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The Shoe on the Roof
From the Giller Prize–winning novelist of 419 comes the startling, funny, and heartbreaking story of a psychological experiment gone wrong.
Ever since his girlfriend ended their relationship, Thomas Rosanoff’s life has been on a downward spiral. A gifted med student, he has spent his entire adulthood struggling to escape the legacy of his father, an esteemed psychiatrist who used him as a test subject when he was a boy. Thomas lived his entire young life as the “Boy in the Box,” watched by researchers behind two-way glass.
But now the tables have turned. Thomas is the researcher, and his subjects are three homeless men, all of whom claim to be messiahs—but no three people can be the one and only saviour of the world. Thomas is determined to “cure” the three men of their delusions, and in so doing save his career—and maybe even his love life. But when Thomas’s father intervenes in the experiment, events spin out of control, and Thomas must confront the voices he hears in the labyrinth of his own mind.
The Shoe on the Roof is an explosively imaginative tour de force, a novel that questions our definitions of sanity and madness, while exploring the magical reality that lies just beyond the world of scientific fact.
Ever since his girlfriend ended their relationship, Thomas Rosanoff’s life has been on a downward spiral. A gifted med student, he has spent his entire adulthood struggling to escape the legacy of his father, an esteemed psychiatrist who used him as a test subject when he was a boy. Thomas lived his entire young life as the “Boy in the Box,” watched by researchers behind two-way glass.
But now the tables have turned. Thomas is the researcher, and his subjects are three homeless men, all of whom claim to be messiahs—but no three people can be the one and only saviour of the world. Thomas is determined to “cure” the three men of their delusions, and in so doing save his career—and maybe even his love life. But when Thomas’s father intervenes in the experiment, events spin out of control, and Thomas must confront the voices he hears in the labyrinth of his own mind.
The Shoe on the Roof is an explosively imaginative tour de force, a novel that questions our definitions of sanity and madness, while exploring the magical reality that lies just beyond the world of scientific fact.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published October 17, 2017
35 people are currently reading
1317 people want to read
About the author
Will Ferguson
44 books550 followersWill Ferguson is an award-winning travel writer and novelist. His last work of fiction, 419, won the Scotiabank Giller Prize. He has won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour a record-tying three times and has been nominated for both the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and a Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. His new novel, The Shoe on the Roof, will be released October 17, 2017. Visit him at WillFerguson.ca
Ferguson studied film production and screenwriting at York University in Toronto, graduating with a B.F.A. in 1990. He joined the Japan Exchange Teachers Programme (JET) soon after and spent five years in Asia. He married his wife Terumi in Kumamoto, Japan, in 1995. They now live in Calgary with their two sons. After coming back from Japan he experienced a reverse culture shock, which became the basis for his first book Why I Hate Canadians. With his brother, Ian Ferguson, he wrote the bestselling sequel How to be a Canadian. Ferguson details his experiences hitchhiking across Japan in Hokkaido Highway Blues (later retitled Hitching Rides with Buddha), his travels across Canada in Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw, and a journey through central Africa in Road Trip Rwanda. His debut novel, Happiness, was sold into 23 languages around the world. He has written for The New York Times, Esquire UK, and Canadian Geographic magazine.
Ferguson studied film production and screenwriting at York University in Toronto, graduating with a B.F.A. in 1990. He joined the Japan Exchange Teachers Programme (JET) soon after and spent five years in Asia. He married his wife Terumi in Kumamoto, Japan, in 1995. They now live in Calgary with their two sons. After coming back from Japan he experienced a reverse culture shock, which became the basis for his first book Why I Hate Canadians. With his brother, Ian Ferguson, he wrote the bestselling sequel How to be a Canadian. Ferguson details his experiences hitchhiking across Japan in Hokkaido Highway Blues (later retitled Hitching Rides with Buddha), his travels across Canada in Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw, and a journey through central Africa in Road Trip Rwanda. His debut novel, Happiness, was sold into 23 languages around the world. He has written for The New York Times, Esquire UK, and Canadian Geographic magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
April 10, 2018
As always Will Ferguson has immaculate writing. I always really enjoy his writing style, pacing and flow. Without a doubt this Canadian (and from my local city, Calgary!) has a writing ability that is far above many others who write fiction novels (of any kind).
Science-y
As with any book with a scientific focus there are a lot of technical aspects that Ferguson has to explain to us. These were probably my favourite parts of the book. Ferguson adapts a style reminiscent of Michael Crichton or similar to Mira Grant, in which he is 'teaching' the reader at a high level what it may mean to do certain tests or control environments, etc. I found this very palatable and interesting.
Plot
The Shoe on the Roof has a very obvious and linear plot. There is our lead guy who is researching the idea of how god exists in the brain. He falls in love, loses the girl and then finds out her brother believes he is Jesus Christ. So lead find wants to help girl's brother and so he pursues three people who believe they are Jesus Christ and begins therapy/testing on them.
Simple right? Sure, until you get into the psychosis of our leading man... or and the random mystery thrown in.
The 'real' story
I would argue that the short plot summary above is in fact not the plot at all. The actual plot is two-fold:
1) Is there a scientific way to definatively prove that god does not exist?
2) Is our leading man too mentally broken, himself, to have an objective opinion.
3) There is an emerging mystery that pops up mid-way through
It's clear that Ferguson feels the idea of god and mental health to be a very complex (and he's correct) topic, and one that depending on your viewpoint can be discussed for eternity. That is really the story here in my opinion. One about mental health, god and the idea of what people believe and why.
So why only 3 stars?
There are a few reasons why The Shoe On the Roof didn't resonate with me as much as the stellar bestseller 419 from Ferguson.
- I didn't get excited about reading it; or sad about putting it down. Overall I was very blah about reading the book
- I never really got a sense for the main character. I wanted more from our leading man. I wanted to really understand his childhood that involved being studied. There is some of it there, but that is the story I think I really craved. I'd have rather read about his childhood than his endeavor to enter the medical profession.
- The mystery kind of popped up and was clearly side-story until the end when it suddenly felt like main story. I didn't like this transition and it took away from our main characters overall pursuit of science in the end.
- I had some fundamental concerns about how certain topics (especially mental health) were portrayed here...
Mental Health Portrayal
As someone who never really understood mental health; and used to think people could just 'get over' things, I was disturbed by one of the messages that you could derive from Ferguson's characters. Especially because it comes from our 'expert' doctor. As someone with a medicated anxiety disorder it is disturbing for me to read that mental health may not a physical problem, but instead more an emotional or social one. While this is true at the core of it's essence; the doctor then goes on to talk about how you just have to change the patients 'cognitive' function. It really disturbed me that this was too easy a way to easily dismiss mental health as something the person just needs to 'fix' or get therapy to 'fix.
That said, I am 90% sure that Ferguson is actually trying to get readers to think outside the box of medications and therapies for mental health. That is in fact (I believe) the whole point of our lead man's perspective and scientific pursuit. He has the idea that maybe we are approaching problems from the wrong angle or perspective. And I certainly understand this is the purpose of the book. But it doesn't diminish how uncomfortable I was thinking someone might walk away with the wrong idea and just assume that mental health folks are just weak and need more willpower. Maybe I'm being paranoid but I just can't get over how compelling of an argument it felt, especially from our 'expert doctor' character.
