The Nix: A Novel

Half way through this book, I was so very excited about the author, the several nicely woven plotlines, and the suspense. I considered the author to be an heir to Tom Robbins in his style, word play, and mastery of story; however, the last half of this book was phoned in.

Samuel Andersen-Anderson is a college professor who is addicted to role-playing video games. He is also quite sensitive and prone to tears. His mother left him when he was eleven years old. His grown-up self is still puzzled and angry at her desertion. He remains fixated on his childhood friends, a set of twins: one is a prodigy and the other is a trouble-maker. He remains in love with the prodigy.

Samuel had early promise as a writer, but he has failed to live up to that initial fame. His publisher contacts him to assign a story about a woman who has thrown pebbles at a right-wing politician, causing him eye damage. She becomes the cause celebre of the moment. She is also Samuel’s long-lost mother. All of this early story was fascinating and well written. I wish it had not fallen apart.