Eli Pope is back with the second installment in The Mason Jar series, The Spark of Wrath. In the second book, we continue to follow the Cader family saga. The youngest son of Billy Jay Cader, Darrell, is grappling with his abusive upbringing and becoming a young adult. The fact that Jay is back in town doesn’t make Darrell’s struggles any easier. As we watch Darrell try to come into his own and his father make more questionable decisions, we can only hope for the best outcome. Will things improve for the Caders’? Find out in The Spark of Wrath.

Once again, Pope did not disappoint in the slightest. He is a master when it comes to writing about human emotions and childhood trauma. He possesses a deep understanding of the human condition and consistently displays that in his work. First, let me start by saying how much I appreciated the well-developed side characters. Something many authors struggle to do is implement side characters that add value to their story. The interactions our main characters had with side characters like Chubbs, Kyle, Violet, and Joyce added a richness to the overall story.

I feel that Pope’s ability to write realistic neuro-divergent characters offers an educational lesson to his readers about some of the plights people in this world experience. In the story, we acknowledge Jay has a past that could make him behave the way he does – but his behavior is not excused. He is the perfect illustration of a narcissistic parent who cannot recognize his own wrongdoings, but everyone else around him does. He has an “I receive pain; I give pain” narrative. The execution of this part of the story was superb.

I enjoyed the role Mitzi B played within the story and felt that with some fine-tuning she could have been perfect. My problem with her character stems from the way she talks about boys and herself. The way she spoke sounded like what middle school boys think girls talk about when they have a slumber party. Other than the narrative voice of Mitzi B, this novel is perfect.

If you’re looking for a fantastic family saga series or a stirring psychological thriller, I can wholeheartedly recommend The Spark of Wrath and The Mason Jar series.

Pages: 250 | ASIN: B08YXF74WF