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A review by book_concierge
Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon
4.0
I am confused … in a good way.
Lucy has left her small Ohio town in the dead of night, along with her lover and former history teacher, on her way to adventure and riches; but can she really trust him? Miles has been searching for his missing, apparently schizophrenic, twin brother for years; a recent letter has given him a clue that dates back to their childhood and the fantasy games they played, and at last he is certain where to find him. Ryan has his own identity crisis when he learns that he was adopted; his biological father, Jay, is a ne’er-do-well who has never taken responsibility for anything, until he suddenly contacts Ryan, convinces him to come live with him, and learn his trade.
At its core this is a novel about identity, and it is mesmerizing and intentionally confusing. You have three separate story lines, told in alternating chapters, and without any apparent connection between them, unless you think about identity and reinventing oneself as a connecting theme. I know that Ryan Schuyler is a real person. Lucy Lattimore is definitely a real person. Miles Cheshire and Lydia Barrie are real people. But what about Jay Kozelek, Hayden Cheshire, George Orson?
The novel jumps around in time, making it even more difficult to keep track of all these characters. It starts about two-thirds of the way through the story line; or at least I think that’s where the opening falls in chronology. But don’t let that dissuade you; enjoy the roller coaster ride.
Lucy has left her small Ohio town in the dead of night, along with her lover and former history teacher, on her way to adventure and riches; but can she really trust him? Miles has been searching for his missing, apparently schizophrenic, twin brother for years; a recent letter has given him a clue that dates back to their childhood and the fantasy games they played, and at last he is certain where to find him. Ryan has his own identity crisis when he learns that he was adopted; his biological father, Jay, is a ne’er-do-well who has never taken responsibility for anything, until he suddenly contacts Ryan, convinces him to come live with him, and learn his trade.
At its core this is a novel about identity, and it is mesmerizing and intentionally confusing. You have three separate story lines, told in alternating chapters, and without any apparent connection between them, unless you think about identity and reinventing oneself as a connecting theme. I know that Ryan Schuyler is a real person. Lucy Lattimore is definitely a real person. Miles Cheshire and Lydia Barrie are real people. But what about Jay Kozelek, Hayden Cheshire, George Orson?
The novel jumps around in time, making it even more difficult to keep track of all these characters. It starts about two-thirds of the way through the story line; or at least I think that’s where the opening falls in chronology. But don’t let that dissuade you; enjoy the roller coaster ride.