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The Quiet Boy
From the bestselling author of Underground Airlines and
Golden State,
a sweeping legal thriller about a sixteen-year-old who suffers from a neurological condition that has frozen him in time, and the team of lawyers, doctors, and detectives who are desperate to wake him up.
Wesley Keener lies in bed: not dead, not alive, not in a coma or vegetative state, but simply frozen at an unchanging 16 years old, the forward course of his existence having simply stopped midway through sophomore year. His condition is the result of something called Syndrome J, an extraordinarily rare neurological event, at least according to the brilliant young neurologist Teresa Pileggi.
When Wes was first hospitalized, his parents Beth and David Keener hired acclaimed PI Jay Shenk to help find answers about the illness that befell their beloved son. Now, years later, when David is accused of murdering the brilliant young doctor who served as expert witness in the hospital case, Shenk and his son Ruben discover that this standard malpractice suit is part of something more sinister than anyone imagined. An alternate explanation, brought forth by a mysterious older man, suggests an inter-dimensional entity wrecking havoc on the community. The child is not a prisoner, this stranger insists, he is a prison.
Told from alternating perspectives, The Quiet Boy explores the tensions between justice and compassion, in heart-pounding prose. With clever plotting, and a knack for character, Winters expertly weaves a group of misfits together in a race to save themselves, and an innocent life.
Wesley Keener lies in bed: not dead, not alive, not in a coma or vegetative state, but simply frozen at an unchanging 16 years old, the forward course of his existence having simply stopped midway through sophomore year. His condition is the result of something called Syndrome J, an extraordinarily rare neurological event, at least according to the brilliant young neurologist Teresa Pileggi.
When Wes was first hospitalized, his parents Beth and David Keener hired acclaimed PI Jay Shenk to help find answers about the illness that befell their beloved son. Now, years later, when David is accused of murdering the brilliant young doctor who served as expert witness in the hospital case, Shenk and his son Ruben discover that this standard malpractice suit is part of something more sinister than anyone imagined. An alternate explanation, brought forth by a mysterious older man, suggests an inter-dimensional entity wrecking havoc on the community. The child is not a prisoner, this stranger insists, he is a prison.
Told from alternating perspectives, The Quiet Boy explores the tensions between justice and compassion, in heart-pounding prose. With clever plotting, and a knack for character, Winters expertly weaves a group of misfits together in a race to save themselves, and an innocent life.
438 pages, Hardcover
First published May 18, 2021
About the author
Ben H. Winters
52 books2,009 followersBen H. Winters is the author most recently of the novel The Quiet Boy (Mulholland/Little, Brown, 2021). He is also the author of the novel Golden State; the New York Times bestselling Underground Airlines; The Last Policeman and its two sequels; the horror novel Bedbugs; and several works for young readers. His first novel, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, was also a Times bestseller. Ben has won the Edgar Award for mystery writing, the Philip K. Dick award in science fiction, the Sidewise Award for alternate history, and France’s Grand Prix de L’Imaginaire.
Ben also writes for film and television. He is the creator and co-showrunner of Tracker, forthcoming on CBS. Previously he was a producer on the FX show Legion, and on the upcoming Apple TV+ drama Manhunt.
He has contributed short stories to many anthologies, as well as in magazines such as Lightspeed. He is the author of four “Audible Originals”– Stranger, Inside Jobs, Q&A, and Self Help — and several plays and musicals. His reviews appear frequently in the New York Times Book Review. Ben was born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Maryland, educated in St. Louis, and then grew up a bunch more, in various ways, in places like Chicago, New York, Cambridge, MA, and Indianapolis, IN. These days he lives in LA with his wife, three kids, and one large dog.
Ben also writes for film and television. He is the creator and co-showrunner of Tracker, forthcoming on CBS. Previously he was a producer on the FX show Legion, and on the upcoming Apple TV+ drama Manhunt.
He has contributed short stories to many anthologies, as well as in magazines such as Lightspeed. He is the author of four “Audible Originals”– Stranger, Inside Jobs, Q&A, and Self Help — and several plays and musicals. His reviews appear frequently in the New York Times Book Review. Ben was born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Maryland, educated in St. Louis, and then grew up a bunch more, in various ways, in places like Chicago, New York, Cambridge, MA, and Indianapolis, IN. These days he lives in LA with his wife, three kids, and one large dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
June 12, 2021
Put down the bourbon, pick it back up, and listen to the full pod here.
Some novels are greater than the sum of their parts. Others, unfortunately, have great parts but never coalesce into a great work. In my opinion, The Quiet Boy is an example of the latter.
I loved many of the parts of this book. The lead, Jay Shenk, is a “Better Call Saul” variant, a loveable hustler who believes equally in money and the people he is defending. Both ways is the only way I want it, in other words. When Wesley Keener is injured in an accident and afflicted with a weird walking-coma syndrome, Jay sees a lawsuit, but he also sees a family in need of a hero. Some heroes wear cheap suits, not capes.
His son, Ruben, is a compelling character in his own right who may see the most significant character change. The parents of the stricken boy are damaged and harrowing, their daughter’s relationship with Ruben is touching, and every secondary character is treated with reverence and humanity.
Winters is a sterling writer who writes with verve and humor. He balances the dueling timelines well, committing to them equally and allowing them to provide insight into each other without forcing the intersections.
Despite all these intriguing elements at play, the main thrust of this novel is of a courtroom drama. There is some joy in seeing Jay cajole people to talk to him or hunt down witnesses, convincing them of their sacred duty to testify, but it has diminishing returns. We learn very little surrounding the murder supposedly committed by the father during these courtroom scenes, confined as we are, and Winters’ imagination isn’t best served in such a setting.
The boy at the middle of the botched surgery, Wesley, plays the role of the briefcase in Pulp Fiction. Its import comes in how little we know about it, the possibilities always greater than the explanation. He is a golden MacGuffin, which is disappointing as the description of the novel states that in his “hollow body may lie the fate of humankind.” They mystical nature of the boy is always looming in the background, and if something is looming for too long, you just sorta say screw it and stop paying attention.
Worse, the ending is triggered with a simple reversal and an insertion of magical realism that I didn’t find satisfying. At times, it felt a little like Mulholland Drive, although the surrealist noir elements didn’t vibe well with the courtroom drama and domestic arguments.
I would have a hard time determining whether I should recommend this novel. If you can enjoy a complex character drama, set in the courtroom, with lightning strikes of speculative fiction and mystery? Awesome, pick it up. If the lack of mystery will frustrate you, or the tonal imbalance lead you to skim past the undercooked surrealism? Probably skip it.
Some novels are greater than the sum of their parts. Others, unfortunately, have great parts but never coalesce into a great work. In my opinion, The Quiet Boy is an example of the latter.
I loved many of the parts of this book. The lead, Jay Shenk, is a “Better Call Saul” variant, a loveable hustler who believes equally in money and the people he is defending. Both ways is the only way I want it, in other words. When Wesley Keener is injured in an accident and afflicted with a weird walking-coma syndrome, Jay sees a lawsuit, but he also sees a family in need of a hero. Some heroes wear cheap suits, not capes.
His son, Ruben, is a compelling character in his own right who may see the most significant character change. The parents of the stricken boy are damaged and harrowing, their daughter’s relationship with Ruben is touching, and every secondary character is treated with reverence and humanity.
Winters is a sterling writer who writes with verve and humor. He balances the dueling timelines well, committing to them equally and allowing them to provide insight into each other without forcing the intersections.
