Rating: 4/5

Three-Word Summary: Internal story engages

To be honest, I was initially skeptical about this book. Using “brain science” to write a more riveting novel sounded like a run-of-the-mill to-good-to-be-true technique. I half expected it to be a collection of trite tips or questionable theories.

However, I was pleased to find that the concepts were presented quite logically and that the content was more than moderately helpful.

If anything, the “brain science” referred to in the book’s subtitle was more of a misleading way to describe effective storytelling. Through the book, Cron dives into how to connect to the reader’s natural tendencies and emotions to craft a mesmerizing story.

While these methods can be a bit overly simplistic and don’t necessarily result in timeless literature, they nevertheless tap into some truths about story. Following her steps won’t guarantee anything, they do divulge a deeper understanding of already successful stories.

One of the most useful elements in the book was her incorporation of an example story. She convinces a fellow writer to walk readers through the steps while working on a pending novel. This provided a practical example of how the technique could be used. While also proving how it can work effectively.

The book may have been about 20% too long for my taste; towards the end, as she dipped into the details, I started to lose interest. Perhaps it was because I wasn’t using it to write a novel simultaneously. Or perhaps it was because this book itself is not one of the stories it discusses.

Irregardless, there was still enough useful information I gleaned from reading that made it worthwhile. And Cron’s own writing style makes the work of nonfiction still mostly enjoyable to sit through.