Honestly, this is one of those books that I
personally keep on the top list to recommend everyone. The best part is that it is
not merely a book full with fatuous pages of highly exaggerated Romantic stuff.
It is a book of an authentic love story which will make you believe and feel every part
of this tale. I bet, it will make your heart weep as it did mine. Moreover, this book is so
genuine, it has everything that a reader looks for. As for me, I laughed with Charles and
Harmony, I felt love with them as well as woe and cried in despair with Charles.
Their love story was magical, something that touched the core of my heart.
It was something beyond love, which is still keeping Charles alive in loving memory
of his Harmony. In the end I highly recommend this book to everyone out there to read
this once and you will experience humour, love, enormity, grief, every emotion in it.
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167 review is by jorifayesmin on 8/14/21 - (Bangladesh)
The novel " The Embryo Man" is the first novel by Charles Pendelton that explores his identity
as a lover. The first love of his life happened when he was a child. Because of the varying ages
of the two people who are our protagonists, the story is both unconventional and controversial.
There is no way I could claim that I did not feel uncomfortable while reading the book's first few pages.
Whenever I read phrases like, “Now bear in mind I was only six years old at the time,” which reflect the
taboos in our society, I cringe and my eyebrows furrow, in a way that makes me feel being provoked by
the little judgmental part of my mind. The story took on a life of its own when I became involved, I eventually
abandoned my comfort zone and realized that these are more than just some morally questionable moments.
The book can still sharply divide opinions. It pushes the boundaries of what acceptable literature can actually be.
It is absolutely art in this sense. It is a book with a theme related to one of the darkest aspects of mankind and it
would be inappropriate for us to judge what is happening in the life of the two individuals, as there are still many
hidden aspects to discover. At that point, the man hidden within the boy grabbed my attention. It is not only about
erotica and romance or jealousy and lust, it also covers the American history of the 1970s. It speaks about the war
of Indochina, and the war of Vietnam, and the different cultures the characters were born into. It details a child's
upbringing amid parental conflict. The story is also about how the writer tries to find his own identity between
being a child and a man.
“As you read on, you may come to realize that you, yourself
are in fact, being judged as I speak. Ignore it, for it will pass.”
It surprised me that the book left so many doubts in my mind and cause me to ask so many questions.
This is a truly amazing experience. The book provides a wealth of information and throughout, it makes
numerous references to how a child feels and a large number of illustrations that illustrate how the writer
was feeling. Seeing things from the perspective of a reader, I think the writer displayed great courage.
In the novel, he is sharing a part of himself and his life that is very dear to himself and delicate as well,
without one iota of concern for society's skepticism. Even though the vocabulary was difficult for someone
who is not a native English speaker, it was necessary to accurately portray what he had to say.
I have got this book due to my interest in the topic after reading the gratissimum. But I didn't realize how
complicated this topic is. In the end, it turns out that people do not perceive things as they think they do.
The experience taught me rather than allowing ourselves to be blind, we should be aware of things that are
not visible, for without learning to observe, we won't learn. As with others, I also considered the relationship
of the protagonist to have ended by the tragic incident since I didn't realize at the start that it still flourished,
but after reading the book, I realized that it still lives on. Although the boy who was once eight years old is
now 57 years old, he still feels like a child, still remembering and cherishing the love of his life just as he
did when he was a young boy, and still awaits for the divine encounter of his life.
If you're looking for an emotional roller coaster, you must read this book.
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168 review is by robina_045 on 8/15/21 - (Pakistan)
First of all, thank you so much for providing us this book, I love
the way you choose the words for your book. As a book lover
and author, I’ve read and written a lot of books from romantic
to crime scene investigation, from history to modern funny
stories, but this book I tell you has its own standard and
uniqueness since I haven’t read this kind of book.
After reading this novel, the words forced me to rate and
comment on this masterpiece. This novel is written in a well-
versed manner and is one of the best novels I have read.
I have not ever read a love story like "The Embryo Man"
by Charles Pendleton. The novel is filled with feelings,
compassion, affection, and romance.
This book is all about how Charles and Harmony fall in love
with each other and how lovers take care of each other.
The Novel is worthy to read.
If you are a book lover I would recommend you to please read it
once to feel how true love is so pure with the person you laughed,
you play and how it remains for the whole life to be loved.
I really loved this masterpiece.
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169 review is by amina701 on 8/23/21 - (India)
A story that will break your heart with pure love!
What a story this is! A perfect portion of creativity blended with delicate human
emotions. I don't have any words to express the overwhelming feelings that I
had after I turned the last page of this book. A perfect heartwarming expression
of pure love. I must not tag this as a cliche romantic drama. It will be an injustice
to the story and the beautiful storytelling efforts of the author.
Experiencing emotions is easy, but to pour them into paper with
the same amount of honesty and intensity is the real hardest task.
Charles Pendelton has done an exceptional job in this book.
Maybe it is because his love is unadulterated and unconditional.
Our perceptions change as we mature. Our mind will become an entity of the ego.
This corrupts our feelings. As a young boy, Charles experienced the purest form
of love. The riveting and revealing form of love. His story becomes a full circle at
the end. It does not end with a 'happily ever after'. But some experiences do not
need to be that long to leave a mark. The pain and agony of losing someone who
is close to our hearts are unimaginable. Not only this tale tells you about love but
also teaches you to learn from your sufferings.
The Embryo Man certainly breaks a lot of stereotypes around love
and its emotional expression. The story is unheard but that doesn't
mean it didn't exist. If you can approach with an open mind, you
can certainly delve into the depth of human emotions.
I highly recommend this book. Because this beautiful story deserves to be heard.
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170 review is by creative_ink44 on 8/24/21 - (India)
The Embryo Man is one of the most unique kinds of stories one would ever read.
The innocence of first love, a young boy trying to win the affections of his first love.
This is the story of a young boy who is trying to confess his feelings to his first crush,
a teenage girl. This story has so many emotions bursting. It elevates the notion of love,
making it almost divine. Love has been described so purely I admit the story will make
you uncomfortable at times. One might even find it difficult to come to terms with it, for
it is one of the most controversial tales to be written, BUT one cannot ignore the beauty
of it. It is such a beautifully written text that the very opening of the novel will make you
highly emotional. The author takes you on a journey into his own world and you forget
where you are. The way Charles describes Harmony is so beautiful, that’s how you will
want to be described by someone someday.
