I finished reading Robert J. Wiersema’s novel this week, Before I Wake.
It’s the type of book that I really like. There’s a good story, it’s well-written, there’s something smart, clever or quirky going on. It definitely fits the bill.
I know Rob as a bookseller, but I’m very glad that he’s written such a fine novel. It gives me another good reason to buy him a drink.
Before I Wake is a very fine book indeed. It is the type of book I’d like to write. It has magic in all the right places.
Sherry is 3, she gets hit by a truck. It’s devasting to her parents, whose marriage is already on the rocks. When it come time to take Sherry off life support … nothing happens. She stays perfectly healthy. Like a sleeping child, she stays, unchanged, in the family living room. Until one day her nurse notices that her arthritis has disappeared. Her doctor is stunned. Sherry lies there like an angel. Is she an angel, a healer? The nurse brings over her sister, who is clearly on her last legs. Another miracle. The sister’s cancer goes into remission. These events set the stage for the rest of the novel. Long lines form of believers who want to be healed. Crowds of Christian protestors appear, determined to proclaim that Sherry is the devil’s work. There’s a long-standing battle of good and evil that’s also taking place in the heart of the driver of the truck.
Before I Wake is good for a read, but if there are any academically minded folks out there looking for a new novel to add to the CanLit curriculm, Before I Wake offers a lot to think about.
Here are some photos of the book launch from last week:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/somisguided/