Review: More Ghosts Than Bats in the Belfry
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 20, 2011
An Unassigned Life by Susan Welles BennettThis wonderfully imaginative and funny novel is about a writer named Tim Chase who commits suicide. Failing to meet the criteria to go to Heaven or Hell, he is left in limbo. His state of existence such as it is benefits from a mentoring angel who supplies him with El Pad--a computer like hand held tablet that answers his questions and provides rules for poor souls such as his caught in this state of unassigned life. El Pad allows him to go outside of his home without fear of being exorcised as an evil spirit. Physical contact with living humans causes him flu like symptoms and he can't be seen except for those with chemical mental imbalances or when extreme emotionalism causes him to materialize. As El Pad says there are always exceptions to the rules.Tim has two objectives, to finish his new novel and to advance to a higher state of being. Along the way he meets friendly fellow ghosts who come alive in Susan's words from an old woman next door to a priest who offers much valuable advice such as "The living are always trying to find the shortcuts to happiness in life, but look what happens when someone achieves premature success: they bloom too early and spend the rest of their lives dying." Terrific.Even more exciting is the way Susan's character Tim gets into the minds and hearts of living humans while they are asleep and alters their dreams--mine too I think. I won't give you the details lest I reveal too much of the story, but if you read this well written novel the author may just have one of her characters enter your mind and help you become more than you have been. A fast paced page-turner with a great twist at the end. This one deserves your attention and five stars.Arthur LevineJohnny Oops