Book Review - Pieces - Young Entertainment

THE LOWDOWN:
When Eric’s brother Duane dies, his world breaks in two. Duane was his best friend—possibly his only friend. And Eric isn’t sure how to live in a world without Duane in it. Desperate to find a piece of his brother to hold on to, Eric decides to meet some of the people who received Duane’s organs.

He expects to meet perfect strangers. Instead he encounters people who become more than friends and almost like family—people who begin to help Eric put the pieces of his life back together for good.

FIRST IMPRESSION:
My brother is a philosopher. I know this because he’s told me, countless times. More than just philosopher, even.

“Philoso-raptor,” he calls himself.
—Paperback edition

SNAPSHOT:
Eighteen-year-old Eric leads readers through the year after his brother’s suicide, as he wades through the mourning process, held back by the loss of his best friend. When he begins to meet three of the people who accepted Duane’s organs, his life starts to take on more meaning—and the novel takes many strange, quirky turns.

A high point in the story is when Martha, Duane’s long-time love who went away to Africa six months before Duane’s suicide, returns at the end of act one. As she learns the news of her old flame’s death, Eric experiences it all again for the first time. Including Martha’s desire to meet Phil, Melinda, and Barry. Martha, to Eric’s love-struck dismay, connects most with foul-mouthed Barry, he of the wandering eye and constant sexual innuendo.

Among the donor recipients, teenage red-headed Phil is the most endearing. Having received Duane’s inner ear bone for one ear, he makes sweet jokes about Duane being able to hear his little brother if Eric talks into that ear; and Phil promises not to listen in. A bit of a shy guy, Phil opens up and gains more confidence through Eric’s at-first hesitant friendship. Indeed, Eric’s own friendship with Phil helps him open up to the idea of a friend for the first time in a year.

The small but lovingly crafted cast, filled with eccentric yet familiar characters, is certainly the strength of this tale. Readers are likely to have their own favorite, and root for happiness for the lot of them. Ultimately, the novel ends abruptly but thoughtfully, leaving readers to answer on their own the question which plagues Eric throughout: who are these people to him?

Appropriate for ages 14+. Strong language, difficult subject matter, off-screen suicide. Social alcohol use and discussions of sexual situations.

Deals with death and loss, suicide, family, relationships, and identity.

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