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richardrbecker's reviews
497 reviews
Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Double Indemnity by James Cain is a pitch-perfect crime noir from the 1930s. It's a classic noir yarn about a no-nonsense guy, an expert in his insurance field, who falls for a married woman (and femme fatale) after she asks him about accident insurance.
The protagonist, Walter Huff, has always fantasized about scoring a big insurance scam and is quickly taken into her confidence. Huff contends that a big money score is always related to a train accident because while they always sound scary for the insured, they almost never happen.
The brisk novella-sized story, which initially appeared as a short story in Liberty magazine, starkly defines the insurance industry as the biggest gambling scheme going — with the insured wagering they will die, and the insurance agents wagering they will not. Huff knows the ins and outs and has even earned a stellar reputation for ferreting out frauds. Much of the story focuses on his plan to help his newly mint love interest plan the perfect murder with the highest payout.
Except, there are a few things that Huff doesn't know come with the bargain. The woman he falls for, Phyllis Nirdlinger, isn't nearly as naive as she seems to be — placing him in much more danger than losing his job or going to jail. If you can forgive Cain for the end as I do, it will surely satisfy any cravings you might have for classic crime noir.
The protagonist, Walter Huff, has always fantasized about scoring a big insurance scam and is quickly taken into her confidence. Huff contends that a big money score is always related to a train accident because while they always sound scary for the insured, they almost never happen.
The brisk novella-sized story, which initially appeared as a short story in Liberty magazine, starkly defines the insurance industry as the biggest gambling scheme going — with the insured wagering they will die, and the insurance agents wagering they will not. Huff knows the ins and outs and has even earned a stellar reputation for ferreting out frauds. Much of the story focuses on his plan to help his newly mint love interest plan the perfect murder with the highest payout.
Except, there are a few things that Huff doesn't know come with the bargain. The woman he falls for, Phyllis Nirdlinger, isn't nearly as naive as she seems to be — placing him in much more danger than losing his job or going to jail. If you can forgive Cain for the end as I do, it will surely satisfy any cravings you might have for classic crime noir.
Under the Bridge by Michael Harmon
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Michael Harmon's Under The Bridge offers plenty more than skateboarding. It's a story about broken families, friendships, teen angst, and drugs. It's told from the perspective of a likable hothead named Tate Brooks, who attempts to look out for his younger brother, Indy, after a family fight goes too far.
Tate always wants to do the right thing but tends to lean on physical rage as a solution to almost every problem, a temper picked up from his father. When his younger brother chooses the wrong path, slipping deeper into the local drug scene and tossed out of the house, Tate tries to patch up the damage in a family still reeling from the loss of one son.
While the skatepark primarily serves as a refuge from high school and the dingier, dangerous areas of Spokane, it plays a supporting role and offers the brothers one of several paths to redemption. The story is fast-paced and somewhat gritty, tempered only because the kids keep it grounded with sensibility and smarts.
The quick read was intensely enjoyable, especially in the build to the climax. I would have rated it five stars if the story had wrapped up so nicely. It's almost too perfect, spoiling the rest of the book's unpredictability. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys teen/young adult protagonist novels now and again.
Tate always wants to do the right thing but tends to lean on physical rage as a solution to almost every problem, a temper picked up from his father. When his younger brother chooses the wrong path, slipping deeper into the local drug scene and tossed out of the house, Tate tries to patch up the damage in a family still reeling from the loss of one son.
While the skatepark primarily serves as a refuge from high school and the dingier, dangerous areas of Spokane, it plays a supporting role and offers the brothers one of several paths to redemption. The story is fast-paced and somewhat gritty, tempered only because the kids keep it grounded with sensibility and smarts.
The quick read was intensely enjoyable, especially in the build to the climax. I would have rated it five stars if the story had wrapped up so nicely. It's almost too perfect, spoiling the rest of the book's unpredictability. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys teen/young adult protagonist novels now and again.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
My daughter and I picked up this one to read together, mainly because we're fans of Holly Black and thought this might be different but similar (as something to read in between Black novels). No, not really. A Court of Thorns and Roses lacks an edge that makes other fantasy authors shine.
