Return Policy

by Michael Snyder

In his second book, novelist Michael Snyder introduces us to three very unusual and distinct voices all torn by Willy Finneran, washed-up genre novelist with an espresso maker that just won't die and a habit of avoiding conflict even if it means putting the truth on a sliding scale. Ozena Webb, single mother and Javatek's top customer service representative. She spends every evening playing board games with her twelve-year-old son who is mentally crippled from an early childhood accident. Shaq, a small and scraggy homeless man with trauma-induced blank spots on his memory, trying to piece together the story of his life while assisting Father Joe at the Mercy Mission. As their stories intersect, the narrative vacillates between hope and naivete, comic relief and postmodern ennui. Startling in its authenticity, this unforgettable novel reveals that no matter how far one has strayed from hope, there is always a way to return.

Genres: Fiction

366 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2009

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a quirky book. The ending was ludicrous, but as my wife said "A book doesn't have to be good to be enjoyable" and I enjoyed this book.

[Tina Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Return Policy" by Michael Snyder is told from three points of view, bringing together a cast of characters you won't soon forget.

Willy Finneran in the main character. He's the author of a series of failing dective novels working as a teacher for a day job. His ex has left him and taken his toothbrush, but leaves him an espresso maker from hell that refuses to quit working, even after being hit by an SUV and submerged in the bathtub. After a hit-and-run accident involving a badger, Willy is sentenced to do community service while living in a homeless shelter. Oh, and to make him even more interesting, Willy is a heart transplant reciepient who falls instantly asleep when he hears anything in the key of E-flat.

Ozena is a customer service rep at Javatek, and the one who answers the phone when Willy calls to request they kill his coffee maker. Ozena is a single mother raising a child with special needs, kept busy with board games and fending off her boss's dinner invitations.

Shaq is a homeless man in Nashville who tries to weave everyone he meets into his swiss cheese past, since he remembers very little about his actual life before Father Joe takes him into the shelter. He is NOT a Willy fan.

This novel is downright hiliarious most of the time, but it plays the ole heartstrings too. A tale of love, lost connections, unexpected friendships, and an espresso maker who won't leave Willy alone.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy the quirky characters who reside in the books of writers like Carl Hiaasen and Christopher Moore with a dash of Nick Hornby thrown in for good measure, then Michael Snyder’s RETURN POLICY should be right up your alley.
Snyders writing style is at once comical and lyrical and his use of metaphors is akin to poetry. For example his description of sunset is characterized as “the most romantic, pastel time of day” with colors described as “bruised citrus and sherbet”.

The four central characters concocted by Snyder are an eclectic group whose individual lives intersect through a bizarre chain of events. Their stories while appearing to connect only peripherally paint a larger, and occasionally heart-wrenching, picture for the reader to study and savor.

RETURN POLICY takes its readers on a journey from the ridiculous to the sublime. It is a tribute to the author that the novel is so hard to categorize…..it is a mystery of sorts, a love story too, also a tale of devotion, hope and redemption, as well as an in-depth character study of the book’s inhabitants. To advance a metaphor of my own let me state that RETURN POLICY is very much like a stalk of celery….. take the time to peel away the tougher outer stalks you are left with the soft and tender center to delight in.

[Carla Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Return Policy (2009, Zondervan) by Michael Snyder has been on my reading list since I first heard it was coming out. I even pre-ordered it, anticipating a rousing follow-up to his debut novel, My Name is Russell Fink. I was not disappointed. Return Policy features quirky (dare I say neurotic?) characters and a plot which follows the three-act structure—Snyder style. Mayhem results with this cast of mismatched, yet sincerely earnest folks. The author brings together the best of the down-on-their-luck characters and weaves an almost believable tale. Along the way you’ll meet a washed-up genre novelist, a single mom with a disabled child, a scraggly homeless man with blank spots on his memory, a priest who runs a mission, and a mysterious family of psychics known as the Grinning Whiteheads. Their intersecting lives makes us all want to be better human beings.

