Was he faking it? Miles had never been sure, even as Hayden's behavior became more erratic and abnormal and secretive. There were time, lots of times, when his "illness" felt more like a performance, am amplified version of the games they had been playing all along. The "symptoms" Hayden was supposedly exhibiting, according to the therapist--"elaborate fantasy worlds,""feverish obsessions,""disordered thoughts," and "hallucinatory perceptual changes:--these were not so much different from the way Hayden usually behaved when they were deeply involved in one of their projects. He was, perhaps, a little more exaggerated and theatrical than usual, Miles thought, a little more extreme than Miles felt comfortable with, but then again there were reasons. Their father's death, for example. Their mother's remarriage. Their hated stepfather, Mr. Spady.This book kept me enthralled and constantly surprised. Three very odd and completely different settings and characters are expertly woven into a compelling mystery. I read the first three chapters with fascination, however they seemed to be completely unconnected. Wondering if and how the author might tie these story lines together, makes the reader want to continue. After the story begins to come together, I found myself compelled to finish the book.
Chaon is an intelligent, creative writer who well deserves all the praise he has received. His writing flows easily, but is deceptively complex. A great mystery, bizarre characters, unimagined connections, a modern theme, great writing and it all adds up to a five star review.
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