Reviews
Jonathan Hobart
Feel Good Story During Feel Bad Times
Unicorn Eyes is a feel good story during these feel bad times.
I really liked the premise of the story. A lovable slob, Type B personality, happy with his single lifestyle who is suddenly & unexpectedly confronted with love and the compromises that come with it when the pandemic lockdown locks him up with a stunning beauty with a Type A personality and a healthy fitness oriented lifestyle that’s polar opposite of his.
These opposites don’t immediately attract but in the tradition of great romantic comedies they do eventually. It reminded me of great romantic comedies with its relationship twists and turns: Lost in Translation (Murray/Johansson); Roman Holiday (Hepburn/Peck), even the classic How to Murder Your Wife (Lemmon/Lisi). Why am I putting movie references into a book review? Because I can easily see this being a movie with its evocative Singapore urban landscapes.
As I kept reading the story I really wanted these characters that I liked so much, Steve and Zendaya, to come together. As to whether they do or not, I guess you’ll have to read it to find out!
Mike Smith
Sporty Spice in Covid-19 Lockdown with Mr Big
Unicorn Eyes is a compelling, humorous tale, set in a Singapore condominium. A stunning, wealthy, millennial female soccer player is unexpectedly caught in the Covid -19 lockdown with an out of work obese travel writer.
Lockdowns suck, even if you know the people you are locked down with! Anyone who has been in lockdown, will appreciate this hilarious situation and the characters' initial frustrations and boredom.
As the story develops they adapt and work together with a renewed passion for life, making the best of their time and having fun on social media. I love their sarcasm, back chat, quick one liners and colourful authentic language. Eg
"And I'm a professional dancer."
"Does that involve a pole?"
People can learn from the laughs in this book too. Change, like lockdown, isn't always fun, but it can bring rewards and new skills. "If you millennials would watch something other than videos of yourself you'd know what's going on in the world." Ironically, it is a video of Steve that changes his world.
This a very modern, original, timely and entertaining read plus the ending is a surprise worth waiting for.
Unicorn Eyes
Moaning, Steve rested his head on the cluttered kitchen table. “I’m dead. I’m dead.” He’d cleared a small space amongst the garbage and detritus in which to put his forehead. The apartment was a total disaster. The party had lasted two days, and the cans and bottles and dishes, dishes with dried food, glasses with the residue of wine and beer and whiskey and food wrappers and containers had been left for him to clean up. The big man, the very big man, think Gabriel Iglesias, “Fluffy”, but bigger and not in as good shape. He wasn’t a fan of doing the cleaning or doing much that required physical exercise.
Suddenly he heard the sound of wheels, luggage wheels, rolling over the tiled floor. He opened his eyes to see a pair of Onitsuka Tiger MEXICO 66 Anniversary Classics crossing the floor from his bedroom to the front door. He sat bolt upright and turned to see a stylishly dressed young lady. Above the Classics she wore colourful tights clinging to calves and thighs and incredible butt an incredibly thin waste, and a loose blouse swirling in neon colours. Pulling the small suitcase, with a Bottega Veneta slung over her shoulder, she strode purposefully toward the door.
Steve estimated she was 5’11 or 6 foot. She looked intimidating.
“Who the hell are you and where are you going?” He held up his hands in supplication. “Quieter please, my head’s killing me.”
She stopped to look at him and Steve could tell she didn’t like what she was seeing. “I’m a friend of James,” she snapped. “He said I could crash here. I crashed. I enjoyed the party. I’m leaving. Thank you very much.”