While plenty of people like the series, we found the A Court of Thorns and Roses too predictable. If you have a hunch of where the story is going or where it will end, you are probably right — with the only burning question being which "Mr. Right" will be the right one for her. Although chances are, you might be right about that too. Ugh.
It's a bit of a shame. Feyre starts out as a strong female character on the front end, being the primary provider for her family in a human village not that far from the human-faerie border. However, her world is suddenly turned upside down when she shoots a wolf that is actually a faerie shapeshifter. As punishment for her crime, she is sentenced to be imprisoned in a fairie-land fantasy castle for the rest of her life (without a trial), and all her early strength evaporates into a victim story.
While in fairie-land, Feyre proves to be too indecisive, too whiny, and too prone to gushing in front of male figures — and that's just what my daughter says — to be likable. I just found her annoying most of the time, and the challenges she faced were relatively benign. But that might be me. I'm not fond of characters who say, "woe is me" every few sentences.
There came the point when we were both glad we were coming to an end, even reading the last three chapters in a single sitting, not because they were exciting, but because the finish line was in sight. I won't spoil the ending here, but it is fair to say that everything that is important to the protagonist — her family, values, painting, hunting, and everything that makes her an independent person — goes by the wayside in favor of male attention and affection.
While plenty of people like the series, we found the A Court of Thorns and Roses too predictable. If you have a hunch of where the story is going or where it will end, you are probably right — with the only burning question being which "Mr. Right" will be the right one for her. Although chances are, you might be right about that too. Ugh.
It's a bit of a shame. Feyre starts out as a strong female character on the front end, being the primary provider for her family in a human village not that far from the human-faerie border. However, her world is suddenly turned upside down when she shoots a wolf that is actually a faerie shapeshifter. As punishment for her crime, she is sentenced to be imprisoned in a fairie-land fantasy castle for the rest of her life (without a trial), and all her early strength evaporates into a victim story.
While in fairie-land, Feyre proves to be too indecisive, too whiny, and too prone to gushing in front of male figures — and that's just what my daughter says — to be likable. I just found her annoying most of the time, and the challenges she faced were relatively benign. But that might be me. I'm not fond of characters who say, "woe is me" every few sentences.
There came the point when we were both glad we were coming to an end, even reading the last three chapters in a single sitting, not because they were exciting, but because the finish line was in sight. I won't spoil the ending here, but it is fair to say that everything that is important to the protagonist — her family, values, painting, hunting, and everything that makes her an independent person — goes by the wayside in favor of male attention and affection.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Project Hail Mary is often hailed as an exhilarating must-read science fiction novel that follows in the footsteps of his breakout novel The Martian. Weir returns to what he knows, writing in the voice of a sophomoric smart guy on a scientific mission turned survival story. It makes for a fun, fast-paced read with exciting twists and turns couched in a landscape of complex scientific concepts made palatable because the protagonist is a science teacher (the cool one, in fact).
On his own, Ryland feels like a fundamentally decent and likable main character who you can't help but root for as a reluctant hero, even if your feelings may change throughout the book. But where Weir breaks from this past success is in making this story an unexpected buddy story, starring a creature who is the perfect poster child that life in space might be very alien from our own.
Since Ryland awakes suffering amnesia, Weir uses the character's mental state to dumb down science and spoon-feed readers information as his memory slowly returns. Weir uses this trope to his advantage, both in the present and to reveal fragments of the past as Ryland's memory returns to him.
Where Project Hail Mary sometimes misses the mark is with Ryland. Sometimes his supposed personality never allows us to be mesmerized by the wonder of the experience nor the dread of being the sole survivor or your crew light years away from earth. Any time Ryland hopes to reflect on the human condition, he staves off the moment by repeatedly proving that he's just a "stupid human."
