Review of Cooperative Lives
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[Following is a volunteer review of "Cooperative Lives" by Patrick Finegan.]
Neighbors. They are the seemingly mundane people who walk around in our neighborhoods. In our eyes, we are the main characters, and they are the non-playing characters(NPCs). But what does it take to take notice of a particular neighbor? A scandalous media publication? A personal disaster which leaves them bereaved? Or a positively life-changing encounter with them?
Patrick Finegan’s Cooperative Lives is all about a number of neighbors living in a cooperative building in Central South Park, New York. Parts I and II are an invitation into the lives of the characters. These two parts, as much as they are an intrusion into the lives of the characters, are also an intrusion into the reader’s perception of the reality of adult life.
Like tentatively unwrapping a Christmas present, Patrick Finegan sets up the plot by getting personal with the characters. What are they motivations? They do have regrets? Are they content in their present stations of life?
Things heat up in the third and final part of Cooperative Lives. It’s a cacophony of personal tragedies, betrayals, bereavements, secrets, conspiracies and government security agencies. What at all could a bunch of hot-shot New Yorkers living as neighbors be hiding from one another and from the public?
Reading Cooperative Lives will introduce you on a personal level to; a former securities lawyer and his ex-track star wife, an IT executive and his sophisticated exotic wife and a whole cast of characters, each bearing a distinctive influence on the plot. Perhaps, after meeting all these people, you will find the answers to these questions.
I would give Cooperative Lives a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. One thing I liked most about the novel was how the author incorporated a bit of a social experiment into his story telling. The author gives sufficient information about characters which leads the reader to make certain assumptions about them. The subsequent revelation of the true facts about these characters exposes the inherent biases inherited by the reader from the modern society.
For a first time writer, Patrick Finegan does a good job of bringing a cast of distinct characters to life. He brings out characters who have been influenced and have undergone transformation as a result of their experiences. Characters like Hanife Kaplan make you question morality, whilst others like Jack Roberts make one consider the transient nature of success. Essentially, his characters are well-developed and thought-provoking.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cooperative Lives. Its enticingly slow pace makes it perfect for those lazy summer afternoons or warm winter evenings by the hearth. However, one negative aspect I found has to do with the narration timelines. Although the author gave clear notifications of timeline switches (aided with graphics), I still found myself a bit confused in trying to connect events from the same timeline. Perhaps, this is as a result of too much space before reverting to a timeline or too much switching between timelines in a short period. The book was well edited.
As a result of how much this book exposes the realities of adult life, I would recommend this book to young adults.
******
Cooperative Lives
View: on Bookshelves |
Neighbors. They are the seemingly mundane people who walk around in our neighborhoods. In our eyes, we are the main characters, and they are the non-playing characters(NPCs). But what does it take to take notice of a particular neighbor? A scandalous media publication? A personal disaster which leaves them bereaved? Or a positively life-changing encounter with them?
Patrick Finegan’s Cooperative Lives is all about a number of neighbors living in a cooperative building in Central South Park, New York. Parts I and II are an invitation into the lives of the characters. These two parts, as much as they are an intrusion into the lives of the characters, are also an intrusion into the reader’s perception of the reality of adult life.
Like tentatively unwrapping a Christmas present, Patrick Finegan sets up the plot by getting personal with the characters. What are they motivations? They do have regrets? Are they content in their present stations of life?
Things heat up in the third and final part of Cooperative Lives. It’s a cacophony of personal tragedies, betrayals, bereavements, secrets, conspiracies and government security agencies. What at all could a bunch of hot-shot New Yorkers living as neighbors be hiding from one another and from the public?
Reading Cooperative Lives will introduce you on a personal level to; a former securities lawyer and his ex-track star wife, an IT executive and his sophisticated exotic wife and a whole cast of characters, each bearing a distinctive influence on the plot. Perhaps, after meeting all these people, you will find the answers to these questions.
I would give Cooperative Lives a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. One thing I liked most about the novel was how the author incorporated a bit of a social experiment into his story telling. The author gives sufficient information about characters which leads the reader to make certain assumptions about them. The subsequent revelation of the true facts about these characters exposes the inherent biases inherited by the reader from the modern society.
For a first time writer, Patrick Finegan does a good job of bringing a cast of distinct characters to life. He brings out characters who have been influenced and have undergone transformation as a result of their experiences. Characters like Hanife Kaplan make you question morality, whilst others like Jack Roberts make one consider the transient nature of success. Essentially, his characters are well-developed and thought-provoking.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cooperative Lives. Its enticingly slow pace makes it perfect for those lazy summer afternoons or warm winter evenings by the hearth. However, one negative aspect I found has to do with the narration timelines. Although the author gave clear notifications of timeline switches (aided with graphics), I still found myself a bit confused in trying to connect events from the same timeline. Perhaps, this is as a result of too much space before reverting to a timeline or too much switching between timelines in a short period. The book was well edited.
As a result of how much this book exposes the realities of adult life, I would recommend this book to young adults.
******
Cooperative Lives
View: on Bookshelves |
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