Review of As Good As Can Be

[Christabel Uzoamaka]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "As Good As Can Be" by William A. Glass.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Knights are a chaotic bunch. Lieutenant Colonel David S. Knight is an Army man who is frequently deployed to different countries in service of the United States of America. David Knight is as masculine as they come, but the same cannot be said for his son, Dave Knight. This book begins with following the Knight family and the commotion they bring wherever they go. Eventually, the story focuses on Dave Knight, a kid with obvious learning disabilities. When Dave is drafted into the US Army, it seems his life will be purposeful after all. But will it? With his quirks and shortcomings constantly under fire, what’s a boy like Dave got to do to survive this thing called life? This book is a story of humanness and the complexities that come with it.

As Good As Can Be, by William A. Glass, is a story that is as real as can be. Reality has grey areas, and this book shows just that. Honesty is the best thing about this book. I liked that the author did not try to make Dave’s character more digestible; he did not try to beautify the messiness that came with the Knight family living their everyday lives. The author did a good job with the narration, and I wondered whether Dave was a real person. This book is over 400 pages, and I could not find any errors in it. The editors’ attention to detail is amazing.

While I appreciated how fast-paced this book was, it was also a source of mire for me. I would only be getting used to an event that just happened, and all of a sudden, the story would leap forward many years. For example, just when I was getting familiar with Dave’s character as a child, he grew up suddenly, becoming a teenager and then an adult with a drinking problem. This suddenness is, however, not completely absurd because real life is also sudden, and unexpected things happen in the blink of an eye.

One thing I disliked, and for which I must deduct one star, is the lack of depth of the characters. The author merely told us the things the characters did without showing us their motivations and feelings about the actions they took. I would have liked to know how Dave felt to have been treated badly by his sister. It would have been great to know the sadness Dave felt when he experienced great losses, but the author only shared events and no depth; this did not allow me to make any significant emotional connection to any character. So, I must rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.

The author paid attention to editing details and dialogue so well that when Dave entered the Army, it was as if I was there with him talking to diverse people. I believe even stories of not-so-great people deserve to be told. William A. Glass took the story of an ordinary person and made it something extraordinary. If you like stories that are realistic, you will love this book. If you like some chaos and madness, trust that the Knight family will spice things up for you. Readers should note that this book contains profanity and some implicit sexual content.

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As Good As Can Be
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[El_limitless]

Your review has triggered a longing in me to know what became of Dave's life. I honestly hope he found his way to greatness against all odds.

[Kanchan Sharma]

A touching story and a clear and candid review. I would love to check it myself. Life is not easy for people with any kind of disability.

[cd20]

A book over 400 pages with no errors or little errors is great. It sounds like the characters needed more depth. I am with you, I hate sudden jumps in time and you have to realign yourself with what is going on. Thank you for an informative review.

[Kuilawrence083]

This is a wonderful review, and I can imagine what it is to have no emotional connections with characters. Other than that, I think it is an enjoyable read. Thank you.