The Long Division

by Derek Nikitas

An Atlanta housecleaner flees her nowhere life to reunite with the son she gave up for adoption. The teenage boy joins his longlost mother on an unlawful road trip that proves how much they both have to lose by finding each other. Elsewhere, a deputy must track down the shooter in a drug-related double murder before other investigators discover the deputy's illicit ties to the case. The killer is an unbalanced college kid hunted by vengeful drug dealers and the police, haunted by loves both dead and forbidden. When the renegade mother and son arrive, past sins and present gambits will ensnare them in the violent endgame between the deputy and the desperate killer.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2009

About the author

Derek Nikitas is the Edgar-award nominated author of the crime/mystery novels *Pyres* and *The Long Division* (a Washington Post Best Book of 2009 selection).

He has also written a science fiction adventure novel for Young Adults called *Extra Life* and has co-written several "Bookshots" books with bestselling novelist James Patterson, including *Diary of a Succubus* and *You've Been Warned--Again.*

He lives in Rhode Island.

Reviews

[mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is something going on at universities regarding creative writing teachers ... and I now KNOW I don't like it. A novel is a story and as such, that should be the focus--the story; NOT the "creative writing." In The Long Division, by Creative Writing teacher, Derek Nikitas, is gimmickry at its best/worst, which is a distraction to the story. The story drew me to the book, one of a reunion between a young mother who gave up her baby, and that child, now a teenager. The author used word, sentence, and paragraph construction that are almost senseless. If you have to go back and reread constantly, which I had to, the writing is not working. And further, from the first paragraph, I knew how this tale was going to turn out. And further still, I didn't care for the characters. Here is one example of the style that stopped me cold, and sent me back for several readings:

'Calvin!' she cried. The coils in her ears went haywire. She pressed her hands against the dash and locked her elbows so that her arms were the spinner arrow in a kid's board game whipped so hard the blood rushed to fill her fingertips and then when she couldn't think beyond the topsy-turvy outlines the passenger window burst and something brought the car full-stop at the finish of its three-sixty spin. (p.147)

Full discloser. I am going to begin "teaching" a course: "WRITING CREATIVELY," at a community college. Trust me - I am not going to encourage this style of writing. Writing is, at its root, about two things: Having something to say; and then the choices one makes in HOW to say it. The goal, I think, is to be understood, and in some cases to persuade, influence, inform, and/or entertain. The style of writing used by Nikitas is a serious distraction to those goals.

There is, I think, a difference between creative writing (which just might be breaking rules) and writing creatively (having something new to say in an impelling voice.) The difference is one of style and voice—HOW the story is told, and then WHAT that story is. Both components must gel to represent good writing.

Everything written, ultimately, is a story. There are basic elements to a story: plot, characterization, setting, point of view, theme, and title. The title is the reader’s first impression and as such, has great importance. The title of this book is: “The Long Division.” Creative and attractive to me, but in this case a misrepresentation of the story and a distraction. (See below.)

The plot is, as I mentioned above, what drew me to the book. However, it unfolds in sporadic bits and pieces, disjointed, as are the characters. There is not one central protagonist, but several, none developed in depth, and none of who induced sympathy or inspiration. At the beginning of the story, the reader is introduced to Jodie, the mother of the adopted out youth, Calvin. Is she the central character? I still don’t know. The story ends with her just a sidebar. It ends with Wynn, only tangentially involved with Jodie, and who is the impetus for the title. (He obsesses over long division and Zeno’s fallacious famous paradox. This has nothing to do with story—the plot. Maybe the title is meant as metaphor? Never touched on is why Wynn is obsessive/compulsive.) Other main characters are: Sam, a deputy sheriff; Jill, his wife with a brain tumor and Jodie’s older sister ß(sometimes referred to by the author as “Mom”); and Erika, their twenty-year old daughter. Erika becomes involved with Wynn through circumstance. Events unfold through flashback. There is abuse of alcohol, infidelity, police corruption, sibling rivalry, identity confusion, piousness, statuary rape, terminal cancer, guilt, shame, felony theft, manslaughter, heroin addiction, homosexually, rape, murder, suicide, and … not much of a conclusion and no clarity. All of the events commingle in a confusing, creative way—thus the tag Creative Writing.