On his own, Ryland feels like a fundamentally decent and likable main character who you can't help but root for as a reluctant hero, even if your feelings may change throughout the book. But where Weir breaks from this past success is in making this story an unexpected buddy story, starring a creature who is the perfect poster child that life in space might be very alien from our own.
Since Ryland awakes suffering amnesia, Weir uses the character's mental state to dumb down science and spoon-feed readers information as his memory slowly returns. Weir uses this trope to his advantage, both in the present and to reveal fragments of the past as Ryland's memory returns to him.
Where Project Hail Mary sometimes misses the mark is with Ryland. Sometimes his supposed personality never allows us to be mesmerized by the wonder of the experience nor the dread of being the sole survivor or your crew light years away from earth. Any time Ryland hopes to reflect on the human condition, he staves off the moment by repeatedly proving that he's just a "stupid human."
Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey Into the Dark Antarctic Night by Julian Sancton
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Thank goodness Julian Sancton was killing time at his desk when he came across an article that merely mentioned the Belgica. His interest in the expedition and its charismatic leaders — larger-than-life Dr. Frederick Cook; would-be Viking explorer and first mate Roald Amundsen; and fame-seeking Belgian captain Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery — led to the writing of a historical account as thrilling as any fictional novel.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth takes readers on a ride through the perilous politics (and fundraising hardships) of the day, as some of the world's last explorers set out on a race to discover the last remnants of the world. Balancing national pride, limited supplies, and an undisciplined crew, de Gerlache headed south to conquer Antarctica, only to fund out they were neither mentally nor physically prepared for the brutal challenges they would face.
Although sometimes foolhardy in their decisions, readers can't help but cheer for the men of the Belgica to survive scurvy, starvation, emotional depression, and madness at the end of the world. Their true grit and resilience are infectious in making one long for a heroic age, one captured so eloquently by Sancton, who essentially walked in the Belgica's shoes (at least a little way).
Perfect for anyone who enjoys a harrowing adventure grounded in truth, this book delivers precisely what it promises — a remarkable survival story studied by NASA to better understand the limits of human endurance. Upon finishing it, part of any reader will long to learn more about the men who made up the crew as so many of them continued to press forward and test the limits of their own near-legendary lives.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth takes readers on a ride through the perilous politics (and fundraising hardships) of the day, as some of the world's last explorers set out on a race to discover the last remnants of the world. Balancing national pride, limited supplies, and an undisciplined crew, de Gerlache headed south to conquer Antarctica, only to fund out they were neither mentally nor physically prepared for the brutal challenges they would face.
Although sometimes foolhardy in their decisions, readers can't help but cheer for the men of the Belgica to survive scurvy, starvation, emotional depression, and madness at the end of the world. Their true grit and resilience are infectious in making one long for a heroic age, one captured so eloquently by Sancton, who essentially walked in the Belgica's shoes (at least a little way).
Perfect for anyone who enjoys a harrowing adventure grounded in truth, this book delivers precisely what it promises — a remarkable survival story studied by NASA to better understand the limits of human endurance. Upon finishing it, part of any reader will long to learn more about the men who made up the crew as so many of them continued to press forward and test the limits of their own near-legendary lives.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Kazuo Ishiguro does an amazing job of exploring the opportunities and limitations of 'station' by challenging the first-person account of an English Butler. During a six-day trip along the English countryside, the bullet (Mr. Stevens) reflects on his life and 34-year career at Darlington Hall.
The trip is taken during a vacation prescribed by the new owner of Darlington Hall, an American gentleman who is considerably less formal than the previous owner that Mr. Stevens served. This minor tension proves to be a useful foreshadowing into Mr. Stevens life as part of his trip is to visit Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper of Darlington Hall who left twenty years earlier to get married.
There was a time that Miss Kenton may have fallen in love with Mr. Stevens, but his demeanor may have prevented him from taking action. Now, after receiving a letter from Miss Kenton that her marriage may in trouble, Mr. Stevens sees it as an opportunity to recruit her back to her previous job as a housekeeper.