Despite all these intriguing elements at play, the main thrust of this novel is of a courtroom drama. There is some joy in seeing Jay cajole people to talk to him or hunt down witnesses, convincing them of their sacred duty to testify, but it has diminishing returns. We learn very little surrounding the murder supposedly committed by the father during these courtroom scenes, confined as we are, and Winters’ imagination isn’t best served in such a setting.
The boy at the middle of the botched surgery, Wesley, plays the role of the briefcase in Pulp Fiction. Its import comes in how little we know about it, the possibilities always greater than the explanation. He is a golden MacGuffin, which is disappointing as the description of the novel states that in his “hollow body may lie the fate of humankind.” They mystical nature of the boy is always looming in the background, and if something is looming for too long, you just sorta say screw it and stop paying attention.
Worse, the ending is triggered with a simple reversal and an insertion of magical realism that I didn’t find satisfying. At times, it felt a little like Mulholland Drive, although the surrealist noir elements didn’t vibe well with the courtroom drama and domestic arguments.
I would have a hard time determining whether I should recommend this novel. If you can enjoy a complex character drama, set in the courtroom, with lightning strikes of speculative fiction and mystery? Awesome, pick it up. If the lack of mystery will frustrate you, or the tonal imbalance lead you to skim past the undercooked surrealism? Probably skip it.
March 12, 2021
I am familiar enough with Ben H. Winters now (this is my 5th book of his) to know what to expect. There will be a mystery that will deeply wrap you up in its characters, but it'll also be a world that is not the same as ours in significant ways (like it's about to be destroyed by a meteor, for example). But this book is the closest to normal reality that Winters has gotten so far, so much so that when the speculative element showed up I was a little surprised. His reality is so real that I forgot for a while to be ready for the unreal to make an appearance. That is very much a compliment.
This is a double-timeline book (I love a double timeline!) looking at the same small group of characters 10 years apart. In 2009 teenage Wesley Keener gets a brain injury and after emergency surgery has an inexplicable condition (hello, speculative element!). Immediately on the scene is Jay Shenk, medical malpractice lawyer, and yes, ambulance chaser. Before Wesley's mother Beth has been updated after his surgery, before his father Rich has even arrived at the hospital, Jay is already there befriending her, ready to swoop in and grab the case. In 2019, Shenk finds himself once again representing the Keener family in a different matter entirely, despite the fact that we now know the 2009 case did not end well at all. Everyone in 2019 is still recovering from the way things unraveled a decade ago, including Shenk's son Ruben, who watched much of the earlier case unfold as a teenager, and now as an adult is enlisted by his father to gather evidence for the new case.
This is not a courtroom drama exactly, but it should appeal to courtroom drama readers. Many scenes take place in hearings or trials and the bulk of the book is preparing for those hearings or trials. Winters clearly did his research. The legal elements of the case are so strong and well done, if I hadn't known the author already I would have assumed they were a lawyer. Not only that, Winters doesn't cut the kind of corners most legal dramas cut specifically to ramp up the tension. Winters works entirely in the lines, and I would like other authors to take note please, because this book nearly pulled me out of my own skin with anxiety in the last quarter. He's able to do that even though we already know it'll end badly, just withholding the particulars.
More than that, I loved the way Winters portrayed Shenk. Not everyone can be a personal injury lawyer, it takes a certain amount of ego but this is also a man who really believes what he says to people, who is motivated from a real desire to help people, and who can get carried away by his own desire. I also just loved how much he loved Ruben, it's a very tender relationship, even if we see it soured in the later timeline. Shenk has lots of bluster and confidence, but the tenderness is what brings him to life. He's so fully formed, my only criticism is that the chapters following him shine brighter than the chapters that follow other characters.
This is a long one and it can lag a little (I took a break in the middle to read another book, which was perfect, came back and finished it with renewed vigor) and it is also bleak as hell. (If you have read Winters already, that's another thing you know to expect.) It can also have a kind of noir feel to it at times, though it's not the focus. I am not sure the pacing is really a problem, because there's so much that Winters is doing here, and there are a few places that I would trim down but honestly not many. It's not really meant to be a book you speed through.
This is a double-timeline book (I love a double timeline!) looking at the same small group of characters 10 years apart. In 2009 teenage Wesley Keener gets a brain injury and after emergency surgery has an inexplicable condition (hello, speculative element!). Immediately on the scene is Jay Shenk, medical malpractice lawyer, and yes, ambulance chaser. Before Wesley's mother Beth has been updated after his surgery, before his father Rich has even arrived at the hospital, Jay is already there befriending her, ready to swoop in and grab the case. In 2019, Shenk finds himself once again representing the Keener family in a different matter entirely, despite the fact that we now know the 2009 case did not end well at all. Everyone in 2019 is still recovering from the way things unraveled a decade ago, including Shenk's son Ruben, who watched much of the earlier case unfold as a teenager, and now as an adult is enlisted by his father to gather evidence for the new case.
This is not a courtroom drama exactly, but it should appeal to courtroom drama readers. Many scenes take place in hearings or trials and the bulk of the book is preparing for those hearings or trials. Winters clearly did his research. The legal elements of the case are so strong and well done, if I hadn't known the author already I would have assumed they were a lawyer. Not only that, Winters doesn't cut the kind of corners most legal dramas cut specifically to ramp up the tension. Winters works entirely in the lines, and I would like other authors to take note please, because this book nearly pulled me out of my own skin with anxiety in the last quarter. He's able to do that even though we already know it'll end badly, just withholding the particulars.
More than that, I loved the way Winters portrayed Shenk. Not everyone can be a personal injury lawyer, it takes a certain amount of ego but this is also a man who really believes what he says to people, who is motivated from a real desire to help people, and who can get carried away by his own desire. I also just loved how much he loved Ruben, it's a very tender relationship, even if we see it soured in the later timeline. Shenk has lots of bluster and confidence, but the tenderness is what brings him to life. He's so fully formed, my only criticism is that the chapters following him shine brighter than the chapters that follow other characters.
This is a long one and it can lag a little (I took a break in the middle to read another book, which was perfect, came back and finished it with renewed vigor) and it is also bleak as hell. (If you have read Winters already, that's another thing you know to expect.) It can also have a kind of noir feel to it at times, though it's not the focus. I am not sure the pacing is really a problem, because there's so much that Winters is doing here, and there are a few places that I would trim down but honestly not many. It's not really meant to be a book you speed through.
May 24, 2021
This legal/medical thriller kept me turning the pages, but now that I’m done, I feel like I have more questions than answers.
In The Quiet Boy, we follow two timelines: In 2008, a high school boy named Wesley comes out of brain surgery in an unheard-of state: He walks endlessly around his hospital room, eyes open but unseeing, appearing to be “hollowed out”, no one home, no ability to interact or change. In 2019, Wesley’s father has just been arrested for the murder of the expert witness in the family’s medical malpractice lawsuit.
Linking the timelines together is Jay Shenk, an ambulance-chasing lawyer who in 2008 is at his peak of success, well-connected, perfectly attuned to the needs of his client, and able to pull off victory after victory against the deep-pockets hospital corporations who’ll always choose settlement to make their problems go away. But in 2019, we see a very different Jay, one who’s weaker, less robust physically, and clearly a man whose best years personally and professionally are behind him. To add to the confusion, we know that in 2008, his son Ruben was the center of his life and Ruben, in turn, was devoted to his father — but in 2019, the two are estranged and barely communicate or see each other.
