Although I am not fond of writing a negative review, (I am guided mostly by the classic questions:is it true? is it kind? is it necessary?) I feel compelled to do this. I was drawn to this novel as it was recommended in another's review of Molokai by Alan Brennert, a book that I liked very much. This book, on the other hand, did nothing but disappoint; at times causing me to roll my eyes in response to the cliched writing, the trite similes and short, choppy, boring sentences. I can't believe this book actually had an editor. It felt to me like the first draft of a novel written by a high school student. So one might ask, why did you continue to read it? Good question. The storyline was compelling enough for me to need to know what happened in the end. Am I glad I stuck to it? Not really. I am none the richer for having read this novel. I didn't really learn anything from it except perhaps how NOT to write. I think my main issue with the book was the main character, John Eric Severson, "the School teacher" "The former marine", "the leper" "the mathematics teacher" , and all the other nameless ways he was addressed by the author. He really lacked flesh and bones. Although he was meant to be the protagonist in the novel, he, in my opinion, had no redeeming qualities. I just couldn't like or dislike him, as he had no personality. And although he was meant to be incredibly handsome, I could never picture him as such, as a matter of fact, i couldn't really picture him at all. The story line although compelling enough to drag me to its dragged out ending, was really too far fetched to be given any real credibility. My eyes really did roll on many occasions. As the kids, say, whatever. In closing, would i recommend this book? Not to anyone I know and like. If you have read The Island by Victoria Hislop, or The Pearl Diver by Jeffrey Talarigo, or the aforementioned Molokai, and want to read another engaging novel about lives lived with leprosy, don't expect the same kind of enjoyment from this novel as from those. You won't get it. Maybe men would enjoy it more than other women. Who knows. I just know that had I not read it, I would not have been lacking in any way. Another good book by a Minnesota author. When I was a young girl, I read with fascination the story of Father Damien and his love of the people stricken with leprosy and his work to help them. This book, although fiction, seems so historically correct. The main character unknowingly contacts leprosy during his stint in the Marines in WW1 and we learn of all the terrible struggles he and others like him had to endure.
What do You think about The Leper (2008)?
Oh... I like this one immensely. I hope you will too.
—bradt08
Fast paced with twists and turns, until the ending.
—khb861