Overall
I will always read Will Ferguson's work. If only to be reminded of what solid writing is. Ferguson likes to tackle somewhat controversial issues and ask the reader to see the other side. He does this so well in his bestselling book 419 (as we develop sympathy for our Nigerian scammer). In The Shoe on the Roof I think he has done a good job of presenting all arguments and leaving things open to interpretation of the reader. As the reader you get to decide or think on the different perspectives and make a decision for yourself; or determine that it's too complex to really know about. Really good books make you think and certainly this book made me think.
At the end of the day I was disturbed by some of the counter ideas in Ferguson's novel and even a couple days after finishing the book can't seem to shake them. So for that, and that I never felt drawn into the story in a really solid way, I will stand behind my 3 star review. Even though Ferguson is, without a doubt, a 5 star writer to me and I cannot wait to read his next book; whatever the topic might be.
For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Science-y
As with any book with a scientific focus there are a lot of technical aspects that Ferguson has to explain to us. These were probably my favourite parts of the book. Ferguson adapts a style reminiscent of Michael Crichton or similar to Mira Grant, in which he is 'teaching' the reader at a high level what it may mean to do certain tests or control environments, etc. I found this very palatable and interesting.
Plot
The Shoe on the Roof has a very obvious and linear plot. There is our lead guy who is researching the idea of how god exists in the brain. He falls in love, loses the girl and then finds out her brother believes he is Jesus Christ. So lead find wants to help girl's brother and so he pursues three people who believe they are Jesus Christ and begins therapy/testing on them.
Simple right? Sure, until you get into the psychosis of our leading man... or and the random mystery thrown in.
The 'real' story
I would argue that the short plot summary above is in fact not the plot at all. The actual plot is two-fold:
1) Is there a scientific way to definatively prove that god does not exist?
2) Is our leading man too mentally broken, himself, to have an objective opinion.
3) There is an emerging mystery that pops up mid-way through
It's clear that Ferguson feels the idea of god and mental health to be a very complex (and he's correct) topic, and one that depending on your viewpoint can be discussed for eternity. That is really the story here in my opinion. One about mental health, god and the idea of what people believe and why.
So why only 3 stars?
There are a few reasons why The Shoe On the Roof didn't resonate with me as much as the stellar bestseller 419 from Ferguson.
- I didn't get excited about reading it; or sad about putting it down. Overall I was very blah about reading the book
- I never really got a sense for the main character. I wanted more from our leading man. I wanted to really understand his childhood that involved being studied. There is some of it there, but that is the story I think I really craved. I'd have rather read about his childhood than his endeavor to enter the medical profession.
- The mystery kind of popped up and was clearly side-story until the end when it suddenly felt like main story. I didn't like this transition and it took away from our main characters overall pursuit of science in the end.
- I had some fundamental concerns about how certain topics (especially mental health) were portrayed here...
Mental Health Portrayal
As someone who never really understood mental health; and used to think people could just 'get over' things, I was disturbed by one of the messages that you could derive from Ferguson's characters. Especially because it comes from our 'expert' doctor. As someone with a medicated anxiety disorder it is disturbing for me to read that mental health may not a physical problem, but instead more an emotional or social one. While this is true at the core of it's essence; the doctor then goes on to talk about how you just have to change the patients 'cognitive' function. It really disturbed me that this was too easy a way to easily dismiss mental health as something the person just needs to 'fix' or get therapy to 'fix.
That said, I am 90% sure that Ferguson is actually trying to get readers to think outside the box of medications and therapies for mental health. That is in fact (I believe) the whole point of our lead man's perspective and scientific pursuit. He has the idea that maybe we are approaching problems from the wrong angle or perspective. And I certainly understand this is the purpose of the book. But it doesn't diminish how uncomfortable I was thinking someone might walk away with the wrong idea and just assume that mental health folks are just weak and need more willpower. Maybe I'm being paranoid but I just can't get over how compelling of an argument it felt, especially from our 'expert doctor' character.
Overall
I will always read Will Ferguson's work. If only to be reminded of what solid writing is. Ferguson likes to tackle somewhat controversial issues and ask the reader to see the other side. He does this so well in his bestselling book 419 (as we develop sympathy for our Nigerian scammer). In The Shoe on the Roof I think he has done a good job of presenting all arguments and leaving things open to interpretation of the reader. As the reader you get to decide or think on the different perspectives and make a decision for yourself; or determine that it's too complex to really know about. Really good books make you think and certainly this book made me think.
At the end of the day I was disturbed by some of the counter ideas in Ferguson's novel and even a couple days after finishing the book can't seem to shake them. So for that, and that I never felt drawn into the story in a really solid way, I will stand behind my 3 star review. Even though Ferguson is, without a doubt, a 5 star writer to me and I cannot wait to read his next book; whatever the topic might be.
For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
March 28, 2018
Will Ferguson once again creates a very readable novel with so many ideas going on in it that it left my brain whirling! And yet, it all worked together and wasn’t confusing or overwhelming. All the ideas that he played with fit together nicely—what is mind? Is religion still relevant? Is science where its at? He even threw in that old “nature vs. nurture” idea.
Thomas Rosanoff is our main character—raised by his father as an experiment after the death of his mother. (There are echoes of the urban legend about B.F. Skinner’s daughter). Thomas is maybe-brilliant, but definitely one of the most self-centred characters I have ever met, but I felt that he meant well. He did want to help people, if only for his own ends.
The coming together of the three mental patients, all of whom believe themselves to be Jesus Christ, could have been very sacrilegious, but despite Thomas’ very materialist views of the world, the mind and the soul, it remains human and even funny. There was a point, when Thomas’ domineering father became involved, when I almost quit reading—I found it painful to see him being overwhelmed yet again by the great man. I’m glad I pushed on and finished the novel, however, as it left me with a glow of good feelings.
Read for my 2018 PopSugar Challenge, a book about mental health.
Thomas Rosanoff is our main character—raised by his father as an experiment after the death of his mother. (There are echoes of the urban legend about B.F. Skinner’s daughter). Thomas is maybe-brilliant, but definitely one of the most self-centred characters I have ever met, but I felt that he meant well. He did want to help people, if only for his own ends.
The coming together of the three mental patients, all of whom believe themselves to be Jesus Christ, could have been very sacrilegious, but despite Thomas’ very materialist views of the world, the mind and the soul, it remains human and even funny. There was a point, when Thomas’ domineering father became involved, when I almost quit reading—I found it painful to see him being overwhelmed yet again by the great man. I’m glad I pushed on and finished the novel, however, as it left me with a glow of good feelings.
Read for my 2018 PopSugar Challenge, a book about mental health.
