Spools of Red Twine

by Rachel Pacelli

SPOOLS OF RED TWINE is narrated by Rebecca Stonewall, a painfully frank and self-aware young woman who finds herself working a soul-sucking job as a cashier at a health food store. This timely satire critiques society, ridiculous individuals, and the emptiness of being forced to continue on with the status quo. Haunted by a dream of being chased by Madness, she becomes aware of her own hypocrisies. Unable to move, she realizes that fear is acting as a glue, and madness a beckoning hand she is unable to follow. Just as she falls into the suffocating pool of insincerity and emptiness, she meets James, laconic on the surface, but intensely focused on what really matters, who brings her back into herself. He is the antithesis of order and control, and inspires her to rebel back against society and her own burdening expectations. But did her dream predict the future? Is James real, or is he Madness– and he’s finally caught up?
Spools of red twine will seal her fate. Wake up. Wake up. She can’t be late.

Genres: Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published May 9, 2020

About the author

Rachel Pacelli is a recent graduate of Cornish College of the Arts with her BFA in Theater (acting, playwriting, and directing). She is currently working as a NY Broadway Theater Critic, and has written multiple plays, screenplays, and a developing limited TV series. SPOOLS OF RED TWINE is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Beverly Sennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Pacelli has written a searing story that is so important, particularly because of the chaotic times we find ourselves in.

Her search for how to behave and yet be true to oneself is a key component of this story. The balance between compassion and raw truth, while dealing with oneself in order to survive, is such a difficult undertaking.

It was hard to read about Rebecca, as it brings up one's own life and the many compromises one makes in order to feel that you belong and not wanting to hurt others.

I highly recommend reading this powerful story. It is time to search ourselves and bring forth what we really think and believe in and bring out useful compassion for others' pain and free ourselves from hypocrisy.

I look forward to reading Ms Pacelli's next book, as her story was so well written and compelling.

[Rachel Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed! Very funny, but also brought up a lot of good points about how repetitive things are and having to act fake. Really deep and insightful, but not in a hit you over the head kind of way. Definitely recommend!

[Marie Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based off some of the other reviews, I feel like there are perhaps two camps to this book: you either relate to the character, or you don’t. If you don’t relate, than I could see others passing this off as being “self-involved”, the same way older generations often look down at those that are younger. Speaking as someone who is older herself, if someone is being honest about their experiences, no matter how old they are, and if they have a right to feel the way they do about the world, then that supposed “self-involvement” comes off as a generational or even universal pain. Also, if something is done with truth, and they’re able to make fun of themselves as well, then it can never be considered pretentious. There is a certain airs that comes with pretension that this book clearly does not possess, she makes fun of people that “fart out of their mouths” when they speak, for God’s sake.

I’m only defending some of the points other reviews made to this level because I resonated so strongly with this character that I saw myself when I was that age and everything I felt. Even when I was older, really. If anything, this book portrays such a brutal, ugly truth to what so many of us must surely be feeling when we live our lives, especially when we’re young. This feeling that we have to act a certain way that’s pleasant, or that we have to fit in a mold so others like us. I worked for twelve years in the customer service industry, and I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud for the accurate descriptions of what you go through.
Even more than all of that, it’s damn funny throughout in original ways (tofu people, as an example). But it’s funny in a way that never diverges from the truth of what this character is going through.

One of the things, as well, that I really like about the writing is how experimental it feels. It’s filled with various anecdotes that fit in quite well to the whole thing, reminding me almost of a Curb Your Enthusiasm-type humor at times. But then it builds to a whole climax as it feels like the character is screaming against an unbreakable wall that everyone else is ignoring. It brought up a lot of memories for me, her whole journey, and it’s something I’ll be rereading in the future.

Pacelli’s work is original, introspective, hilarious at times, and painful at others. It’s written with a unique form and structure that others may not necessarily expect or like if they’re not open to going against tradition. And, like I’ve said, if you don’t relate to what the character is going through or enjoy her humor then you probably won’t like this book too well. But I suspect that far more people will relate because of it’s tough truth and the reality of what so many of us go through in our lives. I highly recommend, another plus being that it’s a quick read you will surely speed through in one or two settings!

[Tracey L Pacelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spools of Red Twine is spun with dizzying force by debut author Rachel Pacelli, her transgressive female voice breaking free in ways that are alarmingly truthful, hilariously funny, and horrific! And, I won’t give away the ending, but let’s just say this novel is a bullet train that arrives at quite an unexpected station. So hard to blend satire with poetic truth, but Pacelli capably manages to do both while never losing sight of the fast-paced plotting that delivers its potent payoff.

[Guy Portman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twenty-something writer and dissatisfied grocery store employee Rebecca Stonewall is being tormented by a recurring dream of being chased by ‘Madness’. As a consequence, she finds herself endlessly ruminating and philosophising on the meaning of her existence. Then she meets James, a handsome, mysterious author and potential love interest who imbues Rebecca with the notion of not accepting the status quo.

This non-plot-based, first-person narrative consists primarily of our ardent protagonist critiquing society, pondering her state of mind, reflecting on her life and obsessing over hypocrisy; something she is frightfully aware of and only too keen to divulge.

Pretentious and laborious, this debut transgressive work is at least mercifully short.

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious at times, sad and honest at others. I really connected and couldn’t wait to live inside what I would consider our “anti-heroine’s” head. Very real, raw, straightforward, honest, and inventive. I haven’t read a book quite like this yet. Original and innovative, Spools of Red Twine is a fast read you can speed through in one enjoyable evening, and find yourself opening back up to read sections again and again! Found myself laughing at loud on many occasions and thinking about my own life and feelings on many others. Wonderful. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Meg Chrisler · Rating 2 out of 5]

She knows how to write but this is dreadfully trite and so self involved. Repetitive and adolescent sentence structure and there is nothing of substance within these pages. Maybe with time her writing will become insightful but this is purely a sad beginning.