Along with revisiting his previous 'almost' affair with Miss Kenton, much of the story recounts Mr. Stevens time at Darlington Hall, serving Lor Darlington, an English Lord who misunderstood the aims of Nazis during World War II and was duped into advocating a peaceful understanding between them and England. In addition to his reflections, we also get a sense of how he acts and interacts with the world around him.
The story is a beautiful and cruel reflection of regret. It is beautiful in outlining the opportunities Mr. Stevens has been given. It is cruel how often he lacks the capacity to see them outside what is proper for a person of his station. While tender and true as a work of literary fiction, some readers might find the story too passive for their liking. It worked for me, however, largely because I enjoy such a broad range of stories and storytelling.
The trip is taken during a vacation prescribed by the new owner of Darlington Hall, an American gentleman who is considerably less formal than the previous owner that Mr. Stevens served. This minor tension proves to be a useful foreshadowing into Mr. Stevens life as part of his trip is to visit Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper of Darlington Hall who left twenty years earlier to get married.
There was a time that Miss Kenton may have fallen in love with Mr. Stevens, but his demeanor may have prevented him from taking action. Now, after receiving a letter from Miss Kenton that her marriage may in trouble, Mr. Stevens sees it as an opportunity to recruit her back to her previous job as a housekeeper.
Along with revisiting his previous 'almost' affair with Miss Kenton, much of the story recounts Mr. Stevens time at Darlington Hall, serving Lor Darlington, an English Lord who misunderstood the aims of Nazis during World War II and was duped into advocating a peaceful understanding between them and England. In addition to his reflections, we also get a sense of how he acts and interacts with the world around him.
The story is a beautiful and cruel reflection of regret. It is beautiful in outlining the opportunities Mr. Stevens has been given. It is cruel how often he lacks the capacity to see them outside what is proper for a person of his station. While tender and true as a work of literary fiction, some readers might find the story too passive for their liking. It worked for me, however, largely because I enjoy such a broad range of stories and storytelling.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
With perfect brevity, Jack London demonstrates his superb ability as a storyteller with an uncanny understanding of animal and human nature. Both tales, especially The Call of the Wild, have an energy and vitality that keeps readers gasping with every turn of the page — sometimes in horror and sometimes in excitement.
The Call of the Wild is told from the perspective of Buck, a St. Bernard and Shepard mix, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon. After he is stolen from his lush California home and sold to prospectors, Buck is forced to learn the law of "club and fang" to survive and thrive in the harsh environment and icy trails of northern Canada and Alaska.
As an adventure story, Buck survives several toils and tribulations until he eventually, just in the nick of time, is saved by the kindness and companionship of a man named John Thornton. The love between the two, including a willingness to give each other the freedom both long for, proves that a dog or a man may remain good despite their harsh and negative environments.
The book is surprisingly profound in a short space of time. There is no question why it has become an American classic that extols the virtues of inner strength and endurance — traits he learned while on his own adventures.
The Call of the Wild is told from the perspective of Buck, a St. Bernard and Shepard mix, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon. After he is stolen from his lush California home and sold to prospectors, Buck is forced to learn the law of "club and fang" to survive and thrive in the harsh environment and icy trails of northern Canada and Alaska.
As an adventure story, Buck survives several toils and tribulations until he eventually, just in the nick of time, is saved by the kindness and companionship of a man named John Thornton. The love between the two, including a willingness to give each other the freedom both long for, proves that a dog or a man may remain good despite their harsh and negative environments.
The book is surprisingly profound in a short space of time. There is no question why it has become an American classic that extols the virtues of inner strength and endurance — traits he learned while on his own adventures.
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Orphan Master's Son is a beautifully written story that shares the power of stories. Set in the unlikely location of North Korea, Adam Johnson intertwines propaganda, identity, and the power of the state to tell a mesmerizing and adventurous tale about a boy who rises from the ranks of orphans (despite not being an orphan) to assume the identity of a North Korean hero and rival of Kim Jong-il.