When Jay first hears about Wesley’s strange condition, he sees dollar signs. Leaving aside the fact that it’s unclear what happened or why Wesley is the way he is, Jay is certain that he can negotiate a quick payout for the distraught family. But Wesley’s situation is unprecedented, and Jay ignores the warning signs that his case may be slipping away from him.
Meanwhile, in 2019, the family demands that Jay defend Wesley’s father in his murder trial, despite the fact that Jay is not a criminal lawyer. Not that it matters — Richard is determined to plead guilty and wants to move to sentencing as quickly as possible.
As the two timelines weave back and forth, we learn a lot more about Wesley, Jay, Jay’s son Ruben, and the strange man who seems obsessed with Wesley’s case. There’s a mystery here: Is Wesley the victim of a never before seen medical condition, or is there something else going on, a sort of otherworldly entity waiting to break through?
I was weirdly fascinated by this book, but also incredibly frustrated. By the end, there aren’t any good answers about Wesley, although we do finally understand how the first trial went so very wrong and why Ruben and Jay’s relationship fell apart.
The book feels overly long, and while there’s a lot of ground to cover related to the trials, scenes of depositions and testimony and coaching the expert witness make the books feel bloated at times. I had issues with certain details, such as how Ruben was able to track the whereabouts of the witness — there seem to be some pieces missing, and certain conclusions seem jumped to rather than figured out.
A minor nitpick, but one that irritated me, is that Ruben is often referred to as the Rabbi, which is a nickname given to him by a coworker after he requests a day off for a Jewish holiday. It has no relevance to the story, but in various chapters, we hear about what “the Rabbi” is doing rather than having him be referred to by his name, and it feels a little pointless.
I did enjoy The Quiet Boy as a whole, but with so many open questions and a few plot holes, I wouldn’t list it as a top read for this year.
In The Quiet Boy, we follow two timelines: In 2008, a high school boy named Wesley comes out of brain surgery in an unheard-of state: He walks endlessly around his hospital room, eyes open but unseeing, appearing to be “hollowed out”, no one home, no ability to interact or change. In 2019, Wesley’s father has just been arrested for the murder of the expert witness in the family’s medical malpractice lawsuit.
Linking the timelines together is Jay Shenk, an ambulance-chasing lawyer who in 2008 is at his peak of success, well-connected, perfectly attuned to the needs of his client, and able to pull off victory after victory against the deep-pockets hospital corporations who’ll always choose settlement to make their problems go away. But in 2019, we see a very different Jay, one who’s weaker, less robust physically, and clearly a man whose best years personally and professionally are behind him. To add to the confusion, we know that in 2008, his son Ruben was the center of his life and Ruben, in turn, was devoted to his father — but in 2019, the two are estranged and barely communicate or see each other.
When Jay first hears about Wesley’s strange condition, he sees dollar signs. Leaving aside the fact that it’s unclear what happened or why Wesley is the way he is, Jay is certain that he can negotiate a quick payout for the distraught family. But Wesley’s situation is unprecedented, and Jay ignores the warning signs that his case may be slipping away from him.
Meanwhile, in 2019, the family demands that Jay defend Wesley’s father in his murder trial, despite the fact that Jay is not a criminal lawyer. Not that it matters — Richard is determined to plead guilty and wants to move to sentencing as quickly as possible.
As the two timelines weave back and forth, we learn a lot more about Wesley, Jay, Jay’s son Ruben, and the strange man who seems obsessed with Wesley’s case. There’s a mystery here: Is Wesley the victim of a never before seen medical condition, or is there something else going on, a sort of otherworldly entity waiting to break through?
I was weirdly fascinated by this book, but also incredibly frustrated. By the end, there aren’t any good answers about Wesley, although we do finally understand how the first trial went so very wrong and why Ruben and Jay’s relationship fell apart.
The book feels overly long, and while there’s a lot of ground to cover related to the trials, scenes of depositions and testimony and coaching the expert witness make the books feel bloated at times. I had issues with certain details, such as how Ruben was able to track the whereabouts of the witness — there seem to be some pieces missing, and certain conclusions seem jumped to rather than figured out.
A minor nitpick, but one that irritated me, is that Ruben is often referred to as the Rabbi, which is a nickname given to him by a coworker after he requests a day off for a Jewish holiday. It has no relevance to the story, but in various chapters, we hear about what “the Rabbi” is doing rather than having him be referred to by his name, and it feels a little pointless.
I did enjoy The Quiet Boy as a whole, but with so many open questions and a few plot holes, I wouldn’t list it as a top read for this year.
April 4, 2023
Fascinating, complex story from a superb writer. Yeah, I don't call many writers 'superb.' But Mr. Winters is.
This is a mystery, a horror tale, crime fiction, law fiction, or combination of all, plus written in an intense, frenetic, yet thoughtful and emphatic way. (Yeah, it's all of that, too.) I have no doubt Mr. Winters could write a 'high-brow' literary masterpiece, if he were so inclined. His writing is absolutely exemplary. Narration, transition, dialogue, character development, storyline, description, it's all perfect. (He also wrote The Last Policeman, which was just as good.)
The story: set in two timelines, about a sort of 'shysterish-lawyer' who's looking for the big case, the one where he can sock an insurance company for millions. But despite this, the guy has morals, things he will and will not do; he's also mourning his late wife and has one child, a son, adopted. The story moves from Reuben, the son, back and forth to Jay, the lawyer. The chapters are marked so you always know which timeline you're on.
In 2008, 2009, etc., when Jay comes across a case of an injured teenager who, who after brain surgery, is walking endlessly in circles. This is the BIG CASE he's been waiting for and anxiously works toward getting either a huge monetary settlement, or winning a case of medical malpractice on behalf of the boy's parents. Reuben is a sort of reclusive teenager who wants to help/support his father all he can.
Move to 2019, where the case has been settled - but I won't say how - and another one has been dropped into Jay's lap which involves the injured boy's father.
This is a complex book. Lots of uniquely-drawn characters, incidents, events, scenarios. (Never a dull moment here.) Mr. Winters has a talent, similar to what I've seen in another writer, Stephen King. This is that they can create, with a few lines or short description, an entirely new personality or character that you will NOT forget for the rest of the book. (In some books if the MC is a cynical guy, or a wisecracker, suddenly everyone is a cynic or making jokes. If you've got a bland, colorless bartender, suddenly every other guy is also bland and colorless. NOT HERE.)
This is absolutely one of the most entertaining reads of the year - for me - so far. A unique story with hardly any of the 'tropes' I find over and over. (Cuz I read so many similar books, I guess, mostly in the thriller/mystery genre.) The characters in this book think and reason, and have moments of striking, startling clarity. (Referring to children and grandchildren as 'our emissaries' into the future? I wish I'd copied the quote for this review! Unfortunately, returned the book to the library this morning.)
One of those books I wish I could give more than 5 stars.
Five stars.
This is a mystery, a horror tale, crime fiction, law fiction, or combination of all, plus written in an intense, frenetic, yet thoughtful and emphatic way. (Yeah, it's all of that, too.) I have no doubt Mr. Winters could write a 'high-brow' literary masterpiece, if he were so inclined. His writing is absolutely exemplary. Narration, transition, dialogue, character development, storyline, description, it's all perfect. (He also wrote The Last Policeman, which was just as good.)
The story: set in two timelines, about a sort of 'shysterish-lawyer' who's looking for the big case, the one where he can sock an insurance company for millions. But despite this, the guy has morals, things he will and will not do; he's also mourning his late wife and has one child, a son, adopted. The story moves from Reuben, the son, back and forth to Jay, the lawyer. The chapters are marked so you always know which timeline you're on.
