the good luck of right now - matthew quick // review

the good luck of right now
matthew quick
4/5 paws


OH SO GOOD! This is by far one of the best books I have read in a while. 

The novel is written as letters to Richard Gere after the main character, Batholomew, finds a "Free Tibet" letter from Gere in his deceased mother's underwear drawer. Through the letters Richard Gere, or the idea of him and their oneness, becomes a confidante for Batholomew.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book, is that it sucks you in enough that you can understand where the main character is coming from.  Yes, he writes letters to Richard Gere and feels a singularity with him, but the book also keeps you distant enough that you feel and see the realities too. You are sympathetic to the main character's plight the entire novel, and just rooting for him to figure his life out. Which is almost uncomfortable, but in a good way?  

There is so much meaning and feeling inside the story, especially the title.  Assuming people rarely deserve the horrible and amazing things that happen in their lives, how does this luck work? Is there a sense of symbiosis between the good things and the bad things. If a good thing happens to you, is a bad thing happening to someone somewhere else - or is this bullshit. Partof me wants to call bullshit... 

If, like me, you have ever felt the presence of " the little woman in her stomach that yelled at her and called her names" (pg 133.) then you too will be able to relate to the flawed, at times mentally ill, but always relateable characters in this book.


favorite quote (that doesn't give away a major plot point )" he was that type of a person - the kind who could make you want to believe in lies, the kind who makes you feel stupid and ugly and too tongue- tied to express your own ideas, no matter how sure you are that you are right and he is wrong."