Divided into two parts, The Biography of Jun Do and The Confessions of Commander Ga, The Orphan Masters Son begins with the conscription of Pak Jun Do at the age of fourteen to fight in dark underground tunnels. Later, he becomes a kidnapper of Japanese citizens and a signal operator on a fishing boat.
It's on the fishing boat that Pak Jun Do learns the power of stories as his captain and shipmate reshape real experiences into something akin to the propaganda that citizens are required to listen to and absorb regularly — everything from doves flocking to Kim Jong-il to provide him shade to the treacherous and decrepit misdeeds of capitalist Americans. Whatever happens on the ship is retold to extol the virtues of everything North Korean, including shrimp that jump into nets for the benefit of being caught by Kim Jong-il's birthday.
When one of the stories catapults Pak Jun Do to hero status, he quickly learns how fragile one's existence is in North Korea. When a mission to the United States is deemed a failure, he and other delegation members are sent to work in prison mines. It is there Pak Jun Do is given an opportunity to allow the power of story and a people beholden to those in power to his advantage.
As a whole, the novel opens a frightening window on North Korea, tenderly explores love and sacrifice, and also, if you listen carefully, demonstrates how America is somewhat reliant on the same willingness to believe that its way is right and another way wrong. Listening to modern press secretaries explain away facts today may even make The Orphan Master's son more poignant than it was ten years ago.
While it just misses being added to my favorite books, it is one I'll carry with me for a long time.
Divided into two parts, The Biography of Jun Do and The Confessions of Commander Ga, The Orphan Masters Son begins with the conscription of Pak Jun Do at the age of fourteen to fight in dark underground tunnels. Later, he becomes a kidnapper of Japanese citizens and a signal operator on a fishing boat.
It's on the fishing boat that Pak Jun Do learns the power of stories as his captain and shipmate reshape real experiences into something akin to the propaganda that citizens are required to listen to and absorb regularly — everything from doves flocking to Kim Jong-il to provide him shade to the treacherous and decrepit misdeeds of capitalist Americans. Whatever happens on the ship is retold to extol the virtues of everything North Korean, including shrimp that jump into nets for the benefit of being caught by Kim Jong-il's birthday.
When one of the stories catapults Pak Jun Do to hero status, he quickly learns how fragile one's existence is in North Korea. When a mission to the United States is deemed a failure, he and other delegation members are sent to work in prison mines. It is there Pak Jun Do is given an opportunity to allow the power of story and a people beholden to those in power to his advantage.
As a whole, the novel opens a frightening window on North Korea, tenderly explores love and sacrifice, and also, if you listen carefully, demonstrates how America is somewhat reliant on the same willingness to believe that its way is right and another way wrong. Listening to modern press secretaries explain away facts today may even make The Orphan Master's son more poignant than it was ten years ago.
While it just misses being added to my favorite books, it is one I'll carry with me for a long time.
The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Having already read many of his longer works, Moore's Pine Cove series has become a "go-to" anytime I need a break from heavier fiction. This time out, Moore introduces Raziel to Pine Cove (previously in Moore's novel Lamb) on a mission to deliver a Christmas miracle to the child on Christmas.
While I wish Raziel played a more important role than a peripheral character, the story still elicits plenty of chuckles from the usual suspects who make up Pine Cove (and a few new ones).
The Stupidest Angel opens with a war between 40-something Lena Marquez and her ex-husband Dale Pearson. What begins as an altercation in the supermarket's parking lot because Dale promises Lena that he'll put money in a donation pale after shopping (but doesn't) escalates into something much more serious — the death of somebody in a Santa suit.
Under normal circumstances, this strange event might have ended there. But when the death of "Santa" is seen by Pine Cover child, Raziel immediately knows how to intervene and perform a Christmas miracle with disastrous results endured by Pine Cove favorites Theo Crow, Molly Michion, Lena Marquez, and others. Along with them is an interesting addition of Tucker Case and his beloved fruit bat.