October 10, 2017
After having his heart broken by his girlfriend, Thomas – a highly ambitious and egotistical student of science and psychology – decides he will win her back by curing her mentally ill brother of the belief he is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. In doing so, Thomas will gather two additional men who also believe they’re the Son of God and house all three in his apartment. He hopes that by forcing them to confront reality, they will drop their illusions and all three will be cured.
What’s that old saying? The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry?
I received an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
I first encountered Will Ferguson earlier this year when I read Bastards and Boneheads – his comprehensive look at organizing Canada’s greatest leaders into one of the two aforementioned categories. Since Ferguson has also achieved considerable success as a fiction writer, I jumped at the chance to read his new novel The Shoe on the Roof when offered an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster.
The Shoe on the Roof takes a hard look at the “industry” of mental illness, shining a light on the willingness of doctors to throw pills at patients who are often misdiagnosed. I’m no expect in the field by any means, but the amount of work put in by Ferguson seemed staggering when it came to both medication as well as the histories of various disorders. Having both Thomas and his father often discuss their life’s work leads into fascinating conversations that educate as much as entertain.
Ferguson also draws on his strength as a humor writer, injecting a lot of comedy into the story, which never felt out of place. Moments where I laughed out loud were nestled between heavy scenes that helped the story to flow smoothly rather than bog it down. The novel seems tailor-made for a film adaptation, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it optioned down the road.
Ferguson is a hell of a talented writer who seems to move effortlessly between both fiction and non-fiction. I look forward to catching up on his work over the coming months. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had another Giller Prize contender on his hands with this one.
The Shoe on the Roof is scheduled for release on October 17th, 2017.
What’s that old saying? The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry?
I received an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
I first encountered Will Ferguson earlier this year when I read Bastards and Boneheads – his comprehensive look at organizing Canada’s greatest leaders into one of the two aforementioned categories. Since Ferguson has also achieved considerable success as a fiction writer, I jumped at the chance to read his new novel The Shoe on the Roof when offered an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster.
The Shoe on the Roof takes a hard look at the “industry” of mental illness, shining a light on the willingness of doctors to throw pills at patients who are often misdiagnosed. I’m no expect in the field by any means, but the amount of work put in by Ferguson seemed staggering when it came to both medication as well as the histories of various disorders. Having both Thomas and his father often discuss their life’s work leads into fascinating conversations that educate as much as entertain.
Ferguson also draws on his strength as a humor writer, injecting a lot of comedy into the story, which never felt out of place. Moments where I laughed out loud were nestled between heavy scenes that helped the story to flow smoothly rather than bog it down. The novel seems tailor-made for a film adaptation, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it optioned down the road.
Ferguson is a hell of a talented writer who seems to move effortlessly between both fiction and non-fiction. I look forward to catching up on his work over the coming months. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had another Giller Prize contender on his hands with this one.
The Shoe on the Roof is scheduled for release on October 17th, 2017.
February 18, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Giller prize-winning author of 419 returns with a different and unique story that tackles sanity and madness through the eyes of a man who breaks everything down with science. This work of fiction is the story of Thomas Rosanoff’s, one of the most arrogant and self-centered character I’ve endured in my life. His recent breakup pushes him to conduct an unorthodox research in search for answers that he believes will be a major breakthrough in the field of science. What exactly are we talking about? Thomas examines the idea of two objects not being able to hold the same space at the same time, but transposed on identities. To do so, he brings together three completely different men of different ages and with different backgrounds who all claim to be messiahs. By trying to conduct an experiment where they’d all come together and confront their delusions of grandeur, Thomas believes he’ll be able to find the cure to these false identities. The purpose behind this quest however has multiple angles, and one of them being able to get his girlfriend back, but this experiment does not end like he thought it would.
The main protagonist has a peculiar background and it often plays a big role in the story itself. While he’s a med student who thinks highly of himself, he’s also the son of a famous psychiatrist who’s legacy continually haunts Thomas as he tries to create his own. As a kid, Thomas spent his entire life known as the “Boy in the Box”, essentially a guinea pig to his father’s experiment, which brought him fame. With Thomas as the main character, you’re however forced to indulge his personality that can be very hard to swallow and enjoy. While he can sometimes pull off jokes with his sly humour, he still rubs off as a completely rude character who has a relatively close-minded perception of life. Everything he sees is drowned in this scientific explanation and completely obliterates any opinion that dares to defy reason. Only logic prevails and Thomas won’t let you go until he’s convinced you of this. Very often you’ll have a lot neuroscience explanations (from mirror neurons to cognitive shenanigans) that’ll pop up left and right as you read this story.
I have to give a round of applause to Will Ferguson for creating such a provocative character and for having done such an important research to be able to stay coherent without ever feeling like the science was just thrown into the mix for the sake of it. It is however hard to enjoy. Sometimes I just felt like playing the devil’s advocate and prove him wrong so he wouldn’t keep on moving forward without anything stopping him in his tracks. But with someone like that, love, art and religion are continuously challenged and offers reader an opportunity to think about the very essence that makes these things so unique and different. Along with Thomas also comes the three messiahs and Will Ferguson does a great job in creating this unique characters and in establishing an intriguing and jolted dynamic between all four of them. As the story progresses, things become quite complex and it’s nice to see that all the development wasn’t in vain.
The Shoe on the Roof also has a mystery element to it towards the end. If anything, it felt out of place, but then again, this book covers so many fields, it’s not surprising that it even had such a component integrated. This book isn’t exactly something I sought for in my every day reading habits, but it is one that can be totally worth checking out just for its ability to provoke. I won’t hesitate to say that I wasn’t a fan of the protagonist or the way he sees women; or even life in general. It had this tinge of a stereotypical med student who thinks high and mighty about himself and has everything going for him because of their background, but the author still does a great job in developing his character. Sometimes great characters can be created without readers ever being able to connect with them too. I did have an issue related to how Thomas conducts his research and how it sometimes blew my mind how unethical and unrealistic it seemed. In fact, just the way the story went head first into that direction seemed so wrong considering that a breakup is what caused it all and his desire to get back with his girlfriend that made him conduct this experiment in the first place; you’ll have to read the book to know how these experiments are even connected to his girlfriend. The Shoe on the Roof is still an interesting story that tackles some important subjects related to mental illness through a religion versus science clash.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an Advance Copy for review!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com
Giller prize-winning author of 419 returns with a different and unique story that tackles sanity and madness through the eyes of a man who breaks everything down with science. This work of fiction is the story of Thomas Rosanoff’s, one of the most arrogant and self-centered character I’ve endured in my life. His recent breakup pushes him to conduct an unorthodox research in search for answers that he believes will be a major breakthrough in the field of science. What exactly are we talking about? Thomas examines the idea of two objects not being able to hold the same space at the same time, but transposed on identities. To do so, he brings together three completely different men of different ages and with different backgrounds who all claim to be messiahs. By trying to conduct an experiment where they’d all come together and confront their delusions of grandeur, Thomas believes he’ll be able to find the cure to these false identities. The purpose behind this quest however has multiple angles, and one of them being able to get his girlfriend back, but this experiment does not end like he thought it would.
