The Knife Thrower

The Knife Thrower

This story was incredibly engaging and definitely my favourite so far. The plot was believable, the writing was good, and I especially like the narrator and how he was used in the story. I though the plot was unique and really played on the fascination that humans have with danger. The antagonist, Hensch, really reminded me of the protagonist in the movie “The Illusionist” who was a fanatic magician, obsessed with taking his magic to the next level and taking risks. In the end it was his downfall, and it seems to me that this is where the story was heading, for although Hensch entertained his audience, they all left with the same feelings of unease.

What made those feelings of the audience clear was the narrator of the story. What I really loved about him was that although he sat in the audience with everyone else he seemed like more of a floating entity, like what was going on wasn’t just coming from his head but he could pick up on the emotions and thoughts of the other audience members as well but relay them in a very subtle way. Through this the narrator was able to fully draw me into the story and kept me wanting to turn the page.

The writing in this story is also some of the best that I have read to far out of this booklet. The style was simple but very descriptive; it made me feel as if I was truly sitting in the audience with everyone else, applauding with everyone after each dangerous trick and cowering when the pale women swept the crowd for volunteers.

I thought this was a great short story. It was engaging, descriptive, unique and well written, and definitely the best of the bunch so far. 

                                                                                                                                                                        S.Thiso

MAPT 19/B1/39