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A review by kpwerker
Lowboy by John Wray
5.0
An uncomfortable, riveting, beautifully written novel about a schizophrenic teenager named Will, his mother, and the detective looking for him after he went off his meds and went on the lam in the New York City subway system.
I consider myself to be a mildly enlightened person when it comes to mental illness, but I can't say whether the portrayal of schizophrenia in this book is realistic or fair. What I can say, though, is that it *seems* realistic and not at all unfair. And disturbing. And beautiful. And confounding.
As we get to know Will, his mother and the detective better, it's as if we're on a journey of consciousness and sanity, dipping and weaving in and out of both and around and around until we get to the end.
This is the best book I've read in quite a while. The writing is perfect. The story is subtle and rich and vivid and vague.
If you're interested in mental illness, in character studies, in New York City or subways or teenagers or adults, I highly recommend this book.
I consider myself to be a mildly enlightened person when it comes to mental illness, but I can't say whether the portrayal of schizophrenia in this book is realistic or fair. What I can say, though, is that it *seems* realistic and not at all unfair. And disturbing. And beautiful. And confounding.
As we get to know Will, his mother and the detective better, it's as if we're on a journey of consciousness and sanity, dipping and weaving in and out of both and around and around until we get to the end.
This is the best book I've read in quite a while. The writing is perfect. The story is subtle and rich and vivid and vague.
If you're interested in mental illness, in character studies, in New York City or subways or teenagers or adults, I highly recommend this book.