Dyed Souls

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Pub Date 28 Mar 2018 | Archive Date 20 Jun 2018

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Description

Charlie Lyle loves science, natural history and the world of the mind, and these are his refuge as he copes with his drug addicted mother and a world of circumstances beyond his he grasp. Baffled by how he has ended up in residential treatment, he turns to the works of Charles Darwin to understand his predicament, his fellow residents - and to find a way out. Against all odds, he falls in love and it is this cataclysmic relationship that propels him on a cross-country journey and a collision course with his own history. More a work of philosophy than psychology, Dyed Souls explores a dystopian world where narcissism subsumes wisdom, and Orwellian doublethink supplants reason.
“Dyed Souls, or Catcher in the Cuckoo’s Nest...measured, intelligent and quite gripping. It’s the plot that will make this book stand out, and it’s a very good one. For the teen it has a galling coming-of-age, redemption quest. For the adult it has that, as well as a literary look at a singular fictional life. 4.5 Stars.”  John Lloyd, TheBookBag.com 
“Gary Santorella is a writer of substance, an important fresh novelist who deserves wide attention... This novel is of the highest quality, one that pleads to be read by young adults who face similar barricades, but also one that will impress readers of fine literature. Simply put, it’s brilliant!”  Grady Harp, San Francisco Review of Books 
“Heart wrenching (and warming) with a timeless feel, Dyed Souls is an absolute must read for fans of literary drama and coming of age novels.”  Indie Book Reviewers 
“Dyed Souls is the heartbreaking story of a 13-year-old boy as he is forced to face a harsh world that doesn’t seem to understand him...it is a dark tale of survival and growing up much too quickly. It is an emotional, unraveling, and thought-provoking story that everyone will enjoy reading. 5 Stars.”  Rabia Tanveer, Readers’ Favorite
2018 Named one of the The Bookbag’s Top Ten Indie Books of the Year 2018 Chill with a Book Reader’s Choice Award Winner  2018 Silver Award Winner, Global Ebook Awards  2020 Finalist, International Book Awards

Charlie Lyle loves science, natural history and the world of the mind, and these are his refuge as he copes with his drug addicted mother and a world of circumstances beyond his he grasp. Baffled by...


A Note From the Publisher

For the last twenty years, Gary Santorella has run his own Lean/Culture building consulting business, and he is also a licensed psychotherapist in California. Prior to this, he was an individual and group counsellor in residential treatment and psychiatric hospitals, which gave him first-hand experience in these settings. He has studied the works of Charles Darwin, evolution, and evolutionary psychology extensively. His non-fiction book, Lean Culture for the Construction Industry: Building Responsible and Committed Project Teams, 2nd Edition is published by Taylor & Francis.

For the last twenty years, Gary Santorella has run his own Lean/Culture building consulting business, and he is also a licensed psychotherapist in California. Prior to this, he was an individual and...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781789010299
PRICE US$2.99 (USD)

Average rating from 4 members


Featured Reviews

Heartbreaking. This book is emotional and deep and not for the faint of heart. Although it's a turn from my normal light-hearted novels, I was pulled into the gloomy and often dark world of Charlie and I couldn't escape from its magnetism of brokenness and resilience.

I think I may have connected with the book on such a relatable level because the setting was so familiar to me. At one time I worked at a treatment facility just like the one in the book, with kids just like those in the book, with protocol and structure just like that in the book. It was like taking a step back in time. Charlie could have been a number of kids that I worked with back then.

Right from the beginning, it is very apparent that this child has had a difficult life. His mother has placed him on the outskirts of her life, only to be picked up when she wants something to play with. And just when you think that Charlie's life is already crummy enough, it gets 100 times worse.

The characters were all very well-written. They were realistic and each person made an impact in the story. The author was able to blend every personality together to weave a very tragic story.

The only flaw for me was the prolonged "interruptions" about Darwinism theory that Charlie either related to his life or had flashbacks of. I get that it was a large part of his personality and correlated with how Charlie viewed his current life situation, but it became very lengthy at times and I found myself skipping pages to get back to the "action" of the story.

Overall, this was a very engaging, well-written book with characters who all conveyed tangible tragedy and despair. I give it a rating of 4.5/5 with a slight detraction for the constant swing back to science and evolution, only because I was so invested in the forward progress of the book and that hit the pause button on it for me.

*I received a free ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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This was a tough one. Good story but difficult to read about the hardships kids go through simply because of the poor choices made by their parents. Not only Charlie, whose drug addicted mother ripped him from the stability of his grandparents' home, but also the also kids at the residential facility where he now finds himself. His struggles are many, both physically and emotionally. Hard to get through but worth it.

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The character development was excellent & I thoroughly enjoyed the twists of the plot. The narrative was complex & compelling. I found myself caring about Charlie, the protagonist, within the first few pages. The relationship between Charlie & his mother was well-defined, thought heart wrenching. This novel is very character driven.

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