Aberrations

by Penelope Przekop

Twenty-one-year-old narcoleptic Angel Duet knows her father harbors secrets. He loves and protects her, but his suspicious refusal to discuss her mother s death drives Angel to worship an image created from the little history she does her father's sketchy stories and her mother's treasured photography, studies of clouds that have hung in the their foyer for more than twenty years. When her father's girlfriend moves in, the photographs come down, and Angel's search for truth becomes an obsession. As she struggles to uncover the past and gain control over the narcolepsy that often fogs her world, Angel descends into a dizzying realm of drugs, adultery, and confused desire that further obscures reality. As Angel begins to expose a history she could never have imagined, she discovers her entire life has been anchored around lies. Accepting the truth, once found, is the key to understanding herself, her family, and her life. To truly awaken, Angel must realize that sometimes the gifts we receive are not what we want--and only in time do we see their worth. At first glance, Aberrations is the story of a young woman who learns to live with her narcolepsy, and who struggles immensely to understand how her mom died when she was born and to discover who her mother really was. But the debut novel of Penelope Przekop moves insightfully into a whole other dimension, showing the reader how each of us lives a life of aberration, that we each have some kind of stigma or conflict or handicap to overcome. We also discover that having the strength to first seek out the truth and then to live with it can be quite challenging.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 29, 2007

About the author

Penelope Przekop is the author of four novels, Please Love Me, Aberrations, Centerpieces, and Dust. She is also the author of 5-Star Career: Define and Build Yours Using the Science of Quality Management (Productivity Press) and Six Sigma for Business Excellence (McGraw-Hill).

Dubbed “an industry triple threat” by Pharmaceutica Manufacturing Magazine and designated an “expert contributor” by Life Science Leader Magazine, Penelope applies her diverse brand of creativity across multiple disciplines. She is the Founder and CEO of PDC Pharma Strategy, a consulting firm that develops and provides strategic solutions and operational services to the pharmaceutical industry. As a speaker, writer, artist, and pharmaceutical industry leader, Penelope weaves her diverse experience and knowledge together to motivate and inspire others to rethink how they define, build, and manage quality, both at work and at home.

Please Love Me, her debut novel, offers an unvarnished glimpse into her teenage years in the early '80s, portraying a raw and genuine account of overcoming childhood trauma and the quest for love. Her evolving body of work is a testament to the belief that a life of quality is sculpted through relentless determination, resilience, and the potent mix of self-reflection and precision science.

Based in the Greater Philadelphia Area, Penelope's mission extends beyond her writing and business endeavors; it's an invitation to embrace a life of quality in all its dimensions. Stay connected with her latest projects on Instagram @penelopeprzekop and LinkedIn. Discover more about her journey and works at www.penelopeprzekop.com.

Reviews

[Penelope Przekop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, and hope you will, too! I worked on it for ten years, and am thrilled to share it with you. The reviews have been great; help spread the word. Everyone has some sort of aberration; that's what makes us human ...

[Heather-le Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aberrations is a well written story, filled with emotion. I enjoyed reading this book, the writing was beautiful and symbolic.

[David Edmonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous and unique coming of age story, Penelope Przekop's Aberrations is the story of Angel Duet as she discovers the who she is and how she can find the missing pieces of herself. It is a book about discovering who you are to yourself, and not what others want you to be, about accepting all the bits that make you who you are and about finding unconditional love, even if it isn't necessarily where you thought it would come from.

Angel Duet, 21, suffers from narcolepsy and has strengthened herself over the years by closing herself off emotionally from others, living a solitary existence with her father and the memories of her deceased mother. The only real contact she has emotionally with anyone else is Mac, the married doctor whom she is having an affair with. Through new friends that she makes at her summer job, Tim and Kimmy, Angel begins to see the rut that her life is in (as are the others). Each discovers that they hold a secret that they believe sets them apart from everyone else around them; Angel's narcolepsy, Tim is gay and Kimmy is a virgin. After Tim convinces Angel to come out one night with him to the local gay bar, she meets his cousin, Scarlette, and more confusion sets into Angel's life, as there is an attraction to Scarlette, but is it sexual or simply the comforting idea that in Scarlette, Angel can find her idea of mother?

The book is ultimately about unconditional love, and the want and need of everyone to find that. I believe it's a fairly universal need. Generally, that idea is found in the idea of mother and that is what Angel feels she is missing in her life. She searches for it everywhere; through confrontation with her father over the true nature of her mother's death, through sex, both with Mac and with Scarlette, through artificial means while using Ecstasy. When Angel finally finds her idea of mother, it isn't necessarily where she thought it would come from, but it ultimately was the perfect way for her to find it.