A boy whose parents’ marriage is falling apart finds solace in the love of this young Indian girl.
He feels like a man trapped inside a boy’s body. He constantly fears losing her love because
he is too young to understand so many different aspects of life, too young to perhaps protect
and cherish her the way an adult would. But Harmony understands the depth and purity of his
love for her. He gives a lot of mythical/fantasy references about their day-to-day life. One of the
most intriguing parts of the story is Charles’ dreams where his fears and insecurities come alive.
Harmony is always there to reassure him, take care of him, and anchor him to reality.
Harmony harbors too many insecurities because of her different cultural background.
Charlie's selfless love and devotion move her too much. She could not stop herself from falling in
love with Charlie who wants nothing in return for his love. His love is so pure and innocent. But as
the novel progresses, one will find a journey to true love where trust, care, interdependence, self-
worth; everything is discovered and achieved, only to be lost painfully. In a sad twist of turns the
very first love will be snatched away from Charles before he can even become the man, he thinks
she deserves.
The heart goes out to Charlie for his loss.
One of the most emotional moments is when he describes his pain. Readers will feel his pain inside
their hearts. A well and beautifully written text, a tale of bildungsroman romance with a sad ending.
This book makes harmony eternal. I would recommend one to read this book if they are truly open-
minded and able to understand the viewpoint of the protagonist. This book takes the reader on an
emotional rollercoaster laced with the beauty of its narration. Not all love stories have happy endings,
but they are so beautiful just because they happened. This is one of those beautiful stories.
Get ready to shed tears as you read this novel.
Writing Style –
I feel like characters come alive as if I am present with them.
By the time I finished the novel, I felt like I knew Harmony.
Once you are past the first 100 pages, you don’t want to stop reading.
The writing style is quite unique. Made up with extracts from a journal,
the novel feels like a journey through the years.
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171 review is by kanitha238 on 8/31/21 - (India)
** spoiler alert ** Usually, each love story will attract the readers in some unique way,
among all those Charles Pendelton’s 'The Embryo man' went the extra mile to stand
away from the usual one. Before starts reading a book I used to have a page through
in a book to ensure if there were any interesting to continue. When I'm doing that my
eyes had caught the sentence "Until the day when adolescence is replaced by adult
maturity "which makes me travel into it from that moment.
And from the first to last the way the author narrated the girl named harmony was
impressive and the Charles character was so realistic, and the way Charles stood
for his love was engrossing.In the first part, the story will definitely show how the
first love would be? even when the readers have missed to experience it in their
real life, and later it makes us get emotional with an unexpected ending.
If you ask about the main beauty of this book, I would say the storylines of
this book were well arranged by the author and he poured all the emotion
into a paper and also into the reader's mind too. I highly recommended
everyone to read and taste the love in the form of pure from this book.
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172 review is by rashmigk19 on 8/31/21 - (Sri Lanka)
A love story like no other!
This amazing piece of art is not only one of the most aspiring books
I’ve read but also one of the most emotional. It goes to show how
pure a little child’s love is and how much it has affected his life.
So much that even after 40 years he still remembers and cherishes
each detail. I especially love how Charles uses expressive words in
his sentences to describe each detail so thoroughly. Being a huge
fan of romance novels myself, I’ve read countless books but none
has made me sob like a child.
What an absolute masterpiece.
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173 review is by ambychauhan on 9/5/21 - (India)
As a reader, I get quite engrossed when a book pulls me in hard enough.
The Embryo Man had the same effect on me, I zoomed through the chapters
and every single page made me push my own mental boundaries that I had
regarding conventional love and relationships. When I first realized that our
protagonist was six years old and mesmerized by the beauty of a woman who’s
much older, I was a bit closed off to the idea that this relationship could be
romantic in any way. Curiosity got me, I had to see what would happen.
When you see Charles’ point of view and the way he feels for Harmony,
you start to understand that this isn’t some ordinary crush but a deeper
understanding and awareness of the kind of love most of us couldn't
imagine at that age. The author's beautiful, detailed descriptions to
explain what he was feeling for this woman leaves us no choice but
to get pulled in. How he notices the smallest of details about her- her
culture, her house, and tries to understand her emotions like a grown
up just so he could be with her.
The author has the ability to describe the hurt and the fear that no one
would understand their love and you almost feel like a voyeur who initially
came to witness what one would consider taboo but then stayed to watch
in wonder how pure the feelings of the characters were to one another.
You start loosening up on any reservations you might have had.
Their bond is so beautifully written that you start feeling what Charles is feeling-
vulnerable, overcome with emotion, desperate that they make it till the end, and
feel that impending doom that the author sprinkles between the chapters giving
you that sense of dread in the back of the head that something may go wrong
at any second. I don't want to share any spoilers- I will say that I didn't see the
climax coming at all. As a reader I was prepared that plot point would appear a
little earlier in the story, but when it does come, you are left rattled. It reminds you
that sometimes you're so protected in your bubble, that you don't see life coming.
I want to thank the author for this beautifully written, heartwarming love story.
I would love to read it again just to see what all I observe on my second round.
I would suggest that the readers go with an open mind and I can guarantee that
this book is nothing like what you’ve read or seen before. Please do give it a read,
it's that roller coaster of emotions you need to experience. Don't miss it!
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174 review is by ayeshamunir on 9/6/21 - (Pakistan)
The Embryo Man is one of the best pieces of literature I have ever come across.
In todays’ chaotic world where everyone is running for everything, this book has
brought so much peace to my life. It feels like everything has come to a halt once
I have started reading it. I was fully immersed in the story until I finished it.
The story is so well written that it does not allow you to think anything else.
You do not feel awkward while reading the beautiful lines written by the author
Charles Pendelton. The selection of words is so appropriate that you feel as if
you are listening to their conversations in real life. The story and the language
used in the book depicts real-life scenarios and is so relatable.
I must say, it is the sweetest love story I have ever read.
The intimate moments between Charles and Harmony are out of this world.
