I really enjoyed this book – written in a more intellectual style that is challenging, confusing (in a good way), and addresses some big issues without being preachy.
The format is simple – three main chapters that are named after hotels that are keys to the story. Each chapter is in a different stage of the story and we see characters in different stages while major hints about what is happening are dropping everywhere. After finishing the book I went back and saw how well the author had placed information that seemed superfluous at the time.
A major component of the story is the effects of the COVID pandemic on these people, and it was interesting to see all that craziness from a little distance (has it been five years already?) Unlike other books featuring people dealing with the pandemic, this one was written a little bit later when things have settled, and it was a much more interesting take.
One twist that I enjoyed (at the risk of spoiling a bit of the story) was that the guy who was hoping for (and probably needed) a clear transcription of his interview was in stark contrast to another guy who didn’t really want it but got more than he would have liked fully transcribed in the end. That one of them was a son and the other a mentee was a solid twist.
Excellent book – I really enjoyed the world that these people lived in, and appreciated that things weren’t dumbed down. The author trusts that you’ll be able to figure things out.
Next I am reading Improv Wisdom by Patricia Ryan Madson.
