I have a lot of adjectives to describe Pr1me of Life, P. D. Bekendam’s debut novel — zany, whacky, crazy, hilarious and thoughtful, poignant, and touching. Bet you didn’t think a book could illicit that many diverse sentiments did you? But a book featuring a cardiothoracic surgeon turned janitor at a retirement home filled with colorful and cantankerous characters has to have a lot going for it. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it.Ben is deeply wounded and filled with regret and guilt. He copes in an uncontrollable world by seeking to control what he can. His OCD makes Monk look rational. While he has a number of quirks and phobias (there is a zipper-as-dangerous-object scene that is hysterical), he focuses primarily on prime numbers. From the number of stripes on his shirt to the number of steps he takes, Ben counts his way through life at Heritage Gardens seeing to the needs of the elderly clientele. His past remains secret until one observant resident and a lottery ticket comes into play. From that point on, his carefully constructed order comes crashing down.Bekendam has written a book that is in turn laugh out loud funny and moving. I marveled at the number of ways he could have Ben’s prime obsession manifest itself — truly inventive. The characters he created are irascible and lovable and might remind you of your own elderly relative (or maybe yourself!). He also does a great job of exploring the nature of God in a world filled with tragedy and death. Although he doubts God’s sovereignty, Ben’s attempts at control fail miserably. There are lots of twists and turns to this story that will keep you on your toes. I never saw the end coming!Fun and heartwarming, Pr1me of Life is a great book. And Bekendam uses the proceeds from sales to help reduce blindness in third world countries, so check it out! (Please note that one of the more cantankerous characters uses a bit of profanity — totally in character for him.)Recommended.(Thanks to Worthy Publishing for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.) Ben has left his life as a doctor behind and is working as a janitor at a retirement facility. He wants nothing to do with medicine, God, or the number 4. Yet when his past collides with his present, he's forced to face the things he turned his back on. Will he be able to find peace at last?When I first started this book, I'll admit that I found it a little boring and I was easily distracted. But somewhere along about page 25, I found myself hooked. Ben loves prime numbers. To the point that it's almost an obsession. While he's the narrator of the story, I found the cast of supporting characters - Lex, Betty "Boop", Marvin, Frank, and Jerry "The Professor" to be delightful. I loved how in pretty much any scene that Marvin and Frank were in, they practically stole the show. Jerry was the voice of wisdom. I loved how Ben would seek out his advice and seriously think about it, even when he was mad at the truths that Jerry would tell him.I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting in this book, but it certainly wasn't the comedy that I got. Yes, this is a comedy. But there are several serious moments in it too. I think it's a good read for someone who wants to escape into a contemporary novel.I received this book for free from Worthy Publishing for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.Recommended to fans of comedy, contemporary fictionRating - 4 stars
What do You think about Prime Of Life (2014)?
Entertaining with comic relief. This is good reading!
—misspoohbear
Wonderful enjoyable tale with colorful charaters.
—chloe
