Now this was an interesting read. It could have been absolutely phenomenal, but unfortunately, the author didn't quite get this fantastic idea quite right. I believe this is a debut novel, so that is quite understandable. I sincerely hope the author will revisit this story once she has more experience, because with a little tweaking, this book could be out of this world!
What worked:
I really appreciate how the author explored brain damage and amnesia, as well as trauma unleashed by exposure to war. All of the psychological dimensions to this book and how the characters deal with their psychological troubles was interesting and definitely is a topic that ought to be explored in literature more often. There were some great themes and the plot was really well-thought-out to bring those themes to the fore. I also liked how the different ways characters handled their situations came with serious consequences in their relationships. It's a wonderful illustration of the fact that even though we are individuals with our own dreams and desires, we are also part of a greater "whole" and our family are the key elements of that greater, social cohesion. When we, as individuals, break away from the bigger picture and lose our way, that affects our relationships and has wide-ranging effects. It's also a reminder for the community, for the family to be more aware of what's going on in an individual and if there are signs of trauma (which we now know are almost guaranteed in veterans) then it is also up to the community to stand with the individual and help them through their difficulty.
This book also shows the reverse through Levi's character. When we break away from antisocial and undesirable behaviour, it becomes possible to re-adapt and integrate into society, creating new and meaningful connections that were not possible before. This was a really wonderful message and one of the things I truly appreciate about this book.
What didn't work:
The main character, Levi, is overshadowed by the other characters in the story. The book is written from multiple points of view and that jarred with the title of the book: "Levi's Journey". Because in essence, this book is Levi and Dustin's journey, where they represent to halves of the same coin. There is also the police detective who gets a lot of page time, but whose character is very two-dimensional for someone who's head we get to spend time in. I think this book would be tighter if the focus were to be kept on Levi and his returning memories, as well as the loss of his dream life he thought was real after waking up in hospital following an accident. It would have kept the murder mystery under closer wraps and would have kept me guessing for longer. However, I understand Levi was unconscious for a long part of the story. So then why was he the protagonist? Could it possibly be better to place emphasis on Dustin? Or to turn it into a proper murder mystery and have the detectives as the key element to the story, allowing both Levi's and Dustin's epiphanies to unfold through the detectives' research and investigation?
I look forward to seeing what the author does next, as the second book is almost guaranteed to be better than the first, and this was a pretty solid start.