Each character has a slight aberration that sets them apart from what they consider, or what society considers, normal; but are the characteristics that make you unique an aberration, or just part of who you are, to be accepted and nurtured, both by yourself and others? Through Tim's newness of discovering friends that he can share his homosexuality with, through Kimmy's emotional growth, through Angel's discovery of mother, each character grows and discovers it isn't always necessarily the best thing to be the person that other's want you to be or to hide behind your secrets; ultimately the unconditional love that each of us is searching needs to come from within.

To be honest, I couldn't put this book down. I thought I'd get it read in a couple of readings, but after I started, the story moved so well and the writing was so beautiful, I didn't want to stop. The prose is lyrical and flowing and the story moves without shoving it's way through. The characters are real, with real problems and real emotion. The only drawback I had was the "southern-accent spelling." It kept distracting me as I kept trying to read in a southern accent as opposed to simply reading the story. But realistically, it could simply be me. Aberrations is a beautiful story, and I look forward to what gems Penelope Przekop will be giving us in the future.

[Cassondra · Rating 4 out of 5]

B.A.B.A.E.L. Angel Duet (a delicious name, I think) is 21 years-old, motherless, in a bad relationship, a narcoleptic, and going nowhere fast. The phrase "sleepwalking through life," corny though it may seem, is apt. However, as the novel begins, certain changes are beginning to affect Angel. A new woman enters her father's life, and disrupts their shrine (both physical and mental) to Angel's mother, Betty Lou. When Angel takes a job at her college in the agricultural department, she both finds herself spending less time with her married lover, and accidentally letting two friends into her life. And from there, a series of awakenings occur for Angel, again both physical and mental, as she comes into her own, and takes control of her own life. The language in this novel is perhaps its most shining feature. Przekop really has a gift for flow and description. The story itself was compelling, don't get me wrong, but with the lovely language used here, it could be significantly weaker and still succeed. Angel herself is a fascinating, if not always likable character. I think this is a definite strength. After all, if I can spend that much time in a character's head, not always like her, and yet still feel the need to keep reading, that really speaks to the strength of the writing. I though the narcolepsy was a nice touch. While central to the character of Angel, it also makes a great metaphor for her personal state, as well as a great comparison point for all the aberrations of those that surround her. Now, I'm going to get the bad out of the way real quick. Some like the use of dialect, but I don't. I found all the cain't and thangs distracting, even though I know people who actually speak like this. I can't quite put my finger on why, but they come off as distractions rather than adding local color. And although I understand its significance to the story, I think there was an accidental message (or at least a development that could cause people to read this into the story) that mental problems, unlike "real" diseases, don't require doctors, medicine, and treatment, but just for the mental patient to buck up a little. I don't think this was the intent, but again, a message that could none the less be taken from the book. Lastly, some of the sexual liasons and situations seem unecessary to me. I just didn't get the character of Scarlet, for instance. Those who have read the book, clue me in, please! Then again, I've noticed myself becoming a bit prudish on this subject. Perhaps I read to many kids' books. All and all, however, those few issues are, dare I say it? Aberrations. I greatly enjoyed this beautiful and beautifully-written book and hope Przekop has some more novels in her. I'm looking forward to reading them. (Also the cover is very, very pretty. In the grand scheme of things, I know that there are more important issues. However, a cover is a first impression, and this is a good one.)

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aberrations is an extraordinary debut novel for Penelope Przekop. This is not just a coming of age story, it is truly an awakening.[return][return]Angel Duet is a 21-year-old narcoleptic living in Louisiana during the 1980 s. Her mother died when she was born, and all that Angel has of her mother are stories told to her by her father, and a series of cloud photographs taken by her mother.[return][return]When her father s new girlfriend moves in, the pictures come off the wall and Angel finds her familiar life turned upside down. She feels the loss of the pictures as another person would feel a parent s death. Throughout the story we see her searching for the one thing she s never felt, but needs so acutely a mother s love. This search will lead her down a dark path of drugs and sexual experimentation, before ultimately leading her to demand real answers from her father.[return][return]Aberrations is an intriguing look into the secrets people keep and their motivations for keeping them. Every character has something that they want to hide from others: a medical condition, their sexuality, an extra-marital affair. As the story progresses, we glimpse each character s secret. Some secrets, once revealed, are liberating for the characters. Others are absolutely devastating. The secrets that Angel s father has kept from her concerning her mother will irrevocably change her life.[return][return]Przekop has crafted some truly fascinating characters in this novel. I found myself drawn to each character, but I was most drawn to Angel. As a person living with a chronic illness, I easily identified with Angel s struggle with narcolepsy and her desire to not allow the illness to define her.[return][return]Powerful and stirring, Aberrations is one of the best books I ve read so far this year. Don t miss this one![return][return]http://www.bookishruth.com/2008/07/re...