He consults his cousins about making a woman happy, shows how childish he
is in his feelings towards her. They start having love feelings for each other, and
these feelings are not erotic in any way. They are depicted in a very romantic way.
Charles feels deep down in his heart that he is not enough for Harmony and is
younger than her. But soon, he starts noticing a change in Harmony. She is not the
same girl, her body starts changing, and she feels sick. Charles does his best to look
after her. But the story takes an unusual turn when Charles has to leave for Ontario
with his parents for a week. All he does is think about her while he is away.
Once back, Charles discovers a letter from Harmony revealing that she had cancer
last year. She did not tell him about it because she did not want to break his heart.
The most tragic part is when Charles comes to know about her death through her
mother. That is the most devastating part of the story, which touched my soul. His
love story has ended before it could even start properly.
I must say as a reader; it is the best romantic novel of its time.
The writer has combined the feelings of love, heartbreak and tragedy. Writing about
all these feelings from the perspective of a child is indeed the most challenging part.
The writer created a world of lovers where both belong to different backgrounds and
beautifully brought them together. It also shows how the world behaves towards young
lovers. We can feel the pain of Charles in his writing style, and it is brave of him to bring
his bizarre love story in front of the whole world. We can see how much he struggled
to get the pieces together to write about the story of his life.
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175 review is by darshana_sharma on 9/7/21 - (India)
A poetic masterpiece disguised as an unconventional tale
of a child’s insecurities, love, and loss.
Charles Pendelton’s “The Embryo Man” is, first and foremost, a
book for the open-minded. When you are ready to look past the
societal conventions of love and what it should entail, pick up this
book and live the story. I say ‘live’ because for a book such as The
Embryo Man, you don’t merely read the story, you experience it.
Set in the early 1970s in the small town of New Dorp in the Borough
of Richmond, the story revolves around the American lifestyle as it was
back in the day. Charles, then only six years old, meets Harmony for the
first time on a pleasant mid-summer afternoon and is instantly enraptured
by her. Then on starts their love story. It builds slowly, ascends in sparks
and flames, and goes up in fumes of loss. All through it is a rich and
descriptive narrative that will play in your head as the story unfolds.
Harmony, we find, is of Indian and Columbian descent. Charles describes
in rich detail her beauty and intellect and how it affected him. The process of
them falling in love is depicted magnificently. Charles’ shyness in conversing
with his first crush, his insecurities at being so much younger than Harmony,
but still being absolutely smitten by her—this all is contrasted with Harmony
growing fond of their friendship and slowly falling in love with him when she
realizes his pure sentiments. The story then unfolds into an intimate and
passionate relationship between the two human beings of completely
different backgrounds and cogitations. They lived and loved in the now
and their relationship was as mature as could be between a young boy
and a grown woman.
The novel takes an unexpected turn when Charles notices Harmony’s health
deteriorating. This serves as an ominous foreshadowing for what would transpire
to be a heart-wrenching moment for both Charles and the reader. The story revolves
around life, love, and death—and the aspect of death and loss has been handled so
delicately, you feel it to your core. You are left wondering what could have been and
bitterly cursing destiny for being so cruel.
The Embryo Man could very well have been your average story of love and loss, but for
the author who weaves emotion into every simple conversation, and detail into anything
mundane. The poetic structure and flow of the writing are brilliant, and the story is heartfelt.
The dream sequences in the first few chapters felt a little haphazard and disconnected, but
that may have been what the author was going for. Certain scenes seemed slightly exaggerated,
but since the author explicitly mentions that this is an incredibly personal story, I am inclined to
accept those as his true thoughts and sentiments. The only critique I have has nothing to do with
the story itself, but the Gratissimum. It led me to believe that the story is much more scandalous
and controversial than it is. It might make potential readers too skeptical to even start the book.
The nature and subject of the relationship are handled masterfully.
I recommend going in with an open heart and an open mind;
I am sure The Embryo Man and his Harmony will stay with you for a long time.
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176 review is by sanah_writes on 9/10/21 - (India)
I have no words coherent enough to explain what you're in for when you
step inside this book. It was packed with emotions and held beautiful poetic
writing. I believed I would be reading a simple and most likely sweet story
about young love when I first started reading this book but boy was I wrong.
The story starts with a short gratissimum wherein the author explains his
purpose for writing this beautiful piece of work and pours his emotions he'd
felt when he first saw and met his first true love Harmony when he was just a
young boy. The story then progresses as our protagonist Charles and Harmony
become inseparable friends to eventually falling in love. Charles' parents had a
very strained marriage so the only kind of genuine love he witnessed was the one
that Harmony showered him with. As you may know young love is so often dismissed
as 'you don't even know what love is' or 'you can't know what you want yet', but our
author's emotions are totally justified throughout the story. This book dealt with many
beautiful emotions and insecurities of a boy who has just discovered true love. As for
the erotic scenes in this book, that could seem controversial for some readers given the
ages of the characters but they were not very descriptive thus not a problem for me.
I wished for more conversations between the two main characters in the initial pages
of the book and not just the author's inner monologues, though I won't complain. I also
had a little trouble making a connection with Harmony for I thought she didn't express
enough emotions as Charles did during their conversations but no worries, it was dealt
towards end of the book with Harmony's letter. Some dialogues weren't age appropriate
for my liking. All in all this was a great read, definitely not your usual romance novel.
The writing was phenomenal and the characters pretty basic, but something about this
totally captured my heart. Its one of those stories that really makes you think about how
you live life and evaluate the things that make you happy. Take note that this book is a
little rough and on the taboo side which the author has profusely mentioned in the blurb
so read this with an open mind, take a chance on this story of young, but undeniable love,
you won't be sorry. In the last few pages I was filled with indescribable emotions.
You have to read to know what I'm talking about.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
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177 review is by jahnavimorge on 9/14/21 - (India)
'The Embryo Man' by Charles Pendelton is a book, describing the
love story of him and his angel, Harmony. He has stated his emotions,
fears, observations in a journal named 'The Harmony's Journal'.
Its a beautiful story of young Charles and a teenage girl, Harmony.