The main protagonist has a peculiar background and it often plays a big role in the story itself. While he’s a med student who thinks highly of himself, he’s also the son of a famous psychiatrist who’s legacy continually haunts Thomas as he tries to create his own. As a kid, Thomas spent his entire life known as the “Boy in the Box”, essentially a guinea pig to his father’s experiment, which brought him fame. With Thomas as the main character, you’re however forced to indulge his personality that can be very hard to swallow and enjoy. While he can sometimes pull off jokes with his sly humour, he still rubs off as a completely rude character who has a relatively close-minded perception of life. Everything he sees is drowned in this scientific explanation and completely obliterates any opinion that dares to defy reason. Only logic prevails and Thomas won’t let you go until he’s convinced you of this. Very often you’ll have a lot neuroscience explanations (from mirror neurons to cognitive shenanigans) that’ll pop up left and right as you read this story.
I have to give a round of applause to Will Ferguson for creating such a provocative character and for having done such an important research to be able to stay coherent without ever feeling like the science was just thrown into the mix for the sake of it. It is however hard to enjoy. Sometimes I just felt like playing the devil’s advocate and prove him wrong so he wouldn’t keep on moving forward without anything stopping him in his tracks. But with someone like that, love, art and religion are continuously challenged and offers reader an opportunity to think about the very essence that makes these things so unique and different. Along with Thomas also comes the three messiahs and Will Ferguson does a great job in creating this unique characters and in establishing an intriguing and jolted dynamic between all four of them. As the story progresses, things become quite complex and it’s nice to see that all the development wasn’t in vain.
The Shoe on the Roof also has a mystery element to it towards the end. If anything, it felt out of place, but then again, this book covers so many fields, it’s not surprising that it even had such a component integrated. This book isn’t exactly something I sought for in my every day reading habits, but it is one that can be totally worth checking out just for its ability to provoke. I won’t hesitate to say that I wasn’t a fan of the protagonist or the way he sees women; or even life in general. It had this tinge of a stereotypical med student who thinks high and mighty about himself and has everything going for him because of their background, but the author still does a great job in developing his character. Sometimes great characters can be created without readers ever being able to connect with them too. I did have an issue related to how Thomas conducts his research and how it sometimes blew my mind how unethical and unrealistic it seemed. In fact, just the way the story went head first into that direction seemed so wrong considering that a breakup is what caused it all and his desire to get back with his girlfriend that made him conduct this experiment in the first place; you’ll have to read the book to know how these experiments are even connected to his girlfriend. The Shoe on the Roof is still an interesting story that tackles some important subjects related to mental illness through a religion versus science clash.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an Advance Copy for review!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com
Read
October 11, 2017 DNF I read a little more last night, but it really was shaping up to be too much of a "guy" book for me to continue. I am truly not in the mood for this kind of book, especially right now. There is just something about it that has this stink of condescension towards women, the character, Thomas, has this attitude that I just can't get behind- I may be hyper-alert towards this kind of attitude right now, but really, there is just something about it that has me wrinkling my nose at it over picking it up and continuing to read.
Perhaps I'll get back to it? But I don't think it will be anytime in the next few weeks. I appreciate receiving this from Simon & Schuster Canada, and I thought I would give it a try - knowing it would be a different sort of book I normally reach for, but truly it is just not the right read for me at this time.
Perhaps I'll get back to it? But I don't think it will be anytime in the next few weeks. I appreciate receiving this from Simon & Schuster Canada, and I thought I would give it a try - knowing it would be a different sort of book I normally reach for, but truly it is just not the right read for me at this time.
November 17, 2017
Thomas, there will always be an unanswerable question at the core of everything; there will always be a shoe on the roof. This world of ours is murky and filled with wonders, and there are fibers of mystery clinging to everything. Better to live with this ambiguity than try to deny it, I say.
The Shoe on the Roof opens with an apparently true story: A woman who died during surgery, and who was eventually revived, described to her doctors an experience of having left her body; floating above the operating table and entering a glorious tunnel of light. When her doctors explained the scientific processes behind her experience, she accepted their explanation and mused about how real the experience had seemed to her: right down to the dirty tennis shoe on the hospital roof that she had noted in passing towards the heavens. When the doctors sent a janitor onto the roof, he found the shoe exactly where the patient had reported seeing it. As a metaphor, this story seems perfectly suited to the heart of this book's narrative – an exploration of science versus faith and those things that can't be rationally explained – but ultimately, I don't think that author Will Ferguson really embraced his own metaphor, and I ended less than satisfied.
After the shoe on the roof story we meet the main character: Thomas Rosanoff – a womanising, self-absorbed, Harvard neuro-med student – and the woman who will break his heart: Amy, a free-spirited artist of deep Catholic faith. In an effort to win Amy back, (doubting) Thomas discovers that her brother has been institutionalised for believing himself to be Jesus Christ (a delusion that gripped Sebastian while he was training for the priesthood), and thinking that he could cure Amy's beloved brother, Thomas impersonates his own father (a world-famous psychiatrist who edits The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and brings Sebastian to his own apartment, along with two homeless men who also believe themselves to be the Messiah; surely their rational minds will take over when they realise they can't all be right. Thomas' research has long focussed on disproving the existence of God – in particular, by locating the areas of the brain that reinforce faith and reward belief – so his character can be interpreted to represent the surgeons in the shoe on the roof story: the rational voice of scientific reason. Amy is devout (but mostly absent from the book), Thomas' godmother is a nun who gives medical aid to the homeless, this Sister Frances had met Thomas' mother in a convent before the woman left to marry Thomas' father (but since she died when Thomas was three, she had no religious influence on her son), and the three Jesuses quote prayer and scripture, but if these characters are the representatives of the awe-filled experience of God in the shoe on the roof story, it's pretty weak stuff. As Thomas works with the three men, his father gets involved and the story begins to explore the over-medication of mental illness, the questionable morality of closing asylums and relegating patients to the streets, and the basic mystery of the human mind: if there is nothing structurally wrong with the brain itself, and if this pill or this device or this therapy can't break a delusion, where does the illness lie? So far as I can figure, the mystery of mental illness is the “shoe on the roof” that defies rational explanation, but that's what wasn't satisfying to me: this could have been so much more.
As for the writing: Ferguson is considered a humourist, and there were many amusing exchanges and observations. There is much more to the plot than what I have reduced it to above, and extensive research was evident; there is even a mystery stalking the homeless in Tent City. And while I did appreciate many of Ferguson's turns-of-phrase, I often found his metaphors jarring:
New England in autumn. Blue skies. Air as crisp as celery stalks snapped in two. A dry wind, stirring the trees. Leaves spiralling down: deep reds and unrhymable orange, twirling on eddies, layering the streets.
I like “air as crisp as celery stalks snapped in two”, but roll my eyes at “unrhymable orange”. I definitely didn't like the following:
An overstuffed laundry hamper in one corner was spilling clothes like the world's worst piñata.
Yet, I did like the following:
Memory is the hotel curtain that never completely closes. Memory always lets in just enough light to fill the room and ruin your sleep.