In 2008, 2009, etc., when Jay comes across a case of an injured teenager who, who after brain surgery, is walking endlessly in circles. This is the BIG CASE he's been waiting for and anxiously works toward getting either a huge monetary settlement, or winning a case of medical malpractice on behalf of the boy's parents. Reuben is a sort of reclusive teenager who wants to help/support his father all he can.
Move to 2019, where the case has been settled - but I won't say how - and another one has been dropped into Jay's lap which involves the injured boy's father.
This is a complex book. Lots of uniquely-drawn characters, incidents, events, scenarios. (Never a dull moment here.) Mr. Winters has a talent, similar to what I've seen in another writer, Stephen King. This is that they can create, with a few lines or short description, an entirely new personality or character that you will NOT forget for the rest of the book. (In some books if the MC is a cynical guy, or a wisecracker, suddenly everyone is a cynic or making jokes. If you've got a bland, colorless bartender, suddenly every other guy is also bland and colorless. NOT HERE.)
This is absolutely one of the most entertaining reads of the year - for me - so far. A unique story with hardly any of the 'tropes' I find over and over. (Cuz I read so many similar books, I guess, mostly in the thriller/mystery genre.) The characters in this book think and reason, and have moments of striking, startling clarity. (Referring to children and grandchildren as 'our emissaries' into the future? I wish I'd copied the quote for this review! Unfortunately, returned the book to the library this morning.)
One of those books I wish I could give more than 5 stars.
Five stars.
July 23, 2021
QUICK TAKE: I freakin' love Ben Winters. THE LAST POLICEMAN and GOLDEN STATE are two of my favorite recent scifi reads, so I've been so excited for THE QUIET BOY. That being said, I was ultimately very underwhelmed by this one. Buyer beware, this is much more a family legal mystery than it is a scifi story, so just know that going in. Had I know that, I think I would have enjoyed this more. I didn't and I found this one to be a tedious read as I waited for something to happen. It's really slow storytelling without many twists and turns and the ending left me annoyed and with a bunch of unanswered questions. might be one of the bigger disappointments for me this year.
June 23, 2021
I always enjoy Ben Winters' writing style. This one reminded me of sort of a cross between Stephen King and John Irving. I found both of the lead characters, Jay and Ruben, to be lovable in their own ways. There's a sense of dread throughout, as you find out right away that things went horribly wrong 10 years ago, and then it's a question of finding out how that happened, as well as what's going on in the present. Personally, though, it wrapped up in a way that made it bearable for me.
October 29, 2021
I am coming off reading a book in one sitting, so this story was relaxing. I like the use of a sleuth by the author, but the location needed a change to an unfamiliar area. As a reader, I enjoy learning about different places in the world or uncommon settings in a highly visible backdrop.
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May 28, 2021This despite loving the Last Policeman series by Winters is a DNF for me.
The plot twists are so confusing and the court scenes just too obtuse for me to slog through any longer. I got past all that but still can't find the thread of where these characters continue.
The premise is excellent, quizzical and it's me and this style that clash. Half the time I don't know what Shenk the pronoun refers to or about a fourth of the time who is even talking. They are all so glib and after returning to the book to try again too many times, I just give up.
This is the second of his books I have DNF as a result. I don't think I can embed into his snark think language or something. Also his continuity is such that I can't follow it. Others seem to be able to do this. So on to another. I have thrown in the towel.
Truthfully though, I don't believe any of these main characters would make it within any decent serve and protect police system or law courts. Bureaucracy doesn't have the patience either- nor does it wait for your context understanding.
The plot twists are so confusing and the court scenes just too obtuse for me to slog through any longer. I got past all that but still can't find the thread of where these characters continue.
The premise is excellent, quizzical and it's me and this style that clash. Half the time I don't know what Shenk the pronoun refers to or about a fourth of the time who is even talking. They are all so glib and after returning to the book to try again too many times, I just give up.
This is the second of his books I have DNF as a result. I don't think I can embed into his snark think language or something. Also his continuity is such that I can't follow it. Others seem to be able to do this. So on to another. I have thrown in the towel.
Truthfully though, I don't believe any of these main characters would make it within any decent serve and protect police system or law courts. Bureaucracy doesn't have the patience either- nor does it wait for your context understanding.
June 26, 2021
I tried this because I really liked his recent book, Underground Airlines. This one is just barely science fiction -- it jumps back and forth between 2009 and 2019, and it's the story of a family, their lawyer, and the lawyer's son as they all deal with the aftermath of an emergency brain surgery on the family's son that went wrong. Winters is an intelligent, sharp writer who creates vivid characters, which is a pleasure to listen to. OTOH, this book has a reaaaaaaaaaaaally sloooooooooow burn, which made me keep wishing they would get to the point. Also, there were four major points that I couldn't suspend my disbelief for: first, ; second ; third ; and fourth . Now, as I mentioned before, Winters is a sharp guy, so I'm sure he thought of these things -- which means that he handled them this way intentionally. But it's annoying. OTOH, I liked one of the twists at the end -- speaking of vivid characters, the choice made by one of the main characters made me smile. And there's more to the book than might be immediately obvious if you stop and think about it, which I always enjoy. Good narration by William DeMerritt.
August 9, 2021
I just loved this book. It somehow managed to be everything it set out to be - a legal thriller, a thriller thriller, a piece of mind twisting speculative fiction - and it managed, like Ben Winters’s books often do, to also not fit neatly anywhere. But mostly it was just a really, really good book, written by a really, really talented author. The dialogue was incredible - natural and engaging and somehow filtering out so that you could hear the voices of the characters even in the third person narration around them, as if their voices were floating through the atmosphere of the novel. The descriptions of the settings were incredible - I felt over and over like I was fully immersed in all these genuinely real but also completely different locations, and he managed that Raymond Chandler trick of twisting your emotions just through the description of a place. The plot worked … maybe I was left with some questions, but I closed the book satisfied with how things had tied up. I don’t know why the structure worked so well to make my heart actually beat faster as I was reading, but it did. At the end of the day, this book showed that ideas are lovely and twists are great but speculative fiction works best when it is well-written, by an author who would be talented in any genre.
July 28, 2021
3.5 stars. Telling the tale back and forth between past and present time periods worked well, the main characters were well-developed and believable, and both the courtroom drama and the mystery whodunnit also well done. However, I thought the antagonist Dennis, what happened to Wesley, and whatever the neurologist discovered (and how), was very (and surprisingly) lacking - very unexplained (disappointedly so) deus ex machina.
May 30, 2021
What do you say about a story that asks you to suspend disbelief to this extent? A teen-age boy hits his head and sustains critical brain injury, which results in his simply walking around in a big circle with a vacant stare-----for over ten years. He doesn't speak or react to anything or anyone. He neither eats, nor drinks, nor defecates, nor urinates.
The main story follows the medical malpractice case against the hospital, which is as unrealistic as the rest of the book. Then there's a subplot which is almost impossible to follow about a small group of people who want to locate the boy in order to "crack him open" to solve all of mankind's distress and an opposing group who think that cracking him open will be akin to opening Pandora's box.
Somewhere, someone really appreciated this book and never looked too closely at the plot.
The main story follows the medical malpractice case against the hospital, which is as unrealistic as the rest of the book. Then there's a subplot which is almost impossible to follow about a small group of people who want to locate the boy in order to "crack him open" to solve all of mankind's distress and an opposing group who think that cracking him open will be akin to opening Pandora's box.