The first obstacle in their relationship was the age factor, and the kid's
unfamiliarity with emotions he was going through that time. Eventually,
both of them comes together in a secret relationship and decides to stay
that way until Charlie is mature enough. Author has beautifully weaved
the moments they made together. He has also described the era of
American way during 1970's. As time passes, two love birds keep falling
for each other, deeper and harder. As author claimed, this wont be the
usual love story, there's something waiting for you at the end.
Will this unusual yet heartwarming love story find their own destiny?
I loved how author tried to communicate with readers.
Small details beautified the story but I think few instances
were unnecessarily stretched, which can be boring.
Overall, it is a very honest, emotional, heartbreaking read.
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178 review is by namrahashmi on 9/15/21 - (Pakistan)
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179 review is by mahimajui on 9/16/21 - (Bangladesh)
If you're reading this review to find out if this book is 'worthy 'of a read, stick till the end.
"The embryo man" by C.P is a beautiful tale woven with words that'll keep you hooked
to the book if you're someone who loves playing with words. It's not a typical romance
novel, a 6 year old Charlie falls in love with Harmony, who's 18 years old. This age
difference is not troubling unless someone actually decides to believe in what the
author most importantly mentioned- The novel is actually retyped and edited
from the journal he kept when he was a kid!
That journal was published along with the authors notes, insights and present day
emotional expressions. It's necessary to keep in mind that, The embryo man is
actually written by the 6 year old author who kept writing his journal till the age
of 11 and then he had to stop.
The characters are very simple, with little to less emotional attachment. As a reader,
I felt no emotional connection or attachment towards any of the characters. What I
mean is, When they cry, I'm not crying. I didn't feel their pain, or happiness simply
because I couldn't understand them, or perhaps because I couldn't relate to them.
It's hard to relate to a story like this.
The author has outdone himself with descriptions. He has a wonderful way
of crafting every single scene in you mind, it's almost like you were present
in that particular era. It's just mesmerizing.
Overall, I feel grateful to have known such a great story.
And, like a rare book, it has still kept me busy thinking-
Is this real or Is this real???
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180 review is by ayeshaxalif on 9/17/21 - (Pakistan)
THE MAN OF EMBRYO
In starting, I’d like to say that this was the best novel I have ever read in my life. I want to thank
“Charles Pendleton’s “for letting me read this interesting, heartening, unique and romantic Book.
The “man of Embryo” demonstrates the ingenuity and creativity of the author “Charles Pendleton’s”.
It is not an ineffectual love story. It is an intricate, ordinary and emotional love story to the depths.
It’s a heart-breaking and heart touching love story of two lovers. It is a story of a young boy
“Harmony” who was fall in love with a young girl “Charles”
Harmony was much older than young Charles, who was only six years old, but society does not
support the notion that true love is simply a matter of age. In this age of unstable and alienate
relationships, the story “man of Embryo” stands proudly and longs to show the purest form of
love that we can only learn from. It is, eccentric, heartwarming, unique and romantic. In addition,
in the book, the author also conveys some of the dreams that young girls had. These dreams
and the way Charles Pendleton’s write them really make you undergo that you have them.
I have never read a novel, as well-written scenes that are
as if you are watching a movie the way they describe it.
In this age of burst relationships and separation, this novel is prominent and rich in the purest kind
of love we can ever learn. The story has a little poetry solution for good readers. It probably gives it
a touch of Shakespeare. The author makes no secret of the fact that the character of this story is young,
but he himself is the main character in the novel. In almost every chapter of his story, to illustrate this.
The love between Harmony and the teenage girl is very dramatic and special. Their relationship teaches
us to always value and takes care of our loved ones and do not ever take it for granted. Their love story
proved that age doesn’t matter in love. The author wrote this love story in a very beautiful way and convey
it to readers in a very fascinating manner.
The best and fright part of the novel was the epilogue. I just can’t expect that Harmony will die.
I was thinking that harmony will recover from cancer and they will live the happiest life with Charlie.
But it was totally shocking and again u proved that “love does not have to be one”. Even she died
but Charlie can feel that their loves still exist. Charlie loses his grief by continuing to express his
feelings by writing special words associated with violence and longing that permanently took the
heart of his desperation to fulfil Harmony's wishes for the last time.
At the end of the book and the depth of emotion, the author holds within these two characters is
impressive. It really brings you into your emotions and creates a part of you that has never been
pressured before. Besides, its unique theme mixed with Shakespearean's writing style draws you
in and delights you, as is the true art of writing. If you are looking for something different to read,
“THE MAN OF EMBRYO” is definitely your book. I assure you that you will be left in a state of
emotional turmoil, wandering around in your seat with a happy heart for what you enjoy!
I just love this love novel with the depths of my heart…!
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181 review is by thenoory on 9/18/21 - (Pakistan)
I am gonna to be honest about this book.
In simple words, I would like to say “*The embryo man”* is a master piece.
I am confused how to rate this book, even it’s deserve more than 5 stars.
Before opening the book, I was thinking that it might be typical love story.
But it is not. It is a warmth love story of a man, Charles. I don’t know how
other reader will perceive this story but for me it’s different and dreamy.
He beautifully put all his feelings, love, emotions on paper.
I am in love not only with the story but with the writing style as well.
Being a writer, I can understand that sometime it’s become challenging
to put your heart or mind on paper perfectly. But Charles did it.
_She was heaven in the form of a woman,_
_She was everything perfect in the world,_
_She was my life, my love and my best friend.”_
I read these line multiple time and I feel the depth of his emotions and love for his lady.
It’s beautiful how a man love his lady with all his heart and soul. I have no words to say.
It’s a must recommended book.
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182 review is by luheepradhan on 9/18/21 - (India)
A BEAUTIFUL NOVEL DESCRIBING PURE AND INNOCENT LOVE:
The book, 'The Embryo man' is all about pure and passionate love. It proves that love
sees no age. This is the story of a little boy, Charles who falls in love with a teenage girl,
Harmony who is of Indian descent. He is in deep love with her. In this book, the author
beautifully describes the child's feelings and emotions for his lady love. He falls in love
with her at first sight.
