Review: Talented Writer and Wonderful Book
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 16, 2014
When I read the synopsis of this book, I admit that I rolled my eyes and thought this was going to be the worst book ever. The only reason I started to read it was because I really liked Mr. Pirog's other books. I truly thought it would be impossible for him to turn this premise into an interesting book, though, and figured I would be hitting the permanent delete button. I admit that I was wrong. Much to my surprise, it is a very good little book.I don't know how Mr. Pirog managed it, but the characters are well fleshed out. The protagonist may only be awake for one hour each day, but we get a very real sense of who he is and what his life is like. The supporting characters are also given well developed personalities, given the constraints of the book's length.The story is entertaining and it definitely kept me engaged. Was it very believable? Yes and no. This is fiction, after all, so there  were times when some of the actions were a bit improbable, but overall, it remained credible. The book also manages to appear as light fluff at first glance, but then the serious undertones of living life with a serious handicap turn it into something more.The plot was a standard murder mystery, but to me, what really drove this book was the characters. I have noticed a pattern with Mr. Pirog's protagonists in his various books. They seem to be decent, ordinary men who work with what they have. They are extremely likeable men, who may be flawed, but they try to do the right thing. Henry  Bins is a fine example of this, as was his  father. Given his handicap, it would have been easy for Henry Bins to ignore the screams from across the street. Henry's father's paternal love, concern and support came across, as did his willingness to try to make Henry's life as normal as possible, and his efforts to give Henry his independence.While I realize this book will not appeal to everyone, I liked it very much and I recommend it to anyone who likes this genre. The author's talent shines through in this one.