So, if I wasn't blown away by the big picture or the individual lines, this feels like a miss for me; a totally average read.
October 12, 2017
The premise of THE SHOE ON THE ROOF piqued my interest but unfortunately, the execution didn't really work for me. While I've read other novels that feature a highly-intelligent and socially inept character, they also had endearing qualities. That wasn't the case here. I had a very hard time with Thomas. I didn't find his "humour" to be funny. In contrast, he was a borderline misogynistic character who had fair-weather ethics and was only concerned with himself. While the writing itself was solid and at times, beautiful, Thomas wasn't a character I could connect with and therefore, this wasn't the book for me.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an advanced copy.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an advanced copy.
November 9, 2017
The best book I've read in November (2017). I nudged Missus and told her, "This is a good book."
October 17, 2017
The Shoe on the Roof focuses heavily on psychological disorders and the brain itself. The main character, Thomas, is a grad student trying to obtain his PhD, but is unable to chose a thesis. His entire childhood was an experiment run by his father who is now a pioneer in the field. Unable to extricate himself from his father's shadow, Thomas decides to cure his ex-girlfriend's brother's delusions that's he's Jesus Christ in order to win her back. Thus, begins an intriguing and funny story about science, religion, and how the two can occupy the same space.
"God only matters when he is silent. Why is that?"
If you're interested in psychology and the brain, then this is the book for you. It dives deep into experiments and often references the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The experiments and terminology are explained in accessible terms, so you don't have to be an expert to enjoy the psychological and science heavy portions of the novel.
Ferguson's writing is amusing and funny. He has a way of incorporating comedy in otherwise dry passages that focus on the brain or psychological definitions. This makes reading those passages fun if you aren't interested in the science between the brain and psychological disorders.
Two substantial themes throughout the novel are: using science to cure religious faith and the treatment of the mentally ill and homeless.
First, Thomas and his Father are men of science above all. They approach mental illness in terms of the brain and its structures, in other words they view it in quantifiable data. So, when Thomas is confronted with unexplained occurrences throughout the novel he’s forced to reconsider his long held beliefs, which affects the way he views science and faith.
Secondly, the treatment of the mentally ill and homeless is at the forefront of the novel. A hotly debated topic within the field is the use labels and Ferguson does a fantastic job of laying out both sides of the debate. Thomas’ father is used as the negative consequences of relying on labels through his arrogance. Watching Thomas struggle with his beliefs and the overbearing beliefs of his father in relation to the treatment of people in his experiment was fascinating and easily one of the best aspects of the novel.
The only portion of this novel I disliked, and the reason I rated it four stars instead of five, was the mystery component. If it were removed all together, the story would not be altered significantly making it feel out of place and irrelevant.
Overall, The Shoe on the Roof is a fantastic novel that dives deep into the world of psychiatry in relation to religious faith. Can faith be localized to a single area of the brain? Can faith be altered or removed by cognitive and behavioral change? Can faith and science occupy the same space? There are some of the thought provoking questions asked throughout the novel that will not leave you anytime soon.
** I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
"God only matters when he is silent. Why is that?"
If you're interested in psychology and the brain, then this is the book for you. It dives deep into experiments and often references the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The experiments and terminology are explained in accessible terms, so you don't have to be an expert to enjoy the psychological and science heavy portions of the novel.
Ferguson's writing is amusing and funny. He has a way of incorporating comedy in otherwise dry passages that focus on the brain or psychological definitions. This makes reading those passages fun if you aren't interested in the science between the brain and psychological disorders.
Two substantial themes throughout the novel are: using science to cure religious faith and the treatment of the mentally ill and homeless.
First, Thomas and his Father are men of science above all. They approach mental illness in terms of the brain and its structures, in other words they view it in quantifiable data. So, when Thomas is confronted with unexplained occurrences throughout the novel he’s forced to reconsider his long held beliefs, which affects the way he views science and faith.
Secondly, the treatment of the mentally ill and homeless is at the forefront of the novel. A hotly debated topic within the field is the use labels and Ferguson does a fantastic job of laying out both sides of the debate. Thomas’ father is used as the negative consequences of relying on labels through his arrogance. Watching Thomas struggle with his beliefs and the overbearing beliefs of his father in relation to the treatment of people in his experiment was fascinating and easily one of the best aspects of the novel.
The only portion of this novel I disliked, and the reason I rated it four stars instead of five, was the mystery component. If it were removed all together, the story would not be altered significantly making it feel out of place and irrelevant.
Overall, The Shoe on the Roof is a fantastic novel that dives deep into the world of psychiatry in relation to religious faith. Can faith be localized to a single area of the brain? Can faith be altered or removed by cognitive and behavioral change? Can faith and science occupy the same space? There are some of the thought provoking questions asked throughout the novel that will not leave you anytime soon.
** I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2017
NetGalley provided a copy of the ePub in exchange for an honest review.
Will Ferguson’s novel The Shoe on the Roof is a truly original look at the relationship between son and father. Thomas Rosanoff’s father is a psychiatrist who used his son as his own lab rat. The novel exposes the unhealthy effects of his father’s experimental ways. Thomas escapes his father’s control and becomes a medical student and he is conducting his own experiment on three homeless men. Unfortunately for Thomas, his father intervenes in his experiment. As Thomas’ life spirals, his pain feels raw and real. The fine line between sanity and madness is explored. The primary characters are well-developed with strong and distinct personalities. The secondary characters add insight into Thomas’s world as well. Ferguson uses humour brilliantly at the appropriate time in this page-turner.
Will Ferguson’s novel The Shoe on the Roof is a truly original look at the relationship between son and father. Thomas Rosanoff’s father is a psychiatrist who used his son as his own lab rat. The novel exposes the unhealthy effects of his father’s experimental ways. Thomas escapes his father’s control and becomes a medical student and he is conducting his own experiment on three homeless men. Unfortunately for Thomas, his father intervenes in his experiment. As Thomas’ life spirals, his pain feels raw and real. The fine line between sanity and madness is explored. The primary characters are well-developed with strong and distinct personalities. The secondary characters add insight into Thomas’s world as well. Ferguson uses humour brilliantly at the appropriate time in this page-turner.
September 23, 2017
The Shoe On The Roof by Will Ferguson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🙌🏻 I was just unbelievably lucky to have @simonschusterca send me an ARC of this book ahead of its publication date in October. Besides being super excited because this is #canlit & the author is from my home province (whooo hooo Alberta!!!), I was also super intrigued by the premise of the story.
After his girlfriend ends their relationship, Thomas, a gifted led student, finds his life on a downward spiral. Thomas spent his childhood as a long-term test subject of his father, an esteemed psychiatrist, and has since dedicated his own studies to the brain.
Taking on a research project of his own, he brings together 3 homeless men all claiming to be messiahs, who Thomas hopes to cure - and in doing so, perhaps winning back his ex.
I would be lying if I said this book didn't surprise the hell out of me right from the beginning. The premise of using science to cure religious faith as the foundation of a fictional story, while making the characters relatable, likeable and hilarious is no small feat, but one that Will Ferguson does seemingly with ease.