Somewhere, someone really appreciated this book and never looked too closely at the plot.
May 6, 2021
This was a little odd, but very compelling. Full review to come soon!
May 24, 2021
THE QUIET BOY is a haunting work that sinks its hook into readers from the first page and never lets go, even after the story has ended. Author Ben H. Winters is primarily known for his works of speculative fiction, particularly his Last Policeman trilogy. He stretches his considerable talent even further in this atmospheric, genre-blurring tale that is by turns mysterious, puzzling and ultimately frightening.
The book ping-pongs back and forth between 2008 and 2019. It is told in a third-person narrative style that befits the professional demeanor of Jay Albert Shenk, one of its primary protagonists. Jay is a Los Angeles attorney who specializes in personal injury and malpractice cases. Winters takes us through Jay's method of locating and acquiring clients through a combination of stringer referrals, legal acumen and Las Vegas schmooze. He is assisted in this endeavor by his adopted son Ruben, who is being groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Jay in 2008 believes he has a winning case when he persuades the parents of 14-year-old Wesley Keener to retain him for a medical malpractice action. Wesley had sustained a head injury while engaged in otherwise innocent horseplay at school and underwent emergency brain surgery. In the procedure’s aftermath, he displays bizarre symptoms that include the apparent inability to communicate, eat or sleep, among other things. Wesley simply walks. It is like nothing anyone has ever seen. That singular fact is actually a problem for the case, but Jay is sure that he can overcome it with the right witness. As the trial approaches, he thinks he has found just that.
However, in the 2019 sections, it is clear that things have not worked out as planned for either the Shenks or the Keeners. Ruben, whose nickname is “Rabbi,” is working as a food prepper in a restaurant and is all but estranged from Jay, who he worshipped as a teenager and is struggling to keep his law practice afloat. The Keeners are in even worse shape, trying to make ends meet to provide Wesley, who is still walking, with the care he needs. They are all brought back together when Wesley’s father, Richard, is accused of murdering one of the expert witnesses in the malpractice trial that occurred 10 years ago. Wesley’s mother, Beth, asks Jay to represent Richard. He reluctantly agrees, even though he has absolutely no experience in criminal defense.
It would be an uphill slog even under the best circumstances, given that Richard --- who was found with the victim while holding the literal smoking gun in his hand --- readily admits his guilt, does not want legal representation and is prepared to accept the death penalty. Jay enlists an equally reluctant Ruben as a private investigator. As a result of a combination of plausible happenstance and dogged persistence, Ruben uncovers what actually happened, both in the present and in the past. Some light also is ultimately shed on the “why” and “what” of poor Wesley.
While THE QUIET BOY is indeed a courtroom thriller, it is also a mystery and, in some very special ways, a hair-raising supernatural tale. The revelations concerning Wesley are chilling, to say the least, and literally turn the entire story on its head. Let’s just say that my inclination when finishing the book was to round up my children, all of whom are well into their adulthood, and hide them away. That happens when you read a novel with powerful plotting and characterization, and this one has it by the truckload.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
The book ping-pongs back and forth between 2008 and 2019. It is told in a third-person narrative style that befits the professional demeanor of Jay Albert Shenk, one of its primary protagonists. Jay is a Los Angeles attorney who specializes in personal injury and malpractice cases. Winters takes us through Jay's method of locating and acquiring clients through a combination of stringer referrals, legal acumen and Las Vegas schmooze. He is assisted in this endeavor by his adopted son Ruben, who is being groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Jay in 2008 believes he has a winning case when he persuades the parents of 14-year-old Wesley Keener to retain him for a medical malpractice action. Wesley had sustained a head injury while engaged in otherwise innocent horseplay at school and underwent emergency brain surgery. In the procedure’s aftermath, he displays bizarre symptoms that include the apparent inability to communicate, eat or sleep, among other things. Wesley simply walks. It is like nothing anyone has ever seen. That singular fact is actually a problem for the case, but Jay is sure that he can overcome it with the right witness. As the trial approaches, he thinks he has found just that.
However, in the 2019 sections, it is clear that things have not worked out as planned for either the Shenks or the Keeners. Ruben, whose nickname is “Rabbi,” is working as a food prepper in a restaurant and is all but estranged from Jay, who he worshipped as a teenager and is struggling to keep his law practice afloat. The Keeners are in even worse shape, trying to make ends meet to provide Wesley, who is still walking, with the care he needs. They are all brought back together when Wesley’s father, Richard, is accused of murdering one of the expert witnesses in the malpractice trial that occurred 10 years ago. Wesley’s mother, Beth, asks Jay to represent Richard. He reluctantly agrees, even though he has absolutely no experience in criminal defense.
It would be an uphill slog even under the best circumstances, given that Richard --- who was found with the victim while holding the literal smoking gun in his hand --- readily admits his guilt, does not want legal representation and is prepared to accept the death penalty. Jay enlists an equally reluctant Ruben as a private investigator. As a result of a combination of plausible happenstance and dogged persistence, Ruben uncovers what actually happened, both in the present and in the past. Some light also is ultimately shed on the “why” and “what” of poor Wesley.
While THE QUIET BOY is indeed a courtroom thriller, it is also a mystery and, in some very special ways, a hair-raising supernatural tale. The revelations concerning Wesley are chilling, to say the least, and literally turn the entire story on its head. Let’s just say that my inclination when finishing the book was to round up my children, all of whom are well into their adulthood, and hide them away. That happens when you read a novel with powerful plotting and characterization, and this one has it by the truckload.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
August 26, 2021
In 2008, a boy named Wesley Keener suffered a traumatic head injury at school. Following his brain surgery, he begins pacing the small confines of his hospital room without reprieve. He doesn’t stop to eat or sleep. And as time unfolds, the careful observations of the boy reveal that his hair doesn’t ever seem to get any longer and he never seems to get any older. Personal injury attorney Jay Shenk rushes to the hospital after getting word about this case, intending on trying to pick up a medical malpractice case that seems like a slam dunk but he ends up with something far more on his hands.
This is my fifth book by Winters and I’m pretty sure if it was my first it would’ve been a DNF. The Quiet Boy is a very slow-to-build story and at first glance, it’s a bit deceiving. It comes across as nothing more than a courtroom legal thriller but it’s definitely more than meets the eye and deserves a little patience. It’s a dense yet captivating story that will keep you guessing till the very ambiguous ending where you’ll have to just keep on guessing. I appreciated the subtle hint at answers, the suggestion that nothing is ever just black and white, that nothing has just a single interpretation, that it’s all based on your own perception… but I wanted (or needed) less ambiguity and more transparency.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This is my fifth book by Winters and I’m pretty sure if it was my first it would’ve been a DNF. The Quiet Boy is a very slow-to-build story and at first glance, it’s a bit deceiving. It comes across as nothing more than a courtroom legal thriller but it’s definitely more than meets the eye and deserves a little patience. It’s a dense yet captivating story that will keep you guessing till the very ambiguous ending where you’ll have to just keep on guessing. I appreciated the subtle hint at answers, the suggestion that nothing is ever just black and white, that nothing has just a single interpretation, that it’s all based on your own perception… but I wanted (or needed) less ambiguity and more transparency.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
June 3, 2021
You might think that the central concern of this book is the mysterious brain ailment that affects Wesley, causing him to pace around relentlessly. The ailment seems supernatural, as he never tires, never sleeps, never eats, but never loses weight. And while it leads an interesting idea about the nature of reality, that's not the main concern.
