Chris Angelis

A fascinating character study and thoughtfully-paced literary tale. Paul, a professional reader and lifelong lover of books, is hired by Stanley, who on the surface, seems to have it all the trappings of life in NYC. However, as Paul gets to know his girlfriend Stella, grows to know Stanley better, and becomes further entrenched in their world, it quickly becomes apparent that nothing is what is initially appears.

This is smartly-written, meanders at times and becomes deeply introspective, but never straying so far from the narrative that you lose a sense of pace. Stanley is ungrounded in every sense. He has lost his family, the situation with his mother is both tragic and sadly relatable (these scenes were amazingly written), and you can feel even as he’s repelled by the twists and turns that come in this, there is also the need to be tethered to anything. I particularly connected to Stella, and found the depth with which her story and character were written well-thought out. Without spoiling the ending, this comes to a twisty, enthralling conclusion. A great read.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
… (lisätietoja)

This is a story I, and many others, can relate to. Often, we find ourselves mourning the dark hole we’ve fallen into. Sometimes we accept the downward spiral because anything else would be hopeless. Other times, our actions unknowingly lead us towards the wrong path. Our self-deprecating is the only thing that makes sense to us, while other’s watch in horror as our negativity solidifies our depressive state.

I enjoyed reading this cathartic book. The beauty and mystery of Greece was the perfect backdrop. Time passes, the temples of ancient Athens slowly erode, as do people, but the unconditional love freely given keeps hope alive. Why do people treasure tons of toppled marble? How can someone love a person who is broken and dejected? Special people are capable of looking beyond what’s in front of them to see the truth. The crumbled stone is a link to people from the distant past. The irrational behavior of a loved one is merely defensiveness used to keep others from seeing the pain inside his soul.

I can honestly say this is not where I thought I was heading when I began writing this review. I loved the book. I enjoyed the author’s writing style. I was able to connect with the main character’s inner turmoil, just as I was able to understand the need for his actions.… (lisätietoja)

The author more than adequately uses current events to illustrate the human condition in a way that is not only entertaining, it’s philosophically artistic. Danny, the unlikely illegal immigrant, has fled to Greece to escape his past and an integral part of himself. Instead, he meets the meaning of life. Two typical refugees and a native, through a series of eye opening events, show him the obvious, the knowledge that he has been refusing to accept, the apognosis. My heart reached out and cried with Danny, Sophia, Yasim, and Nasir, and at times, I wanted to reach into the pages and shake them because I cared. The characterization and plot were Dostoyevsky-esque. Man against all—the past, the present, the future, the world, and most importantly, himself. Danny and Sophia’s relationship was believable, relatable, and addictive. I have definitely had the same arguments running broken-record style within my own brain. Everyone, including myself, has done something that we’ve loathed and had to come to terms with, or run. Some of us more than others. A beautifully written piece of contemporary literature.… (lisätietoja)