"An astrobiologist thinks of a creative way to help his rare and troubled son in Richard Powers’ deeply moving and brilliantly original novel"
Shortlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize - A Reader's Review
This is about a grieving widowed astrobiologist and his autistic young son. I enjoyed bits of the science and psychology but there were so many things I disliked about this book. None of the characters were believable or rounded, including the narrator or his son. I can't claim to know but I'd be surprised if it resonates with many people's experience of parenting kids on the spectrum, embracing too many cliches of talented, fascinating, magical near-savant (who he also massively infantalises by the way: "tiny hand", "tiny" this and that - he's a 10 year old boy for gods sake!).
I also hated the way he clumsily brought in recent history - a President who is obviously Trump, and even a character who is obviously Greta Thunberg but he gives a ridiculous new name to! And he leads towards a dystopic Amercian vision which is miserable enough but so obvious and lacking imagination that it could have been lifted straight from some social media rants mid-2020 (cattle pandemic and wildfires raging, a President nullifying election results etc...).
No idea why this book was on the list - and if someone could set me straight on that I'd appreciate it! - Tanya Carus
Find out more about the 2021 Booker Prize Winner & Shortlist
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR'Extraordinary' New York Times'Remarkable' Observer'Heartfelt' GuardianTheo Byrne is a promising young scientist who has found a way to search for life on other planets dozens of light years away. He is also the widowed father of a most unusual nine-year-old. His son Robin is funny, loving and filled with plans. He thinks and feels deeply, adores animals and can spend hours painting elaborate pictures. But after a violent outburst from Robin at school, the strength of their close bond will be tested to its limits...What can a father do, when those around him refuse to understand his rare and troubled child? And how can he reveal to his boy the truth about our beautiful, bewildered world?
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR'Extraordinary' New York Times'Remarkable' Observer'Heartfelt' GuardianTheo Byrne is a promising young scientist who has found a way to search for life on other planets dozens of light years away. He is also the widowed father of a most unusual nine-year-old.
Bewilderment features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, General Fiction, Fiction
Paperback, Hardback. £9.89, down from the £10.99 cover price. In Stock.
Bewilderment was written by Richard Powers and published by Penguin Books an imprint of Cornerstone
Bewilderment has 326 pages
£9.89, reduced from £10.99. In Stock.
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