Review
"Her words were like tinfoil; they shone and they covered things up." - Helen Cross
on his twenty-fifth birthday, Philip Stone met Jonathan Beckett. twelve years later, both men are still together. one day, Philip suddenly hears from his old college friend Angela Shelton whom he has not seen in fifteen years. Angela comes to visit and her metamorphosis from flab to fab surprises Philip. Angela's charm and new-found confidence leave an impression on both men. from that fateful reunion onward, Angela insinuates herself into the men's lives.
author Rob Kaufman's second novel revolves around surrogacy. it also deals with several issues - low self-worth, unrequited love, deep-seated anger, extreme paranoia, physical trauma, substance abuse, insatiable greed, dark obsession, skillful manipulation and deception.
love, friendship, kindness and empathy, however, among the protagonists and some minor players provide balance in an otherwise "disturbing" storyline. yet, the "disturbing" element was integral to the development of the plot. otherwise it would not have worked.
against all these, Mr. Kaufman weaves a taut psychological thriller populated with flawed characters whom readers would either love or hate or both. at the forefront is the villainess Angela whose real persona does not in any way reflect the meaning of her name. in Greek and Latin, it means angel.
as i read along, my curiosity (occasionally morbid) was piqued and it made me look forward to finding out what would happen next. i had to read and tread carefully though because i had no idea what Angela was up to. a warning kept flashing in my mind concerning her erratic behavior and how this affected or influenced those within her orbit.
from the get go, i noticed that Mr. Kaufman showed a keen eye for detail. he knows his characters inside and out. they are well developed and readers could relate to them or may be reminded of someone they know. he also has a way of involving the reader and making him a mute and helpless witness in the unfolding drama. for example, ordinary things like a squirrel racing across the yard or a light seen flashing from a distance could evoke the same feeling of harmony or dread for the reader as it did with the character(s)involved.
in a way, i feel that this novel is a cautionary tale as well. the cost of being compassionate and generous comes at a very high price for some people like Jonathan and Philip. the message seems to be that compassion and generosity are not in themselves wrong but that sometimes one should exercise prudence with regard to when to give them and/or when to withhold them.
overall, this book comes highly recommended. i loved it especially how everything came together in the end. one last lie is eventually unraveled and one incontrovertible truth is finally exposed.
on his twenty-fifth birthday, Philip Stone met Jonathan Beckett. twelve years later, both men are still together. one day, Philip suddenly hears from his old college friend Angela Shelton whom he has not seen in fifteen years. Angela comes to visit and her metamorphosis from flab to fab surprises Philip. Angela's charm and new-found confidence leave an impression on both men. from that fateful reunion onward, Angela insinuates herself into the men's lives.
author Rob Kaufman's second novel revolves around surrogacy. it also deals with several issues - low self-worth, unrequited love, deep-seated anger, extreme paranoia, physical trauma, substance abuse, insatiable greed, dark obsession, skillful manipulation and deception.
love, friendship, kindness and empathy, however, among the protagonists and some minor players provide balance in an otherwise "disturbing" storyline. yet, the "disturbing" element was integral to the development of the plot. otherwise it would not have worked.
against all these, Mr. Kaufman weaves a taut psychological thriller populated with flawed characters whom readers would either love or hate or both. at the forefront is the villainess Angela whose real persona does not in any way reflect the meaning of her name. in Greek and Latin, it means angel.
as i read along, my curiosity (occasionally morbid) was piqued and it made me look forward to finding out what would happen next. i had to read and tread carefully though because i had no idea what Angela was up to. a warning kept flashing in my mind concerning her erratic behavior and how this affected or influenced those within her orbit.
from the get go, i noticed that Mr. Kaufman showed a keen eye for detail. he knows his characters inside and out. they are well developed and readers could relate to them or may be reminded of someone they know. he also has a way of involving the reader and making him a mute and helpless witness in the unfolding drama. for example, ordinary things like a squirrel racing across the yard or a light seen flashing from a distance could evoke the same feeling of harmony or dread for the reader as it did with the character(s)involved.
in a way, i feel that this novel is a cautionary tale as well. the cost of being compassionate and generous comes at a very high price for some people like Jonathan and Philip. the message seems to be that compassion and generosity are not in themselves wrong but that sometimes one should exercise prudence with regard to when to give them and/or when to withhold them.
overall, this book comes highly recommended. i loved it especially how everything came together in the end. one last lie is eventually unraveled and one incontrovertible truth is finally exposed.
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