The main concern is family. It's about Wesley's family, the mother who struggles to find answers and care for her son, the father who clams up with furious anger, the younger sister who eventually gains the musical career that Wesley might have had.
It's also about the father and son relationship of Jay Shenk and adopted son Ruben, Shenk being the lawyer who files a malpractice case against the hospital, despite the fact that nobody has ever seen anything like Wesley's ailment before. Ruben, who lives in the shadow of his boisterous father for a long time, and is dragooned into helping solve a murder case ten years after Wesley's ailment first occurs. It's Ruben who puts the pieces together.
So who's the quiet boy of the title? Ostensibly it's Wesley, but as the book progresses it becomes clear that the book is really more about Ruben, and in his quietness comes realization about the murder, his father, and the possible nature of reality.
The main concern is family. It's about Wesley's family, the mother who struggles to find answers and care for her son, the father who clams up with furious anger, the younger sister who eventually gains the musical career that Wesley might have had.
It's also about the father and son relationship of Jay Shenk and adopted son Ruben, Shenk being the lawyer who files a malpractice case against the hospital, despite the fact that nobody has ever seen anything like Wesley's ailment before. Ruben, who lives in the shadow of his boisterous father for a long time, and is dragooned into helping solve a murder case ten years after Wesley's ailment first occurs. It's Ruben who puts the pieces together.
So who's the quiet boy of the title? Ostensibly it's Wesley, but as the book progresses it becomes clear that the book is really more about Ruben, and in his quietness comes realization about the murder, his father, and the possible nature of reality.
June 9, 2022
a lesser ben h. winters is still a fucking masterpiece.
i am a devotee of Underground Airlines and Golden State, unparalleled masterpieces of futuristic dystopian noir, and i will read anything ben h winters writes. in this here book he attempts to put together a variety of strands, more than his usual number, and the book sags a little from the weight of all the stuff winters makes it carry. this is not the say that you will have a sense of weightiness (this is a beautifully written book that moves along at a good clip), but that you might feel impatient. then, at the end, everything comes together perfectly and gloriously. every bit of it.
i loved the adoption angle. i don't know how adoptees will feel about this, but ruben, an adopted child-then-young-man has a really prominent role, and while he plays a key part in the plot, he carries to the book the big weight of his being the asian adoptee of a white jewish father who may just be a tad immature in dealing with his son. this whole subplot - the evolution of ruben's feelings and personality - is quite fantastic, and the book is as much about resolving the mystery as it is about ruben's coming into his own.
finally, the reader of the audiobook is just great.
i am a devotee of Underground Airlines and Golden State, unparalleled masterpieces of futuristic dystopian noir, and i will read anything ben h winters writes. in this here book he attempts to put together a variety of strands, more than his usual number, and the book sags a little from the weight of all the stuff winters makes it carry. this is not the say that you will have a sense of weightiness (this is a beautifully written book that moves along at a good clip), but that you might feel impatient. then, at the end, everything comes together perfectly and gloriously. every bit of it.
i loved the adoption angle. i don't know how adoptees will feel about this, but ruben, an adopted child-then-young-man has a really prominent role, and while he plays a key part in the plot, he carries to the book the big weight of his being the asian adoptee of a white jewish father who may just be a tad immature in dealing with his son. this whole subplot - the evolution of ruben's feelings and personality - is quite fantastic, and the book is as much about resolving the mystery as it is about ruben's coming into his own.
finally, the reader of the audiobook is just great.
July 9, 2022
When the inexplicable occurs, who bears the blame?
That’s one of the central questions in “The Quiet Boy,” the new novel from Ben H. Winters. It’s a bifurcated story – on one side, a medical mystery, on the other, a capital murder case – where both tales are connected through time by a tragic event that ultimately proves damaging to two different families.
Winters has never been one to be bound by genre constraints, so it’s no surprise to see the author venturing in a different direction. Here, he’s tackling the courtroom drama with the same genre fluidity and narrative inventiveness that he brings to all of his work. Sad and surprising, “The Quiet Boy” crosses all manner of literary borders to capture these myriad lives.
In 2008, a lawyer named Jay Shenk, deemed by some to be an “ambulance chaser” (though he finds that descriptor distasteful) finds himself involved with the Keener family. One day, young Wesley Keener – a teenager – is rushed to the hospital with an injury requiring surgery. Unfortunately, not all of Wesley wakes up. What remains is a dead-eyed automaton, endlessly walking in circles around his hospital room – a phenomenon that no one can explain.
When Jay meets Beth, Wesley’s mother, outside the hospital and learns about what happened to her son, he encourages her to sue the facility for malpractice. She decides to sign on with the reluctant agreement of her husband Richard.
In 2019, Jay Shenk is a shell of himself, far removed from the glory days of his profitable practice. His grown son Ruben – once a vital part of both his life and his work – is estranged from him, working at a salad restaurant. And yet, when Beth Keener approaches him for legal help – this time, for a murder case involving another member of her family – Jay takes the case, despite the multitude of issues surrounding the situation, including many connections to that previous lawsuit a decade prior.
Back and forth we move between these two timelines, watching as each narrative plays out in a manner that seems inevitable … right until it isn’t. There’s plenty more bubbling beneath the surface of this situation than any of these players understand. The path we follow is littered with cultists and rock stars, even as we make our way toward the hope of resolution, even if there’s little chance of finding one that truly satisfies those who are suffering.
I’m on record for being a big fan of genre flexibility; there’s a lot of value in harnessing the tropes of one genre for use under the auspices of another. It’s one of the things that Winters is particularly good at, bringing together seemingly disparate elements with engaging seamlessness.
It’s certainly the case here, with Winters taking the framework of the courtroom drama and introducing an assortment of differing flavors and ideas to create something different. And as the narratives progress, those new flavors ebb and flow – sometimes, everything seems rather straightforward, while at other points, things get … weird – subtly and not-so-subtly altering the landscape with abject smoothness, taking the reader along for the ride.
There’s something scary about emptiness, about the idea that whatever spark it is that makes us us can be extinguished. And if that fundamental spark can go out, who’s to say it was ever truly alight in the first place? Wesley is a ghost made flesh, a wandering golem moving through the world with metronomic absence. He haunts every page of this book, his presence shuffling through every action and interaction undertaken. The loss that he represents – and how it irrevocably alters the worlds and worldviews of those close to him – is frightening in both its reality and its unknowableness.
“The Quiet Boy” is quietly propulsive, if that makes sense – there’s no flashiness, even with the assorted reveals and surprises sprinkled liberally throughout. Too often, one can FEEL the effort of a writer to push the pace, but that’s not the case here. Winters sweeps us up without us even knowing we’ve been swept – it’s the kind of book you fall into, only to reemerge pages later wondering where the time went.
Part of that immersion is born of the people we meet. Jay Shenk is a fascinating figure, a man who seemingly embodies all that is wrong with the legal profession. Yet he is ALSO a crusader of sorts, in his own way. Yes, he is motivated by the money, but it is not his sole motivation. He believes (or at least believes he believes) in justice. He seeks to do right by his clients even as he (hopefully) profits from their relationship. He is charming in a too-shiny sort of way and brims over with love for his son Ruben. Overall, he seems to be a good guy … but it’s complicated.
