4 Stars.
Lowboy is the story of 16 yr old Will. A paranoid schizophrenic who manages to escape from the mental hospital (which he refers to as "school") he has called home for years. Will walks onto a subway in NYC, prepared for his great mission; to save the world from a fiery ending by the end of the day.
The book is told through various viewpoints, Will's, his mother Violet and the missing persons detective assigned to find Will before he turns violent. Out of the three, Will's POV is most affecting, as the reader is able to witness the decline in his mind's ability to tell the difference between reality and fantasy the longer he is off his medication.
I guess I was naive going into this story, somehow assuming there might be a light at the end of the tunnel for Will. I was not expecting this book to be as dark and bleak as it was. But, the story worked in keeping me interested, and I definitely cared about Will a great deal by the end of the book. The supposed 'twist' involving Violet was pretty predictable, and didn't really add anything, since her character was annoying at best.
At once beautifully written, and truly disturbing, Lowboy was a reading experience I won't soon forget. The main character of Will Hellar has made a huge impression on me. And it is that fact that makes the ultimate resolution to this dark, dark story so heartbreaking.
More book reviews on my channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Bookgasmic
No comments:
Post a Comment