3 out of 4 stars
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A Sum of Flaws by Phil Penne is a novel about two extraordinary strangers who form a bond in a very unusual circumstance. Earl Miller is a retired veteran with a severe heart condition who lives in a small home on a modest income. He practices pinhole photography as a full-time hobby, capturing the people and places in which he finds so much beauty. Lillian Parrish is a young, struggling classical musician who, unbeknownst to her, has become Earl’s muse. Sensing the dejection and hopelessness that has overwhelmed Lillian, Earl ignores propriety and follows her to intervene on her behalf. What follows is an unlikely friendship that helps Lillian and Earl transcend their real and perceived flaws in order to feel complete within themselves and each other.
When I am reading a book in order to review it, I like to read a little about the author’s background as well. I am always pleased when the author infuses a novel with elements that resemble their own interests and hobbies. In this case, Earl Miller’s passion for photography stems from Mr. Penne’s own experience as a photographer. He has a two-volume collection of digital photography entitled Hearts are Where You Find Them, but he also has worked with (and has an affinity for) pinhole cameras of his own making. His experience creating his own art gives the reader a deeper glimpse into the mind of a photographic artist than technical research alone could conjure.
Mr. Penne is spot on about the amount of dedication it takes to become virtuosic in the world of classical music. Not only about the amount of practice to further one’s craft, but also the traveling expenses, hassle, and heartbreak of auditions. It is easy to sympathize with Lillian when her world falls apart. When a person invests everything they have into their art, it isn’t hard to see how devastating repeated rejection can be.
The characters’ complexities are revealed one layer at a time throughout the book, and each reveal is vitally interesting. This makes what would potentially be a slow-moving story into a story you really won’t want to put down.
I have three favorite moments in the book, but in the interest of avoiding spoilers, I’ll just share one with you. There is a point where Lillian is the victim of some verbal bullying regarding her appearance. It broke my heart when it seemed all of the progress Lillian had made toward self-acceptance and confidence seemed to shatter in that one thoughtless instance of cruelty. When she had retreated into herself, and was giving in to feelings of worthlessness, soft-spoken Earl championed her in such an authoritative, clever way that you I couldn’t help but feel vindicated on her behalf. The moment is so sweet and paternal, and really provides a pretty accurate snapshot of what their friendship really is about.
My disappointments with this story were very few. I found and marked ten errors, some repetitive, which were of the spelling error or grammatical structure variety. For a relatively short book (approximately 148 pages) this seemed like too many. The writing is just too good to have those blemishes, and I think a good copy editor could pick up those errors and any I may have missed to present a truly polished novel. I did find these to be distracting, but I can’t say that my overall pleasure in reading this story was diminished. Additionally, a frequent complaint I have with short books has to do with leaving out details, or an abrupt, unsatisfying ending. That was not the case here. The ending was poignant and beautiful, and was the perfect finishing touch to a well-developed story.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Mr. Penne creates such beautiful imagery with his prose that I was captivated from the very first line until the ending of this story. With a little editing this book is a solid 4 out of 4. I recommend this book particularly to any adult lovers of realistic fiction. There is one occurrence of a curse word being used, and a pretty gruesome flashback to the horrors of the Vietnam War. These should not be more than a Young Adult or Teen audience can handle, but I feel this story will most likely appeal to a more mature audience. Reading this book was truly a pleasure, and I hope some of you will pick it up and give it a read as well!
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A sum of Flaws
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)! I liked the book enough that I'm planning on writing another blurb as an Amazon review, and I've certainly recommended the book to several friends. 