This book made me laugh out loud, and had me thinking. It is riveting, and I could not put it down - devoured in one sitting.
On sale October 17th - make sure you get yourself a copy of this and jump it to the top of your #tbrpile - the PERFECT autumn read.
#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #currentlyreading #books #canadianliterature #alberta #author #willferguson #theshoeontheroof #novel #igreads #igbooks #reader #readersofinstagram #mustread #bookreview #bookreviewer #thoughtprovoking #bookworm #bookaddict #bibliophile #bookish #readeveryday #readinglist
After his girlfriend ends their relationship, Thomas, a gifted led student, finds his life on a downward spiral. Thomas spent his childhood as a long-term test subject of his father, an esteemed psychiatrist, and has since dedicated his own studies to the brain.
Taking on a research project of his own, he brings together 3 homeless men all claiming to be messiahs, who Thomas hopes to cure - and in doing so, perhaps winning back his ex.
I would be lying if I said this book didn't surprise the hell out of me right from the beginning. The premise of using science to cure religious faith as the foundation of a fictional story, while making the characters relatable, likeable and hilarious is no small feat, but one that Will Ferguson does seemingly with ease.
This book made me laugh out loud, and had me thinking. It is riveting, and I could not put it down - devoured in one sitting.
On sale October 17th - make sure you get yourself a copy of this and jump it to the top of your #tbrpile - the PERFECT autumn read.
#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #currentlyreading #books #canadianliterature #alberta #author #willferguson #theshoeontheroof #novel #igreads #igbooks #reader #readersofinstagram #mustread #bookreview #bookreviewer #thoughtprovoking #bookworm #bookaddict #bibliophile #bookish #readeveryday #readinglist
November 20, 2017
Note: I received an eARC for this title via the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my review. (Although the book is now out in print, as well.)
DNF - I was very keen to read Will Ferguson's novel and was drawn into the story initially, but by half way I had completely lost interest. Unfortunately I didn't feel the story was well-written. The disjointedness of the writing and the ridiculous situation the main character put himself into, made The Shoe on the Roof too hard to lose myself in the pages, as I long to do with a great fiction novel. Disappointing.
DNF - I was very keen to read Will Ferguson's novel and was drawn into the story initially, but by half way I had completely lost interest. Unfortunately I didn't feel the story was well-written. The disjointedness of the writing and the ridiculous situation the main character put himself into, made The Shoe on the Roof too hard to lose myself in the pages, as I long to do with a great fiction novel. Disappointing.
September 29, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC to preview and review. I truly enjoyed this book. It is about science, religion, medicine and relationships. It's also a murder mystery. Some of the prose is almost lyrical. Recommended.
October 30, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.
Thomas Rosanoff is the son of a renowned psychiatrist and is the subject of one of his most famous books "Boy in the box" He is a medical student who has his heart broken by his girlfriend Amy.
Thomas has to carry out a research project as part of his studies and decides to combine this with a way to get Amy back. Her brother is a Catholic priest who thinks he is the Son of God. Thomas meets another two men who also think they are the Son of God. Eli, a down and out man and the Magician.
Thomas manages to get the three man back to his home with the aid of impersonating his father in the hopes of curing them. He tries to conduct therapy sessions with some very funny moments.However things don't work out the way he plans and things take a turn for the worse when Doctor Rosanoff steps in and takes over the experiment relocating them back to Thomas' childhood home.
There is a lot of humour in this book but there is also a huge amount of sadness at the way society as a whole treats the homeless and the mentally ill. There was a side story of the murders of some of the homeless in this book which I felt was unnecessary. I felt this added to the depiction of the homeless and mentally ill as unworthy and quite disposable. Very uncomfortable reading.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and there are some great characters. The one thing I wished for is finding what happened to the magician.
Thomas Rosanoff is the son of a renowned psychiatrist and is the subject of one of his most famous books "Boy in the box" He is a medical student who has his heart broken by his girlfriend Amy.
Thomas has to carry out a research project as part of his studies and decides to combine this with a way to get Amy back. Her brother is a Catholic priest who thinks he is the Son of God. Thomas meets another two men who also think they are the Son of God. Eli, a down and out man and the Magician.
Thomas manages to get the three man back to his home with the aid of impersonating his father in the hopes of curing them. He tries to conduct therapy sessions with some very funny moments.However things don't work out the way he plans and things take a turn for the worse when Doctor Rosanoff steps in and takes over the experiment relocating them back to Thomas' childhood home.
There is a lot of humour in this book but there is also a huge amount of sadness at the way society as a whole treats the homeless and the mentally ill. There was a side story of the murders of some of the homeless in this book which I felt was unnecessary. I felt this added to the depiction of the homeless and mentally ill as unworthy and quite disposable. Very uncomfortable reading.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and there are some great characters. The one thing I wished for is finding what happened to the magician.
November 11, 2017
The Shoe on the Roof is such a tightly packed novel. This is the first time I read a book and thought – Oh this is going to be a lovely and light love story then think, um nope this is going to be about a friendship – foiled again, this is about a father and son relationship… wait a minute, it’s about the pharma industry only to arrive at the end and wonder what just happened.
See, I didn’t even read the blurb before reading a book. I just started reading and wasn’t sure what I was getting into. Have you ever done that ?
Let’s unpack this novel a smidge.
I found our main character absolutely fascinating – especially his childhood. Can you imagine being your father’s guinea pig and have your entire childhood on record for the world to read. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with that ?
What could possibly go wrong with bringing in a few unstable, delusionary homeless men into your home so you can study them in hopes of finding a cure to their madness? And what could possibly go wrong in signing out your ex-girlfriend’s brother from a mental institution to win her back ?
I really liked the relationship between Sebastian and his research partner. Their conversations made me smile. The humour that’s infused into The Shoe on the Roof is spot on.
What got to me the most while reading The Shoe on the Roof was the fine line Sebastian’s father walked as regards to research and medical practice. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn how some of the unethical things described in the book are common practice in the industry. While some people may find the brain banter a little too much, I was absorbed by it.
Reading this book reminded me of an in interview or article I read – it could have even be a Netflix doc. (I can’t for the life of me remember the source). Anyway, in the piece, a patient in a mental institution explained how he pretended he was insane in order to be hospitalised instead of completing his sentence in prison. The interesting thing about this was how difficult it became afterwards to prove that he was in fact sane.
The Shoe on the Roof by Will Ferguson was funny and thought provoking; the story really surprised me. It’s certainly not comparable to anything I’ve read recently. The Shoe on the Roof is unquestionably this year’s stand out novel.
See, I didn’t even read the blurb before reading a book. I just started reading and wasn’t sure what I was getting into. Have you ever done that ?
Let’s unpack this novel a smidge.
I found our main character absolutely fascinating – especially his childhood. Can you imagine being your father’s guinea pig and have your entire childhood on record for the world to read. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with that ?
What could possibly go wrong with bringing in a few unstable, delusionary homeless men into your home so you can study them in hopes of finding a cure to their madness? And what could possibly go wrong in signing out your ex-girlfriend’s brother from a mental institution to win her back ?