Ruben, for his part, offers an engaging dichotomy as well. The teenaged boy we meet in 2008 is full of hope, a smart young man who idolizes his father to the detriment of other parts of his life. The twentysomething Ruben of 2019 is a much sadder, more cynical person – someone continuously dealing with the emotional aftermath of seeing an idol fall. The adventures of that latter Ruben in particular tie in beautifully with the complexity of that particular father-son relationship.
And through it all walks Wesley Keener, pulling his family (and others) along in the wake of his ceaseless circling.
“The Quiet Boy” delights in its own mysteries, answering questions with other questions and endowing the proceedings with an entertaining opacity. It is a story of legal exploits, to be sure, but it also a story of fathers and sons, of the dual prices of pride and obsession and of the abstract nature of the self. We all contain multitudes … until we don’t.
That’s one of the central questions in “The Quiet Boy,” the new novel from Ben H. Winters. It’s a bifurcated story – on one side, a medical mystery, on the other, a capital murder case – where both tales are connected through time by a tragic event that ultimately proves damaging to two different families.
Winters has never been one to be bound by genre constraints, so it’s no surprise to see the author venturing in a different direction. Here, he’s tackling the courtroom drama with the same genre fluidity and narrative inventiveness that he brings to all of his work. Sad and surprising, “The Quiet Boy” crosses all manner of literary borders to capture these myriad lives.
In 2008, a lawyer named Jay Shenk, deemed by some to be an “ambulance chaser” (though he finds that descriptor distasteful) finds himself involved with the Keener family. One day, young Wesley Keener – a teenager – is rushed to the hospital with an injury requiring surgery. Unfortunately, not all of Wesley wakes up. What remains is a dead-eyed automaton, endlessly walking in circles around his hospital room – a phenomenon that no one can explain.
When Jay meets Beth, Wesley’s mother, outside the hospital and learns about what happened to her son, he encourages her to sue the facility for malpractice. She decides to sign on with the reluctant agreement of her husband Richard.
In 2019, Jay Shenk is a shell of himself, far removed from the glory days of his profitable practice. His grown son Ruben – once a vital part of both his life and his work – is estranged from him, working at a salad restaurant. And yet, when Beth Keener approaches him for legal help – this time, for a murder case involving another member of her family – Jay takes the case, despite the multitude of issues surrounding the situation, including many connections to that previous lawsuit a decade prior.
Back and forth we move between these two timelines, watching as each narrative plays out in a manner that seems inevitable … right until it isn’t. There’s plenty more bubbling beneath the surface of this situation than any of these players understand. The path we follow is littered with cultists and rock stars, even as we make our way toward the hope of resolution, even if there’s little chance of finding one that truly satisfies those who are suffering.
I’m on record for being a big fan of genre flexibility; there’s a lot of value in harnessing the tropes of one genre for use under the auspices of another. It’s one of the things that Winters is particularly good at, bringing together seemingly disparate elements with engaging seamlessness.
It’s certainly the case here, with Winters taking the framework of the courtroom drama and introducing an assortment of differing flavors and ideas to create something different. And as the narratives progress, those new flavors ebb and flow – sometimes, everything seems rather straightforward, while at other points, things get … weird – subtly and not-so-subtly altering the landscape with abject smoothness, taking the reader along for the ride.
There’s something scary about emptiness, about the idea that whatever spark it is that makes us us can be extinguished. And if that fundamental spark can go out, who’s to say it was ever truly alight in the first place? Wesley is a ghost made flesh, a wandering golem moving through the world with metronomic absence. He haunts every page of this book, his presence shuffling through every action and interaction undertaken. The loss that he represents – and how it irrevocably alters the worlds and worldviews of those close to him – is frightening in both its reality and its unknowableness.
“The Quiet Boy” is quietly propulsive, if that makes sense – there’s no flashiness, even with the assorted reveals and surprises sprinkled liberally throughout. Too often, one can FEEL the effort of a writer to push the pace, but that’s not the case here. Winters sweeps us up without us even knowing we’ve been swept – it’s the kind of book you fall into, only to reemerge pages later wondering where the time went.
Part of that immersion is born of the people we meet. Jay Shenk is a fascinating figure, a man who seemingly embodies all that is wrong with the legal profession. Yet he is ALSO a crusader of sorts, in his own way. Yes, he is motivated by the money, but it is not his sole motivation. He believes (or at least believes he believes) in justice. He seeks to do right by his clients even as he (hopefully) profits from their relationship. He is charming in a too-shiny sort of way and brims over with love for his son Ruben. Overall, he seems to be a good guy … but it’s complicated.
Ruben, for his part, offers an engaging dichotomy as well. The teenaged boy we meet in 2008 is full of hope, a smart young man who idolizes his father to the detriment of other parts of his life. The twentysomething Ruben of 2019 is a much sadder, more cynical person – someone continuously dealing with the emotional aftermath of seeing an idol fall. The adventures of that latter Ruben in particular tie in beautifully with the complexity of that particular father-son relationship.
And through it all walks Wesley Keener, pulling his family (and others) along in the wake of his ceaseless circling.
“The Quiet Boy” delights in its own mysteries, answering questions with other questions and endowing the proceedings with an entertaining opacity. It is a story of legal exploits, to be sure, but it also a story of fathers and sons, of the dual prices of pride and obsession and of the abstract nature of the self. We all contain multitudes … until we don’t.
Read
September 7, 2021I don't honestly know how I feel about this book. I liked the authors' The Last Policeman series. This book was similarly engaging but the core concept never really came together for me.
August 21, 2021
It took me a long time to start this because it was one of those "We alternate chapters between past and present, but we won't reveal how the past story ended until the veeeery end of the book, even though every single character is aware of what happened back then" books. So annoying, and always so tempting to flip off the author and just read chronologically. But I digress, and Winters is always worth eventually giving a chance. It was a good book, and Shenk was a great character. Very James McGill. Smart, but just shady enough to be grey.
September 18, 2021
DNF at 38%.
Maybe it's me. Maybe this novel gets better further down the road. But it's not for me.
I found myself bored to death by this novel, as nothing truly happens, there's no tension whatsoever, no real mystery to solve. I don't mind following two different timelines and multiple POV's, but it's hard to keep interest when there's no plot to speak of and all of the characters are one-dimensional (Jay being the worst of them, really. It was sickening how he "loved" anybody and for a lawyer, he was way too naive)- no matter how good the writing style is. (Is it, though? As up until where I've read, instead of having a real character development, we're treated to every single character reflecting, thinking, having endless internal dialogues but barely saying what they think to others. On and on, and on and on.)
Also, it's hard to feel anything for the titular character, the boy in the coma (or is a coma? Hard to say as nobody in the novel knows), because the author barely gives us a glimpse into his, his life, choosing instead to focus on his family, their lawyer and their son, though no matter how much time you spend with them, they remain flat and uninteresting.
Also, interesting to note how the author chooses to portray every doctor, nurse and hospital staff as being all incompetent, uncaring the soulless (yet our lawyer hero is the complete opposite).
And what does the novel wants to be? A courtroom drama? A family drama? Character study? Sci-Fi? Supernatural tale? All of the above?! Because this mish-mash just doesn't work, at all.
But, like I said, maybe it's me. I just never felt at any point like this novel is actually heading somewhere. And the author's writing style may be great, but it barely covers the fact there's no story, no tension and no characters.
Maybe it's me. Maybe this novel gets better further down the road. But it's not for me.