The setting is underdeveloped. The story takes place in the eastern United States and it is winter. What is the theme, the central unifying idea or ideas? As far as I can tell, it is a story about weak men posing as “heroes” and “intellectuals,” being led by their penises’, with women as helpless, incompetent, enablers, and children as powerless victims. This is an old story that has been told over and over again, better (House Of Sand And Fog, by Andre Dubus III, comes to mind.)

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always happy to read a book where separate storylines and characters spiral towards a interwoven conclusion - part of the fun is suddenly realizing the unstated connections that were in plain si-

Anyone who starts this book will say, hey, what's with the unfinished sentences? It seems like a cheat. Don't know how to end a paragraph? Just stop wr-

Later on, though, one of the characters starts musing on Zeno's paradox. If the turtle crawls halfway across the table, then half of the rest of the distance, and then half again, he'll never reach the edge. This may explain the author's relucta-

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stylish noir with literary flourishes, including a little distracting use of dashes to begin and end the sections. Muscular prose and original voice, the story also features flawed characters stiving to bring order to their messy, chaotic lives. Three narrative threads are nicely woven. I liked reading TLD.

[Robert Intriago · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the book disjointed. Maybe it has to do with my age but I found it difficult to follow and comprehend the dialogue, but maybe I am not hipp enough. The writting style gave me a little bit of problems. The author ends paragrphs in midsentence of conversation, thought or action. After the first chapter I was able to follow. The story was okay, but not good enough to overcome the drawbacks.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pseudo-acedemic, forced style of ending one segment in the middle of a sentence and beginning with another half sentence in a different setting falls flat on its face. Writing often stilted...one gets the feeling the author kept a thesaurus on hand just to insert a unique word...worse phrase with multiple forced words. Ugh.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story. I knew the author would tie the three story lines together, but discovering how he did it was well worth the time investment. Interesting characters. I recommend this author.

[Viccy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting format, a little hard to process. Nikitas tells a great story.

[Margaretb · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was like being on an ice-slick road toward a ditch... couldn't put it down, but was petrified about what was about to happen. Great book.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connected stories...couldn't put this book down, but be forewarned...depressing.

[Maureen Arabela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of this book, The Long Division, is all about the different characters' stories which are bound to be all connected. One of the characters is Jodie Larkin, a house cleaner who stole money and soon travels to reunite with her son, Calvin Nowak, a boy struggling with his own identity. Meanwhile, deputy Sam Hartwick tracks down killer of two siblings before the other investigators to hide his ties to the crime. The killer, Wynn Johnston, a college student, was involved all because of wanting to help find his friend's sister.


In my own personal opinion, I believe that the book is worth reading. One of the reasons is how the story is narrated or told; which is cutting the sentences off when moving to a different scenario or scene. With this approach, it makes the reader more eager and curious to know what was about to happen. It also makes the book unique since most books narrate stories in a simple and common way. Not only that, but the plot itself is interesting with how each character had their own perspective shown or narrated. For example, as Jodie searches for Calvin, Calvin's search for her was also narrated in his point of view as well. Which gives us an insight on the characters' feelings and actions. Therefore, reading the book would make it worth your while because of its narration and the different perspectives of the characters.

[Joyce · Rating 1 out of 5]

Usually if I don't finish a book I drop it in the first 50-100 pages, but I got 3/4's of the way through this before I quit. It started interestingly enough but spiraled to worse than a Fargo story with disjointed writing.

[Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing, twisty crime story that started with a bang and kept circling. While I was interested in the sudden breaks in narrative, I didn't really understand their overall purpose. I thought I might figure it out by the end of the book, but I did not.

