Delivered from Darkness (Kindle Vella Review)
My affinity was instantaneous. From the first paragraph, I was enamored by Maya Kozlova's way with words. She truly has an extraordinary gift for compelling syntax. My perception felt like a hand sliding into a custom-made glove, when I entered the world of Delivered from Darkness.
Right away I felt at home in Kozlova's words, and it was apparent that I'd devour this story no matter what it was about, if only for the pure sustenance that the brilliant wordcraft provides for my writer's soul.
(As a quick aside, this is my second Kindle Vella review, the first being A People's History of Magic by Kendra Griffin.
While writing both reviews, I found myself anticipating that my high praise could easily be seen as hyperbolic.
Here's the deal: The reason I am writing these words is simply because I love these stories. I doubt I will ever review a Kindle Vella story that I am not passionately enthusiastic about, because my intention with these reviews is to celebrate and promote high-quality work by writers that have earned engaging conversations about their work.)
So, yeah. I'd read any story written as elegantly as Delivered from Darkness. If Maya Kozlova wrote about paint drying, yeah, sign me up, I'm there for it.
That said, the setting, characters, and subject matter here are deep, well-realized, and just as elegantly constructed as the wordcraft itself.
The vibe from the start is gut-churningly foreboding. It is immediately evident that you can trust Kozlova not to pull any punches in her honest, fearless portrayal of oppressive, hedonistic human deviancy and its emotional, physical, and spiritual toll it takes on those who are objectified, exploited, and abused.
Central figure Amelia is conditioned to endure abuse, and her emotional and analytical responses to this are believable, resonant, and heartbreaking. Though she concedes in many ways, her soul still finds resonance in autonomy and rebellion. She's oppressed but not possessed, by the evil of her lot in life. You can feel her power rising up and looking for its opportunity to shine.
The title of this book alone lends some hope in the face of dissonance and desolation, for we anticipate the deliverance to come. This makes reading through the despair of the story's outset less of an exercise in masochism, and more of a foundation for a tale of transcendence.
That said, as of this writing, Delivered is only six episodes deep, so my guess on what happens next is as good (or as off note) as anyone's.
Normally I'd wait on writing a review, but it is my enthusiasm for this story's potential and my adoration for the writing quality, which compels me to draw attention to Kozlova's work. It deserves to be acknowledged, absorbed, and discussed, not just for its own sake, but for ours as humans.
Maya Kozlova's website
Read Delivered from Darkness on Kindle Vella