[Loopyloo100 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narcoleptic Angel Duet struggles with her disability. It means she can fall asleep at no notice and she also suffers with cataplexy which can leave her body asleep, but the mind still awake. The book shows how difficult life can be for Angel as she has to rely on others so much, but she meets 2 new friends: Tim & Kimmy and she tries to overcome her narcolepsy by using a drug of the non prescription type. Throughout the novel Angel is on a mission to find out about her mother who apparently died whilst giving birth and her father is unable to discuss this with her as the pain appears too much for him. He has a new relationship with Carla, who is a down to earth lawyer and try’s in her way to help Angel, but Angel is not ready to accept her help.

A great novel; I loved this book. It was an amazing emotional journey with true depth and I felt it gave a real understanding of the characters. We see people in their true colours; warts and all, including Mac who is married, but at the same time is having an affair. One can’t but help warm to his character, but it left me uneasy at times as I felt by liking him I was almost condoning his adultery. Even though we did not know his wife to any great degree in the novel, she was still a valid person and did she deserve this? However this is what happens in life and it’s not all pretty colours and this novel shows the dilemmas in life very well; people are fallible, but this doesn’t make them totally bad. I also began to question if the illicit drug that Angel took for improving her narcolepsy would actually help and if it did I wondered if there was any clinical testing being done with regards to this; leaving me with research to do.

This novel was great for getting me to think; it had a wonderful flowing story, was written in a very effective way and also had me connecting emotionally to the characters. I couldn’t ask for more.

I highly recommend this book.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and reviewed this wonderful book last August on my blog..so I thought I would add it to Goodreads!!

Aberrations” is an amazing book from the first words to the last. Penelope Przekop’s debut novel grabs a hold of you and takes you on Angel’s journey of the truth.

Angel is a 21-year-old narcoleptic who is trying to uncover her past, while trying to get through the fog of her narcolepsy. She always has worshipped the mom she never knew, from the stories and cloud pictures her dad told her about. Her life begins to change when her dad’s girlfriend moves in and removes the pictures from the walls of the clouds. From the first sentence in the book “My father is a liar,” you know there is more to Angel’s story then even she is aware.


The book takes on the secrets of our lives and how we determine where the line is between lying and truth. Each character in the book seems to have some kind of secret that they are trying to keep, from sexuality (gays and virginity), adultery, pregnancy and mental illness. Is keeping the truth from someone the best thing sometimes? Angel is determined to find the answers to her past, but doesn’t realize at what possible cost.


I absolutely loved this book. I received it from the publisher (thank you!) asking me to read and review it, which is a good thing since I probably would have never gotten it otherwise. The storyline and characters are all so interesting and enjoyable that I didn’t want to put the book down. When I finished, it made me ask questions about if I would want to know the truth in the same circumstance. I didn’t even realize until almost the end that the chapter headings were alphabetized and were the names of the cloud photos!!


If you want to read a well written book and something different than you might normally read, pick up “Aberrations” now at your book store! HEADS UP ...Some of the content may not be appropriate for some ages!!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angel Duet and her father, Frank has had a good relationship all their lives. That is till Angel learns her father has been lying to her all those years about her mother Betty Lou. Plus it doesn’t help any that Angel is dealing with narcolepsy as well as her dad’s new girlfriend, Carla moving in. Angel doesn’t like Carla. The first thing Carla does when she moves in with her and her dad is to take down all the pictures of Betty Lou. While Angel tries to make sense of all the things happening around her, she won’t be alone. She will have her two friends from her cotton picking job. They are Tim, a gay guy who likes to party and Kimmy, a twenty-something virgin who lives in a trailer park. As well as one other person who cares for Angel a lot. His name is Mac; he is a doctor as well as married. Read Aberrations as Angel tries to reveal the truth about who her mother is but be warned as the saying goes “The truth shall set you free”.


Let me first off start by saying what a delightful treat Aberrations was. I do have to admit though that I do not know much on the subject matter of narcolepsy. I know that it is a sleeping disorder but I didn’t realize all the symptoms a person has to deal with. So on that note I found Angel to be a very strong and brave woman despite the circumstances she has to deal with when she learns her father has lied to her. Ms. Penelope Przekop’s Aberrations was a very well-written as well as thought out book. Penelope Przekop really did her homework on narcolepsy. I appreciate an author who does their research whether it is fiction or non fiction as I than find the story to become more real and to draw me in more. Aberrations was my first book by this author but I can honesty say I would check out other books by Penelope Przekop .

