Perception amplifier? Emotion augmenter? Reality definer? I cannot imagine any reader being neutral toward the writing of Tom Spanbauer. Lest I mislead anyone let me say that I have completed only one third of this amazing novel. I have in the past avoided reviewing any book that I had not completed. Alas, time constraints and deadlines conspire to lead me into the path of other reviewers...to my dismay I must add.
Having said that, I can assure any reader of a genuine emotional experience...one that he may not like but certainly one that is authentic. The basic overarching plot is not new...boy from the midwest, in this case Idaho, is drawn to New York City where he meets a fascinating variety of people some of whom become friends, mentors and lovers.
All the characters are the real thing: artistic, creative, driven, weird (in the best NYC sense) and lovable...well maybe not lovable but surely embraceable.
The protagonist is ostensibly seeking his childhood friend/lover. What he is really seeking is himself. How he grows is the essence of the book. How this is conveyed to the reader is the essence of the reading experience. In the arts, including writing, there is an essential dynamic between form and content. This book scores high points on both sides. The story line is balanced, lucid and complex without losing the reader...so we have meaningful content. Yet for me the form, the method of communicating the story line, sets the book apart from other novels I’ve recently read. The Marshall McLuhan line from the ’60s applies here...“The medium is the message.”
The opening pages are so evocative that I’ve re-read them numerous times, even though I’ve not finished the book. Especially poignant is the description on page four of the protagonist’s “moment that after you’re different”...a memory from his past. It’s so well written that in about one page you feel that you know him, the narrator, his history, and especially his sensitivity to the world. I wept. I’ve tried to read it aloud to friends and family. I cannot. I choke up! And I’m not even a very emotional guy!
If you’ve lived in New York you cannot help being astonished at the verisimilitude of the images. If you have not, you’ll be a virtual New Yorker by book’s end. For me, the book was longing and wistful memories. For you, I hope, the book can be one of the most positive reading experiences of your life!! Read it!