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Synopsis (from Goodreads):
1. Daniel Mayrock loves his wife Jill…more than anything.
2. Dan quit his job and opened a bookshop.
3. Jill is ready to have a baby.
4. Dan is scared; the bookshop isn’t doing well. Financial crisis is imminent.
5. Dan hasn’t told Jill about their financial trouble. He’s ashamed.
6. Then Jill gets pregnant.
This heartfelt story is about the lengths one man will go to and the risks he will take to save his family. But Dan doesn’t just want to save his failing bookstore and his family’s finances—he wants to become someone.
1. Dan wants to do something special.
2. He’s a man who is tired of feeling ordinary.
3. He’s sick of feeling like a failure.
4. Of living in the shadow of his wife’s deceased first husband.
Dan is also an obsessive list maker, and his story unfolds entirely in his lists, which are brimming with Dan’s hilarious sense of humor, unique world-view, and deeply personal thoughts. When read in full, his lists paint a picture of a man struggling to be a man, a man who has reached a point where he’s willing to anything for the love (and soon-to-be new love) of his life.
Review:
I have really mixed feelings about Twenty-one Truths about Love, by Matthew Dicks. On the one hand, I was impressed that a story could be told reasonably well with only a series of lists. On the other hand, the main character is hardly likable, and having an entire book written in lists quickly becomes an irritating gimmick.
What I Liked:
Story:The lists, over time, reveal a man who is becoming desperate. His bookstore is losing money, his wife wants to start a family, and he really has no friends. His self-esteem continually takes a beating to the point where he is willing to doing anything to get money. It's actually rather sad.
What I Was Mixed About:
The Lists:While I was surprised that a series of lists could convey so much emotion, it became too much of a gimmick. One of the reasons I didn't feel it completely work is that many of the lists are so random. Why include lists of cars? I like some lists in a book, but couldn't they be situated at the beginning of each chapter?
At times, I felt like I was reading more of an outline rather than a novel. This made me wonder if anyone would be willing to pay nearly $25 for a book outline. It really seemed like a very unfinished work, rather than a full novel.
Characters:
Dan, the main character, has such low self-esteem that he:
1. Is jealous of his wife's dead husband.
2. Lies to his wife constantly.
3. Is a poor businessman.
4. Makes many selfish decisions in an attempt to avoid facing the consequences of his actions.
5. Is a jerk!
While I did sympathize with his plight, this did not excuse his incredibly stupid behavior.
I also liked the wife, Jill, and Dan's one friend, Bill. However, I would have loved to know more about them. Again, lists can only take the story so far.
As far as books go, I think if you want to read this, wait for it to come to your local library. It did have some interesting moments, but I wouldn't want to pay money for a series of lists. Give me a novel, and I'd consider it.
Rating:
Release Date: November 19th, 2019
Author: Matthew Dicks
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: General Fiction
Page Length: 352 pages
Source: Netgalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: While it did have some interesting moments, I wouldn't want to pay full price for a series of lists.
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