Review: A different, cerebral read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 16, 2013
Derek is afflicted with a condition called "face blindness." If someone is stalking him and wants to do him harm, will Derec recognize that person? And how? I think there's a subtle allegory that is running through this storyline - can we, any of us, really, recognize the face of an enemy even if we see it?The premise is of the book is very good in that it allows for much speculative symbolism is open to interpretation by the reader. The somewhat similar approach was implemented in "The Demolished Man" by Alfred Bester, only with "face blindness" appearing in the dream sequences.There's a reality that has been built up here through the eyes and perception of a man for whom one face looks exactly like the other. Or perhaps Derec's world is actually falling apart around him - he goes from a sympathetic character in the beginning of the story to a hard-to-relate personage. Either way, the character progression of the main protagonist and the subtle changes of his relationship to the world  are interesting to observe.The author puts effort in crafting the sentences and dialogs, presenting by witty, if somewhat slow moving word pictures:I am disassociated somehow, just a child's toy with a crank on my back; wind me up and send me whirring inside.He presents a photo of a stained glass window. A bearded man and a sheep. Definitely something religious, probably Christian. Catholic? "I don't know. Could be any of a dozen saints, I never really kept up with that.""It's Jesus. Jesus!""Where's the cross? C'mon, that's a bad shot of him."A policeman in a dark blue uniform steps through, handcuffs rattling as he walks. Broad shoulders, proud stance. Grim expression.The narrative is written in first person present tense. With concentration on the inner thoughts of the character, this book is an example of what is loosely termed "Literary Fiction." It does give the reader a sense of moving forward constantly; however, the perceived unrelenting high tension of such a style does take a tall - I wish there were some scenes of relative normalcy that would allow us to to take a break and to contrast the ongoing narrative for a better appreciation of the way it is presented here.All in all, this is a well written novel that can mean different things to different people. My personal high-brow criticisms are just that, personal. Good book, if you are looking for a different and cerebral read.