I really liked the relationship between Sebastian and his research partner. Their conversations made me smile. The humour that’s infused into The Shoe on the Roof is spot on.
What got to me the most while reading The Shoe on the Roof was the fine line Sebastian’s father walked as regards to research and medical practice. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn how some of the unethical things described in the book are common practice in the industry. While some people may find the brain banter a little too much, I was absorbed by it.
Reading this book reminded me of an in interview or article I read – it could have even be a Netflix doc. (I can’t for the life of me remember the source). Anyway, in the piece, a patient in a mental institution explained how he pretended he was insane in order to be hospitalised instead of completing his sentence in prison. The interesting thing about this was how difficult it became afterwards to prove that he was in fact sane.
The Shoe on the Roof by Will Ferguson was funny and thought provoking; the story really surprised me. It’s certainly not comparable to anything I’ve read recently. The Shoe on the Roof is unquestionably this year’s stand out novel.
October 29, 2017
I really wanted to like this book, and there were times when I did enjoy the story. But overall, this one just didn't do it for me. The premise was definitely intriguing and I really liked the way the author introduced Thomas as this cocky, confident, and slightly eccentric student. It was fun to read about his escapades and his conquests. Did I think the plan to get his girlfriend back was crazy? Absolutely! But I was willing to go through with reading about it. I liked the 3 homeless men and the way they made Thomas reevaluate his notions about the world. In fact, they made ME reevaluate my own beliefs. When Thomas's father stepped into the picture, the story went towards the dark side. I didn't actually mind this transition as it created this really awesome downward spiral. All of the above aspects I mentioned are positive. However, there were quite a few things I didn't like. There were quite a few parts in the story that dragged the pace and I found it really hard to push myself past these points; I wanted to get to the good stuff and these parts just seemed like fillers. There was a random murder aspect thrown into the story that really didn't add anything; instead of heightening my reading experience, it served to dampen it. I also thought that Thomas's childhood could have had more focus than it did in the novel; I would be really eager for a glimpse into it and then I would only get a tidbit and feel disappointed. While the plot and character development was intriguing, the pacing was slow, there were too many fillers, and some plot aspects really should have been omitted. For those reasons, I'm giving this a 2/5 stars.
I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit: www.veereading.wordpress.com
I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit: www.veereading.wordpress.com
January 3, 2018
My dread grew as I sped through the pages of this novel. Mental health and all it's variations are explored here. The things we humans do to each other and the things we have done - and continue to do in the name of science - are cruel. Many things quickly become apparent - the corruption of unchecked power, the difficulty of understand the brain and it's workings, our inability to control our thoughts and feelings about the unknowns in the world and how compassion can do so much to change attitudes.
I recently read a quote (I wish I could remember where) that read something like this - "we don't have to agree with a person's beliefs and choices, but that doesn't mean we can't have compassion for those beliefs and choices." This is so relevant in this novel. I believe very least of all we must show compassion to our fellow humans. Doesn't the very act of compassion make us human?
You can find this novel in the fiction section of our bookstore. The author clearly states this is a work of fiction. After reading it I might be tempted to add it to true crime or horror, for so much of our real world is in these pages. The parts of our world that I so very much wish didn't exist.
This would make such a good Book Club book and if anyone chooses to make this one of their book club choices I would be glad to attend the meeting.
I was fortunate to meet this wonderful author and have him sign my copy of the book. He is funny, articulate, engaging and quite simply a nice guy.
October 22, 2017
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of The Shoe on the Roof by Will Ferguson in exchange for an honest review. Thomas Rosanoff, a medical student, has recently been dumped by his girlfriend. He has had an unusual childhood: his father, a psychiatrist, used his son as a test subject for all of his young years. He was observed by researchers via two-way glass and famously became known as "The Boy in the Box". As a means to attract his ex-girlfriend back into his life, Thomas becomes a researcher of three homeless men who believe individually that they are the messiah. One of the research subjects happens to be the brother of the ex-girlfriend. Upon finding out what his son is involved in, Rosanoff Sr. takes control of the experiment, causing more problems for his son. What happens to Thomas makes up the rest of the novel. I held back one star in my rating because the book too often reads like a psychiatry textbook. Also, the book is marketed as being funny but I found most of it to be sad and disturbing. I am happy to have had the opportunity to read this book but would not re-read it. A good book for students of psychiatry.
October 21, 2017
I received this book as part of the First Reads giveaway program.
I find Will Ferguson to be a writer comparable to the delusional (or are they?) trio of Messiahs in his latest novel, "The Shoe on the Roof". The reason I say this is that I find his work in non-fiction as a travel/culture memoir author to be completely different from his literate and intelligent work in fiction. It's almost like he's two different people.
As a follow-up to his Giller prize winning, "419", I was pretty excited to get to read this one early and while it is just as well-written and intriguing as his past novel, I found this one to be hit-or-miss for me personally.
The basic story involves med student Thomas who has to deal with a messy break-up, a domineering psychiatrist father who used him as the subject of a childhood experiment that garnered him much fame, a generally rudderless life, and the idea that he can take three men who believe they are Jesus and toss them together to prove a theory that when confronted with those who are alike it will "cure" their delusions of grandeur. There's much crisis along the way, a barely there subplot about homeless people being murdered, and a finish that didn't satisfy me as much as I was hoping for.
Ferguson does a good job defining his characters, puts in solid moments of humour and pathos, and asks interesting questions about religion but I just found the structure to be a little bit too loose at times. There's a lot to digest here and what works really works, the few things that don't also tend to drag things down slightly. However, I have to give him kudos for tackling a diverse subject much like he did with his previous novel. If he continues to do this, I will certainly continue to read.
I find Will Ferguson to be a writer comparable to the delusional (or are they?) trio of Messiahs in his latest novel, "The Shoe on the Roof". The reason I say this is that I find his work in non-fiction as a travel/culture memoir author to be completely different from his literate and intelligent work in fiction. It's almost like he's two different people.
As a follow-up to his Giller prize winning, "419", I was pretty excited to get to read this one early and while it is just as well-written and intriguing as his past novel, I found this one to be hit-or-miss for me personally.
The basic story involves med student Thomas who has to deal with a messy break-up, a domineering psychiatrist father who used him as the subject of a childhood experiment that garnered him much fame, a generally rudderless life, and the idea that he can take three men who believe they are Jesus and toss them together to prove a theory that when confronted with those who are alike it will "cure" their delusions of grandeur. There's much crisis along the way, a barely there subplot about homeless people being murdered, and a finish that didn't satisfy me as much as I was hoping for.
Ferguson does a good job defining his characters, puts in solid moments of humour and pathos, and asks interesting questions about religion but I just found the structure to be a little bit too loose at times. There's a lot to digest here and what works really works, the few things that don't also tend to drag things down slightly. However, I have to give him kudos for tackling a diverse subject much like he did with his previous novel. If he continues to do this, I will certainly continue to read.