[Alea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aberrations is the story of 21 year old narcoleptic Angel and her search for mother. Angel has never known her mother, only her father. Her father tells her that her mother died during child birth but that is all. Angel struggles to learn more from him but he will not budge. All that Angel has to connect her to her mother is a series of cloud photographs her mother took. Rounding out Angel's life are Carla, her father's girlfriend, Mac, her married doctor boyfriend, and her friends Kimmy and Tim, and Tim's cousin Scarlett.

Angel struggles to live a somewhat normal life while dealing with her narcolepsy which makes her dependant on others much more than she would like. She lives in a world where it's hard to tell how awake she actually is at times and what is real and what is not. Through a series of events Angel becomes determined to know the truth about her mother and with the help of her friends and family she finds it. Before her search for the truth about her mother Angel also explores the possibilities of finding the mother feeling elsewhere and is rather unsuccessful. I really really liked the ending, it just made me beam!

I loved this book! It's a mix of mystery, family struggles, and love. I loved the characters so much in this book, especially Angel, Mac, and Carla. Przekop's use of southern slang made me read the book in such a way that I could hear the characters voices in my head, I really liked that. It was really gratifying watching Angel succeed in her quest and also grow up in the process. This is a beautiful, touching story and I cannot give it nearly as much praise as it deserves!

Also wouldn't you agree, a beautiful cover for a beautiful book!

[Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angel Duet has never been very good at relationships. Her mom died when she was a baby and she has never been able to really reach her father, Frank, through the wall of grief that he built up. Friendships were difficult to maintain. When you have Narcolepsy everything requires a huge effort and most days Angel is just not up to it. At twenty-one years old, Angel is attending college and living at home, trying to create a future for herself. Things become more difficult when her dad's girlfriend, Carla, moves in, upsetting the fragile balance that has existed for years between Angel and her dad.


When the novel opens it is spring and Angel is working two jobs. At the first job, a hospital, she is having an affair with a married doctor named Mac. He appeals to her because he understands her condition, accepts her as she is and fits into the fringes of her life. At the other job she meets Kimmy and Tim, who become the first real friends that she has ever had. They expose her to a seedy underground lifestyle that centers mostly on drugs and sex. But they stand by her in a way that she has never experienced before.


Angel's mother was a photographer. She took a whole series of pictures of clouds that resembled things from everyday life, a duck, a horse, a snake. Twenty two photos of clouds have hung on the wall for the last twenty years. When Carla arrives she takes them all down, meaning to re-frame them one by one. The loss of the photos jars Angel and leads her down a path of uncovering old secrets. Eventually she comes to realize how she has let the Narcolepsy control her life and finally learns that truth, in all of its forms, is the key to happiness.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this audiobook in exchange for an honest unbiased review.
When I started this book I had no idea what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. It's a story a bout a young woman named Angel with narcolepsy(which I learned a lot about!). I liked Angel's character a lot. I felt that she evolved quit a bit throughout the book. She started off as a naive introvert who didn't have many friends or much of a social life and by the end of the book she had grown into an independent confident woman who didn't let her illness inhibit her. She started letting people into her life and it was exactly what she needed. I absolutely loved Tim and Mac. I even liked Carla her father's girlfriend.
In the book Angel is seeking out someone to replace the void left by her mother who died when she was a baby. She finds that in her friends, in Carla and in her love interests. She also finds much more than she expected.
This book had some great plot twists that were unexpected. Part of it I knew was coming but it was followed by something I didn't expect at all.
The narrator totally fit the setting of the book which was in the south. I could picture her voice coming straight out of Angel. It brought the book to life.
This book was an unexpected nice surprise!

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminds me of one of the readings I had to do in university. A lot of symbolism, self-discovery and meaning to the storyline. And here's the shocker (for some anyways): I actually enjoyed it! Okay, no jokes though, Aberrations was a good book. Angel Duet suffers from narcolepsy and if you don't know what it is, Angel herself explains it a few times in the book. There has obviously been a lot of research that allows for these amazingly real descriptions of what Angel experiences from day to day. The emotion of Angel's narration is raw and open. Readers will love how she goes on a journey to find the truth and you can't help but obsess about the truth too. When you finally get it, you find that it is a bit shocking. Sometimes the entire truth may not be that great to hear, no matter how much we say we want it. Either way, go find the book someone and give it a read. It's something that definitely gets you thinking and it's a beautiful, descriptive read for anyone.