He gracefully describes her curly hair, her beauteous skin, even the little beauty mark right
below her left eye. In the book, it is also mentioned about the Indian stuff like multicolored
saris, the crepe salwar kameez, the tangerine ghagra choli, red bindi, mehendi, and many
more. It is also clear that Charles has a weakness for Indian food like chicken tikka masala,
mango lassi, etc. Besides, Harmony too has strong attraction and love for Charles.
Charles seems to have many ups and downs in his life. He is immensely distressed by his
parents' bitter relationship and divorce. It is Harmony who gives him the love and support
during all the pain. But the most woeful thing happens in his life when Charles acknowledges
that Harmony has cancer and she is about to die. Unfortunately, Charles is unable to see
Harmony during the last days of her life.
All total, the book is very interesting and engaging.
It portrays true love which is very hard to find in this fake world.
Moreover, after reading the book my eyes got moistened. I would highly
recommend this book to others, so that they can too unearth the infatuation,
endearment, and affection of an innocent child for his lady love.
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183 review is by shivangi__singh on 9/18/21 - (India)
'The Embryo Man' is an exceptional piece of work written from the perspective
of a young child. Set from 1970 to 1974, it is a love story of young child Charles,
who is smitten with a mature teenage girl Harmony. This innocent, young and
pure romance as the book proceeds will make you uncomfortable, it'll challenge
your views of what is right and ethical. This book is intricate, unconventional,
and emotional to the core. It will challenge your mind, your views and it will
make you uncomfortable. But all of this is wrapped in beautifully written text.
If you open your mind and are willing to push through you will be exposed
to the true art of writing.
While reading this novel many questions arose in my head like where is he
going with the story, why are some parts strangely bold? But every time these
questions came to me I was reminded of the author’s notes that this story was
not written to be read by the world, hence, if you keep the Gratissimum in mind
while reading the book and you push through the end is when you begin to
understand the true essence of the book.
Charles has a good sense of choosing appropriate words and sentences to
express his emotions which impresses the reader. Charles’s writing possesses
lucidity and originality for effective writing that goes beyond simple communication.
The learnings presented in the story are mostly poetic and philosophical.
One thing is for sure, this is not your average love story.
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184 review is by kavya_shah_ on 9/19/21 - (India)
The author had piqued my interest when he mentioned that the book
is controversial and completely unusual. It's a bold claim to make, so
I thought – oh, here we go another book in the romance genre that
claims to be different and unique, how different can it really be?
But boy, was I wrong! After reading the book - I completely agree,
there’s a 99% chance you’ve never ever read anything like this
ever before – unless of course you’re re-reading the book!
It's amply clear that Charles has matured too early because he had a
troubled childhood which might've contributed to him developing feelings
for a much older woman. We often see kids having innocent crushes on
older women they like but never with such intensity as the author describes
in the book. To keep this review spoiler-free I won't say more about the plot
of the book but will focus on the writing style and my experience reading it.
The writing style ticks the box of being picturesque which is the first thing
I look for in an enjoyable read. Some portions were so well-written it read
like poetry, the book really makes you delve deep into your own psyche
and makes you look at things with a different perspective. However, I was
just a little confused by the continuous tense switches between the past and
present, not to mention the continuous swapping between bold and italics.
Also, this might be a personal preference, but I think there was overuse of
sentences like, "I would later come to know that she was of Indian descent."
"She wore a generous, ankle-length chamois skirt that I later learned was
called a lehenga." There are many examples of such sentences littered
throughout the book which I felt interfered with the flow of an otherwise
wonderfully written book.
As the author has also mentioned, the plot could be somewhat controversial, but
once you get past that it's a well-written book that keeps you reading till the end.
While reading, the author's words are guaranteed to make you go through a
plethora of emotions from smiles, laughter, anger, pain to maybe even a sniffle.
Who would I recommend this to?
I'd recommend this to the audience who can see beyond the huge age gap
and enjoy the writing. Although, I'd recommend you to at least read the free
sample before you move on to decide that it’s not your cup of tea (or coffee,
if you will) because hidden beneath the surface are hard-hitting life lessons
that one must understand and be aware of.
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185 review is by aglentine on 9/20/21 - (Pakistan)
Embryo Man by Charles Pendelton is remarkable and beyond amazing.
His thoughts, perceptions and view point in the novel indicates that he is
one of the most astonishing and fascinating writers ever. This novel has got
the biggest quality of catching writer's attention that you feel living the novel.
How beautifully it shows that women do require men. Charles and the love
of his life portrayed fondness of a love which is different, pure and romance
based. His childhood love that was not matured but it was extremely genuine
and a bliss to read. The erotic, jealous, pure, affectionate feeling that he had
for Harmony who was a teenage girl in his childhood is relatable.
As story moves we can also see that Harmony had also got impressed by the
struggles of this boy who wants to win her heart. Harmony was betrayed in the
past but Charles innocent and warm love made Harmony to move on swiftly
being in love again. Their love showed many incidences of Charles struggling
to buy gifts for her but ending showed a very ruinous yet understandable
situation where his love ended with the death of his love life-Harmony.
Moral: Nothing is everlasting even your loved ones.
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186 review is by ankita_27 on 9/22/21 - (India)
‘The Embryo Man’, written by Charles Pendelton is a real-life story of his exquisite
love for his lady love, Harmony. It all takes place on Staten Island. The book talks
about how Charles, as a mere young boy, couldn't resist his feelings of strong
affection for a teenage girl named Harmony, of Indian descent. Within its pages,
is sealed their pure love and unbreakable bond which brought chills to my spine.
He was unaware of the whole world and its ways, but as we all know, love and
a lover know no bounds and they would do anything for their burning flame.
As the story unfolds we come to know more about Harmony, how she was an angel,
and perfection. Her physical features could render you breathless! You could easily
find yourself drooling all over her Mediterranean complexion and her jet-black hair.
One glance and you could tell, she was no ordinary woman. Exotic, exuberant, and
full of life. She was the most caring and generous-hearted person with empathy for
every being dead or alive. She was the smartest in the room and knew things better
than anyone for her age. The words used to describe her divine beauty can run
people’s mouths dry, making them crave more. We have Charles to thank for that!