[Wendy Zuern · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan of books with a gimmick.

[Earl P. Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book! I recommend it to fans of crime fiction and literary fiction.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sans the crime, the setting of this story seemed ...quite familiar.

I very much enjoy reading Derek's work and thinking about how much I learned about comma from him. I did find a typo near the end of the novel, just a letter v missing to Calvin's name.

I'll let it slide, Professor.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Long Division" was a terrifically written novel, populated with terribly damaged, yet wholly realized and believable, characters on this terrifying collision course with their destinies. When I started reading, I thought I didn't want to know these people because there was no way this story was going to end well. Nikitas pulled me in, however, and, as all the pieces of his equation started coming clear, I had to stay until the very bitter end. I was also a little put off by the "jump cut" device the author uses, but, as with the rest of the book, eventually this technique became easier to follow. I will probably come back later and change my star rating - right now, it is difficult for me to even say I liked the book because it so rife with sadness and despair. Once I've had some time to digest what I'm feeling, I may be able to embrace the book a little more closely, and realize that its sum is as great as its parts.

[Harry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hätte Nikitas nur das letzte Drittel des Romans veröffentlicht, wäre eine durchaus ordentliche Kurzgeschichte dabei herausgekommen. So dominieren aber uninspirierte Charaktere, öde Schauplätze und ein einschläfernder Plot - gepaart mit pseudo-philosphischem Geschwafel und miesen Sprachbildern, die - im schlechtesten Sinne - an Schundromane aus dem nächstbesten Bahnhofskiosk erinnern:
"Der Schmerz ließ weiße Glühbirnen vor seine Augen treten, ..." (S. 267)
"Eine Welle des Verlangens ergriff ihn, doch es war nicht körperlich." (S. 267)
"Er heulte als er sich aufsetzte und die Qualen spielten auf seinen Rippen eine Melodie." (S. 286)

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This depressing and disjointed novel focuses on three characters and how their stories converge:

• Jodie Larkin, the Atlanta cleaning lady on the run and in search of the son she gave up for adoption;

• Wynn Johnston, a bright college student who gets pulled into a dark situation with a friend and the friend’s sister; and

• Calvin Nowak, a teenager in crisis, who just wants to escape the life he’s now living.

All 3 characters are on the run for different reasons, and all of the situations quickly become a shocking tangled mess.

[Jeffrey (Akiva) Savett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rarely read mystery/detective novels but this came highly recommended from the Washington Post. Pretty amazing writing and gripping story following four characters whose paths intersect in interesting ways--an already sort of cliche idea but pulled off well by some great characterization. The book's story is incredibly bleak but it was still a pleasure to read because it was written so insightfully.

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing for me. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review. I was drawn to the book because of the review, and also the locations (some veiled), were familiar to me. Nikitas writing technique is quite billiant, but I think I will go back and read his first book, PYRES. Then I will give THE LONG DIVISION a second chance. It may be a generational attitude on my part.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once I became used to the rather tedious writing style (every scene change started mid-sentence) employed by the author I found this to be a depressing though strangely compelling look at several damaged characters and the unintended consequences and violent outcomes that their poorly thought out choices lead to.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story begins describing three separate people. Each one has his or her own chapter. In the middle of the book the reader discovers how they come together, how they affect each other. It is quite a ride. Betrayal, incest, adoption, drugs, they all are featured in this book.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about this book from a list I read somewhere - "Thrillers for people who don't read thrillers." Very apt - it was suspenseful and sometimes horrifying, but well written by an author who has a lot of insight into human nature.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Very dark and ultimately a nasty ending but I enjoyed it!

[Liana · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average novel with curious characters. Violent and disturbing in parts, but kept me intrigued to the end, wondering about various character connections.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

tragic, complex tale of several seemingly unrelated characters who come together in the end. worth reading, but do not hope for a happy ending.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perplexing. I can't say that I found the way these storylines intertwined to be surprising.