samanthawattam's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ed Kennedy, 19 is an underage taxi driver, his friends are Marv and Ritchie, he is in love with Audrey but a love that is unrequited as she just wants to be friends and he has a dog called The Doorman who is stinky but Ed still loves him. At the outset Ed finds himself foiling a bank robbery he wasn’t trying to be brave he just did - then the messages begin arriving on playing cards.
The book seems to be aimed at young adults and although it does have a lot of humour it covers some tough subjects including sexual abuse, loneliness and violence.
It is also a seriously weird book which at times you are baffled as to where it is going but it is also intriguing and interesting as Ed receives messages via playing cards he is faced with dilemmas, problems to solve often with moral conundrums. Who is sending these messages and why?
We learn that Ed is basically a nice guy and I like how Ed keeps checking up on the people he encounters he doesn’t just move on he keeps returning making contact again hanging around. The book gets a point for mentioning one of my favourite actors George Kennedy and I agree he is “unforgettable” :)
I have to say I found the ending bloody confusing and seriously strange I didn’t really understand it so after thinking about it I have to reduce my rating by 1 star BUT I do think the journey was still worth it. I recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Violence
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