Charles’s parents were going through a troubled marriage for which he and Harmony
came to ignite this inseparable and amorous relationship. They began spending a lot
of time together, good for the author as he was smitten by her! At some point, you may
come to think what power can a child’s foolish love possibly hold for a beautiful teenage
girl? But don’t we all secretly crave to be loved? But isn’t every love blind and foolish?
Aren’t we all! I know if I ever have a chance to have something like this in my life,
despite its hurt and pain, I would choose it in a heartbeat.
To just know this kind of love and live it, can make up for eternity!
The sensuous and erotic way Charles has expressed their intimacy melts my heart.
The author really deserves an applaud for such commendable work. To make someone’s
heart flutter, cheeks pink from all the blushing and writing so irresistible that readers find
themselves biting their lips just by some mere delicately woven words is a magical art,
and Charles seems to have mastered it.
The author has beautifully expressed his feelings, thoughts, observations, and the
American ways of life during the 1970s. As we move further in the story, the author
seems to have swept Harmony off her feet with his charms. Both of them seem to
be exalted in their love when suddenly a twist takes place.
I loved this book, and I am thankful I got the chance to stumble upon it.
I know my life isn’t going to be the same now.
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187 review is by guptatanya on 9/22/21 - (India)
You will not find the Embryo Man to be a typical read.
It is a romance sprinkled with the controversy of a stark
age gap between the young couple whose story it follows.
A well-paced narrative, where you might be skeptical of
what the story is about, but regardless is a good read
where you look forward to where the story takes you.
It is a narrative of a youngster's first love, put together in a
manuscript from excerpts describing everyday incidences.
There is an earnest expression of adoring someone and
valuing the impact in your life their presence has.
The emotional turmoil that being lovestruck brings as
well as the uncertainty raised by the family dynamics
is well described. It explores the tragedy of losing
someone beloved and how despite their absence
in your life, they will always be a part of you.
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188 review is by mukbang_writer on 9/22/21 - (Pakistan)
The story justifies the title “The Embryo Man,” an immature individual and a
child and how the love of a woman makes him mature and a man. The novel
is the depiction of love and how it overcomes death and remains alive.
Part one of the novel highlights two eras one is the decline of love between
Charles’ parents and the beginning of love between Harmony and Charles
depicting maturity comes with wisdom and a need to learn it.
Part 2 holds the essence of love that how it empowers an individual and what
is the true essence of love either it’s in the form of physical love as Charles
felt about Harmony and his longing to kiss his beloved or it’s the qualities
of the individual to which we are attracted to as of Harmony’s accent.
Part 3, a transition of love from dream to reality. His fear of losing her
haunts him in the dream which proves as a positive sign for him as
they both make love and became lovers.
Part 4 depicts the fulfillment of love and the darkest and purest phase of life.
Part 5, represents the fall and rise as the fall of adolescence of Charles
and the rise of his maturity. The fall of their promise and the rise of a
new relationship between Charles and Harmony.
Part 6 highlights a spark in their relationship that came out of Harmony’s
cruel past results in lighting up their present relationship.
Part 7 shows a decline of the brother-sister bond,
the husband-wife bond and finally the lover’s bond.
Part 8 represents their last love and a feeling that remains in the writer.
As highlighted in the epigraph that the ultimate purpose of a woman
is to appease a man in different ways and the woman served her role
fully in pleasing the man till her death. The novel is different from cliché
topics opted by the writers, Charles Pendelton represented a love story
in its purest form.
Women give life to the man as she teaches him how to color life with love.
At the cline of inclination, the writer puts women as a sublime and man as
subordinate in the sense that Harmony is the one who is nurturing him
(acting as a stimulus) beyond his mother’s nurture. The novel is a very
original depiction of the social infrastructure for instance, the case of Timmy
and Charles (who are being depicted by Harmony as friends), it is a fact
universally acknowledged that greed is the mother of all evils and in this
instance the greed is the lust which is luring in Harmony to have a conjugal
relation which leads her to take advantage of her brother’s situation.
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189 review is by maryamgul573 on 9/23/21 - (Pakistan)
I must admit it is quite controversial and yet very artistically composed.
The setting is absolutely amazing and flawlessly described. The story is
enriched by compelling characters. Sometimes, we like them and sometimes
we don't. But we do try to understand them and that's the beauty of art.
The novel is presented from the viewpoint of Charles.
The writer's narration skills take the reader into Charles' world where we
comprehend his desires, passion, fear, and worse nightmares. The novel
is captivating and thrilling, offers a distinct and controversial perspective
of love, affection, and fascination. There were many passages where
reader stops and thinks about the life with a sigh. I liked many passages
in particular but following lines were heart touching:
In life there are always two paths to choose from. The path of right and wrong.
Good and bad. Love and hate. Sometimes the uncharted path with no arrow is
the path we are predestined to walk. Always remember, for every step taken on
life’s long journey, there is one we do not come back from.
You don’t need to agree with the writer's viewpoint, just sit and
enjoy the elegant writing style of this literary piece of work.
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190 review is by thishi_creative on 9/25/21 - (Sri Lanka)
Unconventional, Raw & Beautiful.
These are the three words I would use to describe this read.
It's a unique love story that will leave you hooked from the very first page.
I finished this book sooner than I thought I would take - it's honestly so intriguing
that I could've done it in one sitting - but the emotions evoked were so powerful
that I had to spend time between parts, to absorb and reflect on how I felt.
Truly is a love story like no other. From the initial introductions
of the characters to the final climax - it's written with such pure love,
that raw and beautiful emotions ooze out in every single page.
My heart goes out to Charles, as he recollects the memories of his past -
I really admire the raw writing style he used, I think it was very brave.
If you are looking for an average romance novel, this won't be your cup
of tea. But if you are looking for something that will leave you seeing
romance in a new and different light - this is definitely the book for you!
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191 review is by aditiwrites2021 on 9/26/21 - (India)
Harmony - I mean can you think of a name more beautiful than this?
"The Embryo Man" is a very intriguing novel that draws its inspiration from
the life of the writer himself - Charles Pendelton. It is a love story from the
1970s with elements that will stir your senses and make you crave for more.