In 2005, the novel won the Quill Award in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror category. Namely, this story was an early favorite among readers who appreciate brain-hungry, lightly intelligent zombies. More heartwarming than heady, but that's the point. When you know you need a little Christopher Moore to lift your spirits, Moore always delivers.
While I wish Raziel played a more important role than a peripheral character, the story still elicits plenty of chuckles from the usual suspects who make up Pine Cove (and a few new ones).
The Stupidest Angel opens with a war between 40-something Lena Marquez and her ex-husband Dale Pearson. What begins as an altercation in the supermarket's parking lot because Dale promises Lena that he'll put money in a donation pale after shopping (but doesn't) escalates into something much more serious — the death of somebody in a Santa suit.
Under normal circumstances, this strange event might have ended there. But when the death of "Santa" is seen by Pine Cover child, Raziel immediately knows how to intervene and perform a Christmas miracle with disastrous results endured by Pine Cove favorites Theo Crow, Molly Michion, Lena Marquez, and others. Along with them is an interesting addition of Tucker Case and his beloved fruit bat.
In 2005, the novel won the Quill Award in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror category. Namely, this story was an early favorite among readers who appreciate brain-hungry, lightly intelligent zombies. More heartwarming than heady, but that's the point. When you know you need a little Christopher Moore to lift your spirits, Moore always delivers.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5, rounded up. I was introduced to Flowers for Algernon in high school. It was the first stage production I was ever cast; a partygoer without lines in one of the scenes. After seeing the movie 1968 movie Charly a few years later in college, I always meant to read the book. I just got around to it.
What I found was Daniel Keyes' masterwork about 32-year-old Charlie Gordon, a baker's helper with an IQ of 68. Despite his limited capacity, Charlie attends reading and writing classes in the hope of increasing his intelligence, which makes him the perfect candidate for a radical experiment to surgically increase someone's intelligence.
Written from Charlie's point of view as a series of progress reports, readers see Charlie's transformation as both a story and writing mechanism, which Keyes does brilliantly. What begins as short, error-prone sentences becomes a well-written narrative of an intelligent man but with a stunted emotional intelligence despite having an eventual IQ of 185 or more. In doing so, Keyes explores several themes: prejudice against the disabled, the conflict between intellect and emotion, the intricacies of loneliness, and what constitutes a better quality of life.
My only criticism of this wonderfully told story is how it comes crashing down at the end, with what seems to be a little less detail than how it begins. It's also the kind of book that leaves one a bit melancholy, given that it is mostly void of likable characters, perhaps even more so as the book has aged. Still, while not a favorite, it easily fits among my "must read" sometime-in-a-lifetime books. Readers will come out smarter and more empathetic, even if the character may not.
What I found was Daniel Keyes' masterwork about 32-year-old Charlie Gordon, a baker's helper with an IQ of 68. Despite his limited capacity, Charlie attends reading and writing classes in the hope of increasing his intelligence, which makes him the perfect candidate for a radical experiment to surgically increase someone's intelligence.
Written from Charlie's point of view as a series of progress reports, readers see Charlie's transformation as both a story and writing mechanism, which Keyes does brilliantly. What begins as short, error-prone sentences becomes a well-written narrative of an intelligent man but with a stunted emotional intelligence despite having an eventual IQ of 185 or more. In doing so, Keyes explores several themes: prejudice against the disabled, the conflict between intellect and emotion, the intricacies of loneliness, and what constitutes a better quality of life.
My only criticism of this wonderfully told story is how it comes crashing down at the end, with what seems to be a little less detail than how it begins. It's also the kind of book that leaves one a bit melancholy, given that it is mostly void of likable characters, perhaps even more so as the book has aged. Still, while not a favorite, it easily fits among my "must read" sometime-in-a-lifetime books. Readers will come out smarter and more empathetic, even if the character may not.