You should definitely add this one to your list of fun summer reads.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very much. Quirky characters and an unusual story-line, right up my alley! The ending wrapped up a bit too neatly; I still had lots of questions about the characters and what would happen to them. Maybe a sequel? I intend to read the author's first novel, "My Name is Russel Fink" when I get a chance.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read My Name is Russell Fink, and now Return Policy, I'd say that author Michael Snyder has a genuine knack for portraying 'pathetic' people. And I love it. Perhaps it makes his stories all the more easy to relate to? This is truly a heart-warming story. Definitely recommend it.

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Quirky characters who grow on you as you stick with the story and see how all the connections unfold. Some of the humourous moments seem over the top, but yet have an element of credibility that makes the situations believable. Ending may be a bit too clean, but I enjoyed the story.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable novel told through the eyes of its three main characters, Willy, Ozena and Shaq, three people who have experienced tragedy. The story unfolds as their lives intersect and the past catches up with the present.

[Amy Binkerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the same author that wrote "My Name is Russell Fink." Both books have a lot of humor, and this one I think had a better story line. I liked both books!

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Return Policy, the latest book by Michael Snyder doesn't suck. At all. In fact, it really is a great piece of fiction. I like this book even better than MS's first book "My Name Is Russell Fink", which was excellent.
The characters in this book really seemed to come to life for me, in all their strange, funny and tragic glory.
I have always sensed the presence of John Irving in Michael's books, and to me that is a very good thing. There is pathos, dysfunction certainly; but like a John Irving book, there is also depth and real emotion, and redemption in these characters' stories.
I loved the main character especially. His ups and downs (mostly downs) are played out in a character that at times reminds me of myself. But it all seems honest, not made up just for the stories' sake.

The book is a journey with some folks that you are glad to know and are sorry to leave when the book is over.

Thanks for another great book, Michael. You are single-handedly raising the bar on "Christian" literature.

When I grow up I want to be just like you...

Brent C

[Kerstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this years ago, it’s a quirky story with a unique plot. Writing is pretty good & held my interest.
Here is a favourite:
“When this question left my brain it was innocent enough. But by the time it scampers off my tongue I realize I don’t want you to know, that there is no good answer. I suddenly feel like a plate spinning on a stick, starting to wobble and teeter, about to come crashing down around me. But thankfully Willy is the one holding the stick, balancing things with ease. And his answer reaches up and gives me another gentle spin, setting everything right again.

And Lloyd’s character is very sweet, always a delight to have physically disabled characters represented accurately.

[Bunnybodel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this author's writing style. It's quirky and fun to read, while also having a lot character depth, which is not a common combination. The characters and their back stories are unique and interesting. It touches on religion quite a bit. I'm not religious, but didn't find that to be a drawback at all.

[Pegg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quirky cast of characters from the pen of Michael Synder. There is no typical "hero" character in Return Policy. None. There are just real life heros, the people who get through another day without imploding, and who along the way manage to touch another life for the better. A book that will leave you thinking about the bigger picture of life.

[Ena Weverink · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Interesting story about some unusual characters whose lives intertwine in unusual ways. Told from the point of view of three main characters, it's a story of brokenness but also one of hope. Some parts are a bit implausible but the humour and loveable characters make this a good read.

[Tanya Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story packed with flawed and quirky characters whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways. Themes of redemption, forgiveness, and fresh starts weave through gritty lives. I also enjoyed the collisions of class and culture, race and socio-economic divisions.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characterization, feel-good, fun, funny. Good symmetry.

Contrived but in a completely forgivable way.

[Pegg]

Just started this one last night and already hooked! Michael Snyder's humorous style of writing is fun and refreshing.

[Jon Finkelstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it but not as much as Fink. The ending made it worth the time invested. All in all, I recommend.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky, unpredictable novel which I would recommend to men AND women. Funny, thoughtful prose--a great surprise and an unusually strong addition to the Christian fiction genre.

[Cindy Journell-Hoch]

Really enjoyed Mikes writing style..how he blended and connected the characters!

[Tammy Hornbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The structure of the book took some getting used to, but the stories
and the characters were so well developed and intriguing that I couldn't stop reading it. I enjoyed it very much.

[Elaine]

I didn't get very far into this one. I can't get into the author's style of writing.