The character sketch of his Girlfriend, who hails from India, is spot on amongst
the best female sketches I have come across. It is a reader's delight with the way
the text has been composed and intricately placed into the context of a well-written
story. A young man's exposure to emotions of love and the conflicts of infatuation is
quite relatable for me as a reader. One of the best things I liked is the way the story
does not walk along a straight happy line but reveals its set of twists and drama.
I love the contrast between the Indian and American approach to love and feelings
that have been honestly illustrated by Charles. I do feel we could have some more
insight into Charle's character. It was beautifully delivered, and the flaws of a young
man trying to make sense of love and pursue it have been nicely framed. The human
emotions in the novel are not from the perfect world but derive their crux from the
practical realm and imperfect world we live in. The story of a college boy on his quest
to pursue his love - a teenage Indian girl, is a plot that will definitely get you the romantic
vibes you are looking for. However, the story has much more than just mere romance.
The complicated equation between his parents, his attraction towards Harmony, and how
he tries to touch her soul and communicate his feelings makes the story more engaging
and realistic in ways that captivate the reader. If you are someone who cherishes a poetic
attitude towards life, then you are up for a treat. The subtle and gentle discourse of the
novel gives a great experience and leaves you longing to flip the next page.
I read this book amidst my mid-semester exams, and all I have to say is that I don't regret it!
It was worth a read, and I might give it another read.
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192 review is by laiba_1903 on 9/27/21 - (Pakistan)
I was never into romance novels or the ones which included ‘love’ feelings
more than twice on a page because I found the average, everyday romance
novels to be a lot boring, but this book changed my whole belief system.
Using ‘the Harmony’s Journal’ and recreating all of the exquisite moments
Charles spent with Harmony was itself an inconceivable task, but he did not
stop to amaze me with every turn of the page. The turns the story takes from
the moment it starts from Friday afternoon of 1970 till the very end and the
reason behind Charles denying this beautiful work to be a blessing, but a
curse for him, is surely reflected in the story and is in fact true. But only the
person, who understands the true meaning of love and the fact that love
does not agree with the notions of age, size, caste or anything else, can
be the one to understand this book to the many hidden feelings it contains.
“Why is it so terrible? Loving and being loved. Why is it such a sin?”
These exact words by Charles makes any person question his own thoughts
and the way he comprehends the world. Today, when people think of a feeling
which is surrounded by the boundary of these meaningless things called, age,
color, castes, background etc. the one word that comes to their mind is L,O,V,E.
Love is not a feeling that can be bounded by anything and I repeat anything.
Charles and Harmony’s feelings and the pure love they had in between them,
jumps over all these senseless things and brings out a new definition of love entirely.
Charles being a boy only, did not feel any fear in sharing the innocent feelings he
had for Harmony and I loved that he showed his honesty of such feelings maybe
not then, but now through his words. Charles may have been masked in his sorrows
or as he wrote so, but I want to tell him that what he did for Harmony and what he
wrote for us, must have been more than a blessing for her as it has been for us.
I, getting this privilege to read this work is an honor in itself, for this reflects us
and the society around us. Even if it was of the 1970’s or of 2020’s.
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193 review is by naima8338 on 9/27/21 - (Pakistan)
Initially, I would like to say that thank you very much for allowing me to read this novel.
The novel name Embryo Man was written by Charles Pendleton. He is a gracefully sketched
love novel that carries you on a voyage of star-bridged enthusiasts in the 1970’s epoch. The
novel was surprising for me as a reviewer, it was unique and the decent characteristic about it
is that it is based on a real novel so you will realize the novelist’s joy, affection, and suffering.
I adored how the novelist characterized the event flawlessly as he memorized it. It prepared me
to think like I was there with the personalities. I liked reading it. It’s extremely respectable for the
writer to compose his love novel. He provides us many signals before continuing with the book
and also enables us to examine and evaluate his familiar occasions containing some precise
detail scenes illustrated in the story. But I read this affection novel without prevailing judgment.
The fantasies of the writer illustrated in stories are like spirals of water as if spirals on his senses,
subconsciously built due to his emotions which carry his assault in bedtime and these were relations
between what he saw or felt and occasionally he correlated those events into the fact. The writer
has carried such a great struggle to put down such a captivating novel capability packed with strong
feelings and with a wonderful smile so I recommend you read this story. I liked the book very much.
I too loved the impression that it is not a novel and it might have occurred to somebody in history.
And since it has occurred before there are no conspiracy chasms in the novel, the book is strong,
the novel provokes attention to enter the last paper as soon as feasible. So I believe it is comfortable
to say the writer did a very useful job at it.
The novel gives up an influence when you study it. It urges the readers to
understand beyond the world what some of them might understand as safe.
When I finished studying this story, I started marveling. This story is incredible, the excellent I've
eternally studied in fantasies. The story brings us on a voyage through many feelings but eventually
reaches a critical direction and prepares us to think for Charles who has missed his admired Harmony.
We rarely recognize this kind of affection in real life.
This novel is a challenge for me as it relates to a love novel between a child and a mature lady,
which gives me a fully new viewpoint that love also can occur even at such a childish period.
Charles is entitled to gratitude for the sincerity and struggles he has to arrange to indicate
what a kid of duration 9-10 years takes off through when he gets fascinated to a wonderful
teenage girl and how his sense achieves adulthood when he realizes some life tasks from
her. His path of reflecting moral applause towards his loved Harmony for preparing his life
is wonderful; however, evacuating evidence of lifelong sorrow brings the reader to admire
the adulthood category of Charles as a kid and his real affection for Harmony.
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194 review is by parushashridhar on 10/2/21 - (India)
Charles Pendelton's "The Embryo Man" is all sorts of biwildering piece of literature, part
a love story and part in memoriam. Set in the early 70's America, it is a story of a strange
yet, familiar relationship that brews between two neighbours decade apart in age. In all
honesty, describing an Indian person as "exotic" and a Native American man in a painting
as "Indian Chief" is the least of the problems with this book. The relationship between the
two leads makes you uncomfortable and eerie and perhaps, the author understands it well
and uses it as a device. The book begins with a Gratissimum that warns the readers time
and again of this very discomfort but the author over explains and frankly, over warns.
