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A review by serendipitysbooks
Bewilderment by Richard Powers
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This is the story of Theo, an astrobiologist, and his 9 year old son Robin. Robin is especially sensitive, anxious and prone to violent outbursts. Grief could well play a part since his mother recently died in a car accident. Some of his issues may well be valid reactions to what is and isn’t happening in the world, especially when it comes to the environment. But ADHD and/or autism disorders are also hinted at. The school wants Robin medicated. Theo resists and chooses to take Robin on a wilderness escape, then later homeschools him and enrols him on an experimental neurofeedback programme to help regulate his emotions.
I loved the bond between Theo and Robin, the fact that Theo accepted Robin for who he was and didn’t try to change him. Robin made my heart ache, especially since he reminded me of one of my own children at a similar age. I loved the way homeschooling was incorporated into the plot. I’m obviously biased since I homeschooled for more than 20 years and it certainly isn’t an option for everyone, but sometimes the problem is the system not the child. Or at least the system’s inability to accommodate the child. Theo and Robin’s love of the natural world and the way it provided an element of healing rang very true. The environmental crisis and the threat posed by climate change were prominent themes. Some readers found that too heavy handed but I’m not sure it is possible to overplay those factors in today’s world. I loved the writing, particularly the way it captured the beauty of the the natural world.
A few things didn’t work for me. Occasionally the interplanetary research and the neurofeedback experiments got too technical and the Greta Thunberg and Donald Trump characters took me out of the story. Since I don’t read a lot of sci-fi and haven’t read Flowers for Algernon I’m not in a position to appreciate or critique those aspects of Bewilderment .
Final Verdict - This book was much more hit than miss for me. A touchingly written novel about a father-son relationship that highlights the wonders of the natural world and the many threats it faces.
I loved the bond between Theo and Robin, the fact that Theo accepted Robin for who he was and didn’t try to change him. Robin made my heart ache, especially since he reminded me of one of my own children at a similar age. I loved the way homeschooling was incorporated into the plot. I’m obviously biased since I homeschooled for more than 20 years and it certainly isn’t an option for everyone, but sometimes the problem is the system not the child. Or at least the system’s inability to accommodate the child. Theo and Robin’s love of the natural world and the way it provided an element of healing rang very true. The environmental crisis and the threat posed by climate change were prominent themes. Some readers found that too heavy handed but I’m not sure it is possible to overplay those factors in today’s world. I loved the writing, particularly the way it captured the beauty of the the natural world.
A few things didn’t work for me. Occasionally the interplanetary research and the neurofeedback experiments got too technical and the Greta Thunberg and Donald Trump characters took me out of the story. Since I don’t read a lot of sci-fi and haven’t read Flowers for Algernon I’m not in a position to appreciate or critique those aspects of Bewilderment .
Final Verdict - This book was much more hit than miss for me. A touchingly written novel about a father-son relationship that highlights the wonders of the natural world and the many threats it faces.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief