Review: Thought provoking thriller gives JD Salinger a run for his money
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 28, 2012
This is a novel that will keep reverberating long after you put down your Kindle.  It's such a unique text, and Jacob's voice is really endearing, even in his most awkward moments (in one bittersweet excerpt, he attempts to comfort a girl whose mom is battling cancer, and with one sentence his good intentions go awry).  First, the Six are incredibly well-developed and relatable characters- Jacob describes them as his family unit, an indispensable part of him.  In Jacob, an embattled high school freshman, Scott Kelly has created an exceptionally bright adolescent narrator (I would compare him to Holden Caulfield, but that would misrepresent how unique Jacob is).  He idolizes David, whose philosophy and antics are impressive- "Sartre was right," David says, after one hilarious and thought-provoking vignette in which he proves that "people get comfortable with who they are and let that definition control them."  "The Devil is a scapegoat, hell is manmade," is Jacob's response, "It has sidewalks and street signs but no mirrors.  You can see everyone but yourself."  The Six believe that people definie themselves by how other people view them- but what happens if a pretty girl can't be pretty and the big jock can't be a strong leader?  The subject matter gives readers a lot to chew on, dealing with everything from economic and social classism to dealing with terminally ill family members and Alzheimer's, and playing Eureka is a brilliant bit of escapism that will haunt you as you read this book.  This is a great book that will make you examine your life in ways you never thought to before.