Not to forget, the constantly changing font shifting from the premise, to journal accounts,
to the author breaking the 4th wall in real time gets convoluted and confusing. Although,
the author has a strong craft for descriptive text, certain plot points have been stretched far
too long to care. If it were not a personal account, the story would have been hard to digest.
It still is. But, I guess, that's how the 70's were. Almost each time an intimate scene appears
in the book, it is strong enough to sweep you off of your feet and keep you engaged but the
undercurrent of the villian of the book - the age difference chokes you in astonishment.
This can be attributed to the fact that the author has consciously adapted to an adult telling
of the story. It take all sorts of courage for a person to make public, something that's almost
a part of their growing up. So, credit where credit is due. By the end of it, despite all the
discomfort one ends up having a soft spot for the protagonist.
The Embryo Man could alternatively be titled "Remembering Harmony" because it would
leave you with memories of a person you never knew. By the end, it discreetly poses questions
like, "Is it not love if you're too young?" "Are your feelings invalidated if they were immoral?"
"Should you not love back immediately if you were being loved?"
Charles Pendelton answers it in the book, "I didn’t know what else to do, I was only nine."
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195 review is by aishhvarya on 10/14/21 - (India)
An extremely beautiful love story written and lived by Charles Pendelton.
Five Stars!
The most deliciously moody, romantic, and enchanting tale of two people who
fall in love despite their age difference. All the love Harmony received from this
young child, Charles may seem controversial to many, but its undeniably purer.
I promise its nothing like what you've read until now. I'd definitely recommend
it to anyone who is looking for something unique to read.
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196 review is by hajranoor786 on 10/17/21 - (Pakistan)
** spoiler alert ** “The Embryo Man” by Charles Pendelton is a unique
piece of writing I have ever seen in British, American, Greek, German,
Dutch, and Irish literature. The first part of the book is a well-composed
comedy. In the middle part of the book, it shifted into tragicomedy.
As far as its ending is concerned it’s a full-fledged tragedy. But we can’t
say it is a failure. It is never a failure as a well renowned English poet says:
1.
My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;
Where can we find two better hemispheres?
Without sharp north, without declining west?
2.
Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.
3.
Two graves must hide thine and my corse;
If one might, death was no divorce.
Must leave at last in death these eyes and ears,
Oft fed with true oaths, and with sweet salt tears;
To conclude, I must say it is never an un-reflected love,
it was alive, it is alive, and it will remain alive forever.
Kindest Regards
Hajra Noor
(((A personal message to me as a writer)))
Dear Chas Pen,
The whole Literature is filled with fiction, dramas, and
novels but just a few ones touch the core of the heart.
"The Embryo Man" is one of them which are read by heart.
Best wishes and prayers
Hajra Noor
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197 review is by aniee15 on 10/30/21 - (Pakistan)
People say that true love stories never have endings and the embryo man by Charles Pendelton
epitomized that when I started reading the novel Gratissimum. I was afraid that it might turn out to
be the same old cliched love story where a boy falls in love with a girl and things everything starts
pandering to them. But I must say I was proven wrong at every single instance.
I won’t claim that this book will change your perception of love but surely it will refine it.
The thing that it is writer’s personal story will keep you emotionally invested in the book. How
he describes her and how meticulously the writer remembers every interaction between him
and harmony depicts that how pure, innocent and true his love for her is.
The story has every ingredient that an authentic novels romantic novel must-have.
The beauty lies in little details that Charles shares with you like the matured nature of harmony,
her past experiences, the innocent nature of the boy, and her physical features. It seems like one
of your friends is sharing his experience with you. Above all, the climax is one of the most amazing
things of this book along with all twists and turns that makes this novel stand out.
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198 review is by ivy_tumpa on 10/31/21 - (Bangladesh)
"The Embryo man" - written by Charles Pendelton, has been written on his childhood
love story. This is just an amazing novel, where he expressed his love and affection
for a teenaged girl, named Harmony. The full novel was been expressed about the
pure and innocent love story, whenever a little boy fall the first love.
Whenever, I was just reading this book , I have just found my I was just feeling that I am
the teenaged girl like harmony and also felt for the same, whenever I fall in my 1st love.
Charles Pendelton showed the pure love in the Gratissimum section by writing "
She was heaven in the form of a woman.
She was everything perfect in the world.
She was my life, my love, and my best friend"
I was just wondered how beautiful the lines are!!!
These lines are must be dream lines for every girl's life.
I just loved this expression with my full satisfaction.
No matter how many years after the writer is writing about his love story, but still
now he remembers every matters of her Harmony. He just noted with details of
her beautiful outlook , attire, hair, eyes everything. I believed that, it's too difficult
to remember each and everything without loving too much deeply.
The whole book also expressed some twists, mist , family problems and so other things.
But I don't know to share all things here because it may appear as a spoiler. But I would
like to highly recommend it as an authentic love story. It may become a reason to love
your partner more and more and respect her also. I am too much confident that this
book will never disappoint you, if you have a romantic heart inside you.
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199 review is by himani_varshney on 11/9/21 - (India)
I read Gratissimum and went into it everyday. I chewed it very slowly
that it took me almost two months to swallow this amazing book.
I thought it would be a just another love story but it isn't really.
The entire story, plot and style is amazing!
The Indian origin girl has reflected the great culture of India. In my opinion the
way Charlie love, any girl would want to be Harmony. If I am not wrong the story
resembles with Bollywood movie (Mann) a bit. 'My Whole World Ended' the song
sums this novel us very effectively.
Many thanks for giving me an opportunity to read this heart-touching masterpiece.
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200 review is by amnarahimoon91 on 11/10/21 - (Pakistan)
If you are into romance books that have intricate and engaging stories, then you
need to add Charles Pendelton's book "The Embryo Man" to your reading list.
As I kept reading, I was curious to find out what will happen next.
The book is very detailed and the words used, describe the characters really well
and give you a feeling of what the book is about. The characters are well-developed
and you can feel a very strong connection between Harmony and Charles.
The characters grow together, and it is very beautiful to see that.
The book has an ending that you don’t want but at the same time,
it’s a great way to end it. Both of the characters were giving a flashback
and a feeling of how they felt about each other throughout the years.
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