February 12, 2019
An unusual story - Ferguson weaves faith and science while shining a light on the experiments done to people who have mental health issues. In the 1970's , my university summer job was at a "mental" hospital , as a Psychiatric Attendant. I remember the experience - sadness , peppered with joyful moments with the patients. I was in awe that the brain could cause such a diversity of responses in life. I felt that Ferguson could have gone deeper with the impact of mental health issues on family members. I have to say his other novels, particularly 419, led to a far more gripping read.
May 12, 2018
I've loved previous books by Will Ferguson, but this one missed the mark by a long shot. It was confusing, there were subplots that didn't really seem to fit in, their approach to science didn't really make sense (you can't just start up an experiment whenever you want- there's a thing called ethics approval), and there really wasn't anything that made me want to finish...
March 23, 2018
This story packs a punch. Ferguson’s writing style has a subtle humour that I enjoyed. It helped in dealing with the hard facts of mental illness in our society. And then there was the spirituality. I found myself rooting for the three Jesuses. At times I felt bogged down with all the scientific/medical jargon in the story. In the end it was a very satisfactory read.
August 23, 2018
This certainly generated some very interesting and divergent discussion at Book Club tonight.
I very much liked this book. An interesting premise and lots of thoughtful ideas regarding science vs religion. It lost me at the very end which was unfortunate and hence the 4/5.
I very much liked this book. An interesting premise and lots of thoughtful ideas regarding science vs religion. It lost me at the very end which was unfortunate and hence the 4/5.
October 21, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, its interesting premise, well-developed characters, and laugh out loud ending. The lead character seemed increasingly vulnerable, especially because of his overbearing, powerful, famous father. How interesting that Ferguson wanted to set the book in Montreal, and felt he could not do that. I felt that he treated the church with a great balance of respect, reflection, and gentle humor. I like this author’s writing in any case, and have read several of his books. Would definitely encourage my friends to check this one out.
August 10, 2021
It was awesome, fun and “thrillerish”.
June 22, 2018
An interesting book on many different levels - what is madness and what is reality?
July 4, 2022
First off, there are many things in this book that were like nails on a chalkboard for me as someone who knows a thing or two about the science of psychology/neurology. You can definitely tell it was written by someone who did not study those topics, although it tries to say facts about them as if they are truth. But, I could get past that.
My main quarrel was that I felt like this book had something promising going in the middle. I had at least three possible theories on how it could end that would have been cool. But, in the end I was left feeling like they kind of dropped the ball. The explanation of the twist wasn’t as shocking as I had hopped, and left some parts of the story unaccounted for. It wasn’t awful, and it had a very unique story concept, but definitely wasn’t a favourite.
Favourite character: Eli
My main quarrel was that I felt like this book had something promising going in the middle. I had at least three possible theories on how it could end that would have been cool. But, in the end I was left feeling like they kind of dropped the ball. The explanation of the twist wasn’t as shocking as I had hopped, and left some parts of the story unaccounted for. It wasn’t awful, and it had a very unique story concept, but definitely wasn’t a favourite.
Favourite character: Eli
October 4, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is really a book that explores tensions between important things in life, specifically sanity and madness and science and faith.
The main character, Thomas Rosanoff, is in many ways a product of science. He was raised by a famous psychiatrist who used him as a test subject in writing the manual on childhood development. Thomas became famous as the 'Boy in the Box' and, since he was also studying psychiatry, often dropped his last name in an attempt to distance himself from his famous father.
Faith came into the picture through two sources: his godmother, Sr. Frances, a close friend of Thomas' deceased mother and a doctor assisting the homeless in a rough area in Boston and his girlfriend Amy who comes from a faith filled family who has a brother who is studying to become a priest.
When Amy dumps him, Thomas becomes is desperate to win her back. At the same time, his studies are going poorly and he also needs to find a topic for research that will satisfy his professor and Amy's brother seems to provide a key to combine both needs in his life--although things are not necessarily as they seem to be.
Overall , this is a well written and well researched book. The author includes genuine examples of research into the brain and works these into the story effortlessly.
If I had one criticism of this book it would be that this same care and attention to detail was not shown to the faith/ ritual aspect of the story. There are two parts of faith recited in both a church scene and a baptism scene. The only problem is that these two statements (We believe in the Seven Sacraments and We believe in Christ Everlasting) are not part of the creed or the baptismal rite. It is minor perhaps but for me, it takes away from the overall care shown in the rest of the writing.
Even so, I enjoyed this book. The story certainly kept my attention and the ending was satisfying. Definitely a good read!
This is really a book that explores tensions between important things in life, specifically sanity and madness and science and faith.
The main character, Thomas Rosanoff, is in many ways a product of science. He was raised by a famous psychiatrist who used him as a test subject in writing the manual on childhood development. Thomas became famous as the 'Boy in the Box' and, since he was also studying psychiatry, often dropped his last name in an attempt to distance himself from his famous father.
Faith came into the picture through two sources: his godmother, Sr. Frances, a close friend of Thomas' deceased mother and a doctor assisting the homeless in a rough area in Boston and his girlfriend Amy who comes from a faith filled family who has a brother who is studying to become a priest.
When Amy dumps him, Thomas becomes is desperate to win her back. At the same time, his studies are going poorly and he also needs to find a topic for research that will satisfy his professor and Amy's brother seems to provide a key to combine both needs in his life--although things are not necessarily as they seem to be.
Overall , this is a well written and well researched book. The author includes genuine examples of research into the brain and works these into the story effortlessly.
If I had one criticism of this book it would be that this same care and attention to detail was not shown to the faith/ ritual aspect of the story. There are two parts of faith recited in both a church scene and a baptism scene. The only problem is that these two statements (We believe in the Seven Sacraments and We believe in Christ Everlasting) are not part of the creed or the baptismal rite. It is minor perhaps but for me, it takes away from the overall care shown in the rest of the writing.
Even so, I enjoyed this book. The story certainly kept my attention and the ending was satisfying. Definitely a good read!
October 3, 2017
This book was provided to me by NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
This book was unbearable. I got to exactly 50%, put it down, and never picked it up again and I know I never will. Nothing about the story was interesting, I didn't feel like I cared about any of the characters or what happens to them. This guy in the story was obviously delusional if he thinks that he can get his girlfriend back by helping his brother with his mental illness. How would anyone not find that creepy? I will admit I never got to the part where she actually finds out or whether he was able to help the brother but I know that if it was realistic it would not go well.
The point is I couldn't finish it and I would not recommend this to anyone.
This book was unbearable. I got to exactly 50%, put it down, and never picked it up again and I know I never will. Nothing about the story was interesting, I didn't feel like I cared about any of the characters or what happens to them. This guy in the story was obviously delusional if he thinks that he can get his girlfriend back by helping his brother with his mental illness. How would anyone not find that creepy? I will admit I never got to the part where she actually finds out or whether he was able to help the brother but I know that if it was realistic it would not go well.
The point is I couldn't finish it and I would not recommend this to anyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2018
I didn't actually finish this book which is rare for me. Worst book ever.
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