[April Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely reviews books, but "Aberrations" left a strong impression on me. The story kept me hooked and I had a hard time putting it down. It usually takes me about a couple of weeks to read a book, but I finished reading this one within 3 days. The year it takes place in is 1987, when I was 6-years-old. I was drawn in by the main character, Angel Duet, as well as the others. I saw a little bit of myself in Angel, Tim, Kimmy, and Scarlett. I don't want to reveal too much, but if you want to read a story about the rebirth of someone when they discover the truth after years of lies, this one is for you! One of the places mentioned in the book, Kon Tiki, was one of my favorite places to eat at in Shreveport. My Dad actually knew the guy who owned it. Penelope Peprzekop, hats off to you for telling this story with so much passion. I can't wait to read more of your books.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is hard when your mother dies when you're a baby. Life is hard when nearly everybody thinks you're weird. life is hard when your dad moves his lady into your house, and she is the hag from hell. But when you have narcolepsy, it's all worse. Nobody wants to believe you. It seems that nobody really loves you, and you go on to make the kinds of mistakes that people without narcolepsy make. Compassionately written, but real, not soupy. Think of this as a wake-up call.
RR shows how good an audio performer can be when fully engaged in the work being interpreted. Congratulations on a good pairing of story and audio performer.
Thanks to AudioBook Blast for this gifting

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was spectacular- I started it and could not put it down. My book club is reading it. It is very well written and the characters all come alive. There is a lot happening with the plot and each of the characters but the book is well-paced and easy to follow. It also captures the main character's (Angel Duet) struggle with narcolesy, which was enlightening. I found many of the issues and struggles that there characters were dealing with to be timely and it was faily easy to relate to the characters. I look forward to more books by Ms. Prezkop.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader, I can say that rarely does one find a book that stays in one's mind like this book does. Angel is a wonderfully multi-dimentional character. This coming-of-age novel presents Angel's imperfect life in rich detail, and brings us back to those delicate, wonderful and scary years. I hope that we are blessed with more astonishing and touching tales from this author. A great read!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read! Aberrations is the story of Angel Duet a young, narcoleptic woman searching for truth. It is a story of forming and ending relationships, of disability, and of love. This book is full of interesting twists that will keep the reader hooked from the first to last page. Would make a good choice for a book club selection.

[DeAnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this one. A very interesting story about a young woman facing many obstacles -- narcolepsy, family tragedy, a complicated love life. Takes many interesting turns that I wasn't expecting.

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would definitely recommend this book! I usually read Young Adult lit, but I really enjoyed Abberations. The story is unique and the characters are complex. Every time I thought I had the story figured out Przekop threw me another curve ball. It was an excellent read, I couldn't put it down!

[Hillary roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://purplemoonmyst.blogspot.com/20...

[Anne (Angel Anne Reviews) Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 angel stars

[Nicole]

Amazing plot and i was happy to learn more about narcolepsy. There are about 7-8 characters that are important to the story, most of them are morally grey and show quite a bit of depth. What i disliked was the dialog between the characters. It wasn't believable to me at all...they would go into deep philosophical topics constantly in casual conversations...even with people they werent that close with. It came off very forced

[Vivian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zzzzz. All of the reviews I've read make me think I'm crazy. Readers have absolutely loved it. My reaction is the polar opposite. I found it dull and boring. Everytime I picked it up, I wanted to put it down and go to sleep. It ws a chore to try to get through it, and I gave up three quarters into the book. However, I would look forward to the author's next effort as she writes very well.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it, but had I not listed it for a book club, I'm not sure that I would have finished it. The author did a solid job of demonstrating a character who suffers from certain neurological disorders, but for other reasons, protagonist Angel is at times tough to root for.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Ok read, but I am not big on family drama type books. In particular I found the conversations unrealistic and jarring. They did not flow like natural conversations. Almost as if they were 2 monologues spliced together.

[Cheyenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 2-star book, the ending made it a little better and I thought about bumping it up to 3, but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, so it will stay at 2. I *have* narcolepsy (without cataplexy) but I could not connect to the main character, I really didn't like her.

[Lisa]

Received as an ARC

[Jobie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cool to read a book based in Shreveport. Honestly didn't have a clue what it was going to be about. I LOVE that it taught me something about narcolepsy.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.literaryfeline.com/2008/08...

[Karen Hogan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started but didn't finish..