I found myself bored to death by this novel, as nothing truly happens, there's no tension whatsoever, no real mystery to solve. I don't mind following two different timelines and multiple POV's, but it's hard to keep interest when there's no plot to speak of and all of the characters are one-dimensional (Jay being the worst of them, really. It was sickening how he "loved" anybody and for a lawyer, he was way too naive)- no matter how good the writing style is. (Is it, though? As up until where I've read, instead of having a real character development, we're treated to every single character reflecting, thinking, having endless internal dialogues but barely saying what they think to others. On and on, and on and on.)
Also, it's hard to feel anything for the titular character, the boy in the coma (or is a coma? Hard to say as nobody in the novel knows), because the author barely gives us a glimpse into his, his life, choosing instead to focus on his family, their lawyer and their son, though no matter how much time you spend with them, they remain flat and uninteresting.
Also, interesting to note how the author chooses to portray every doctor, nurse and hospital staff as being all incompetent, uncaring the soulless (yet our lawyer hero is the complete opposite).
And what does the novel wants to be? A courtroom drama? A family drama? Character study? Sci-Fi? Supernatural tale? All of the above?! Because this mish-mash just doesn't work, at all.
But, like I said, maybe it's me. I just never felt at any point like this novel is actually heading somewhere. And the author's writing style may be great, but it barely covers the fact there's no story, no tension and no characters.
June 30, 2021
This novel parcels out its story in two interwoven timeframes. In 2008, a teenage boy suffers a traumatic brain injury and enters a weird state with no metabolic activity or ability to interact with others. His family engages a lawyer for a medical malpractice suit. In 2019, the lawyer's son tries to figure out why the boy's father subsequently committed a crime.
The book reminded me of one of those restaurants that serves a meal in the form of many small dishes. Even if you like the flavor of the first few, you don't know whether it's going to add up to a satisfying meal until you get to the end. I didn't find this one a satisfying meal. Ultimately this felt like a noir-style legal novel built around a twist, but the twist is more like "huh?" There's good writing here, built on a cloud of vapor.
I liked Winters's first few books, but set aside Golden State without finishing. This might not be the author for me. And in the case of this book, it's hard for me to imagine someone who likes speculative fiction putting up with so much courtroom stuff, or someone who likes legal thrillers accepting the premise as it's finally revealed.
The book reminded me of one of those restaurants that serves a meal in the form of many small dishes. Even if you like the flavor of the first few, you don't know whether it's going to add up to a satisfying meal until you get to the end. I didn't find this one a satisfying meal. Ultimately this felt like a noir-style legal novel built around a twist, but the twist is more like "huh?" There's good writing here, built on a cloud of vapor.
I liked Winters's first few books, but set aside Golden State without finishing. This might not be the author for me. And in the case of this book, it's hard for me to imagine someone who likes speculative fiction putting up with so much courtroom stuff, or someone who likes legal thrillers accepting the premise as it's finally revealed.
May 31, 2021
I usually don't read legal thrillers, but I think I'm going to make an exception from now on for Ben H. Winters.
This was a fantastic read. From the seemingly sleazy lawyer to his stubborn clients to his quiet son, the characters really set the pace. The premise itself seems pretty straightforward -- a lawyer decides to represent a family whose son winds up a walking corpse after emergency surgery. However, it's not the simple. The story then splits off into two timelines: the timeline of the case and the timeline 10 years later. Our characters go through the ringer in both timelines and Winters moves between them so well that you'll be dying to know what happens next.
Without spoiling anything, I have to say that the ending was brilliant and asks a fun question that will sit with you well after you shut the book.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes legal thrillers, family stories, and tales with a potentially paranormal twist.
**Read thanks to an ARC from Mulholland Books**
This was a fantastic read. From the seemingly sleazy lawyer to his stubborn clients to his quiet son, the characters really set the pace. The premise itself seems pretty straightforward -- a lawyer decides to represent a family whose son winds up a walking corpse after emergency surgery. However, it's not the simple. The story then splits off into two timelines: the timeline of the case and the timeline 10 years later. Our characters go through the ringer in both timelines and Winters moves between them so well that you'll be dying to know what happens next.
Without spoiling anything, I have to say that the ending was brilliant and asks a fun question that will sit with you well after you shut the book.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes legal thrillers, family stories, and tales with a potentially paranormal twist.
**Read thanks to an ARC from Mulholland Books**
June 23, 2021
This was a gripping and fascinating read, a real page-turner, that ended up falling flat for me. Disappointing, but still a fun ride while it lasted.
Wesley Keener is a 16-year-old high school kid -- musician, athlete, all-around good guy, fun to be around. After a freak accident, he's left with a bizarre neurological malady that leaves him frozen at 16 forever, walking in circles, 24/7. No eating, no sleeping, no responsiveness. There are a few mysteries here -- what is this condition? How did it happen? Was it the accident itself or the surgery the doctors performed on his brain? Or something else? His family and their lawyer get caught in a weird web of cult extremists that lead to horrifying circumstances.
Wesley Keener is a 16-year-old high school kid -- musician, athlete, all-around good guy, fun to be around. After a freak accident, he's left with a bizarre neurological malady that leaves him frozen at 16 forever, walking in circles, 24/7. No eating, no sleeping, no responsiveness. There are a few mysteries here -- what is this condition? How did it happen? Was it the accident itself or the surgery the doctors performed on his brain? Or something else? His family and their lawyer get caught in a weird web of cult extremists that lead to horrifying circumstances.
December 11, 2021
Where do I start? Have you ever watched a movie and after 2 hrs when it ends you just stare at the screen and say”what was THAT all about?” Or “there are two hours I will never get back!”
Enter The Quiet Boy. A great concept… a boy falls, hits his head and instead of a coma, the boy walks in circles all day. He doesn’t eat, drink, poop, sleep, and doesn’t get old.
Enter a lane ambulance chaser lawyer and his young son… and it just goes down hill from there.
I always like to find something good about every book because there are people who do like this kind of story. But, alas, I can’t think of one, onward…so many books… so little time!
Enter The Quiet Boy. A great concept… a boy falls, hits his head and instead of a coma, the boy walks in circles all day. He doesn’t eat, drink, poop, sleep, and doesn’t get old.
Enter a lane ambulance chaser lawyer and his young son… and it just goes down hill from there.
I always like to find something good about every book because there are people who do like this kind of story. But, alas, I can’t think of one, onward…so many books… so little time!
May 9, 2021
Thank you to Mulholland Press for an ARC for this book, in exchange for an honest review
At first, this appears to be a straightforward courtroom drama. That is, until the ground shifts, and the esoteric elements of the story suddenly arise, in a haze of mystery.
At the heart of the novel, is the tender care Winters takes with his characters. They may not always know who they are, or what their purpose is in this life, but they know how they feel. Emotional connection is the touchstone in an unsteady world.
At first, this appears to be a straightforward courtroom drama. That is, until the ground shifts, and the esoteric elements of the story suddenly arise, in a haze of mystery.
At the heart of the novel, is the tender care Winters takes with his characters. They may not always know who they are, or what their purpose is in this life, but they know how they feel. Emotional connection is the touchstone in an unsteady world.
June 30, 2021
Good I love a double timeline book. This one follows the same characters 10 years apart. Courtroom drama with a little fantastical element. I read this one pretty fast and I’d recommend as a summer page turner. I think some questions weren’t answered for me in the end.
July 9, 2021
3.5 stars. This is an entertaining legal thriller/mystery with a supernatural vibe (John Grisham meets Stephen King). As long as you don’t mind a few loose ends (maybe more than a few), it’s an enjoyable, easy read.
November 3, 2021
So much to like about this book and also quite a bit not to like.
August 28, 2022
Winters at his best.
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