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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
A Lite Too Bright by Samuel Miller 3.75/5 Contemporary YA
A Lite Too Bright is a coming of age story with some unique elements. The main character is the grandson of a famous writer who wrote a seminal novel in the seventies, think J.D. Salinger. This is the story of Arthur’s journey to discover what his granddad had done during his last week of life. His grandfather was suffering from severe Alzheimer’s and took off without a word from his house in California and a week later he died in Ohio. Arthur is delightfully unreliable. There are lots of examples of the grandad’s writing, taken from various sources that are discovered on the journey.
The characterizations were good. They carried the story. We learn lots about the main character, the love interest and the grandfather over the course of the novel. There were fleshed out secondary characters to add to the story.
This book has a contemporary setting, with a long trip across western United States. Each stop is interesting, and the train is a great set piece for some events.
Themes in this book are about coming of age, loss of innocence and mental illness. I think the main character has schizo-affective disorder. Both the grandad and the grandson have significant losses in their lives and that play into the central themes.
There were some thorny problems in the book, mainly how the main character could locate places and items of importance seemingly without effort. Coming up are some minor spoilers, so look away! There is a side character that is totally unbelievable. Lots of events are so perfectly timed as to strain the suspension of disbelief. The main character is allowed to cavort around the west, committing crimes, joining with a revolutionary group, and assaulting a police officer. So unbelievable.
I really liked the writing in this book. The epistolary pieces are done well. The resolution is satisfying. It was a good book.
A Lite Too Bright is a coming of age story with some unique elements. The main character is the grandson of a famous writer who wrote a seminal novel in the seventies, think J.D. Salinger. This is the story of Arthur’s journey to discover what his granddad had done during his last week of life. His grandfather was suffering from severe Alzheimer’s and took off without a word from his house in California and a week later he died in Ohio. Arthur is delightfully unreliable. There are lots of examples of the grandad’s writing, taken from various sources that are discovered on the journey.
The characterizations were good. They carried the story. We learn lots about the main character, the love interest and the grandfather over the course of the novel. There were fleshed out secondary characters to add to the story.
This book has a contemporary setting, with a long trip across western United States. Each stop is interesting, and the train is a great set piece for some events.
Themes in this book are about coming of age, loss of innocence and mental illness. I think the main character has schizo-affective disorder. Both the grandad and the grandson have significant losses in their lives and that play into the central themes.
There were some thorny problems in the book, mainly how the main character could locate places and items of importance seemingly without effort. Coming up are some minor spoilers, so look away! There is a side character that is totally unbelievable. Lots of events are so perfectly timed as to strain the suspension of disbelief. The main character is allowed to cavort around the west, committing crimes, joining with a revolutionary group, and assaulting a police officer. So unbelievable.
I really liked the writing in this book. The epistolary pieces are done well. The resolution is satisfying. It was a good book.
As a Kent State student this was incredibly interesting. And Frustrating, as they didn’t know what they were looking for, even though it’s something I walk by every single day. But the story is incredible mix of mystery and action and romance.
Wow. Some books give you a satisfied feeling when you finish, and this is one of them. It’s a thought provoking and emotional story about Alzheimer’s and the devastating effects it can have on everyone, but it’s also a bit of an action story and a road trip story all rolled into one. I enjoyed it on so many levels.