Lexicon

This book is extremely fast-paced, and it is easy to get sucked into the plot. I enjoyed learning about the world and the significance that the author places on words and dissecting typical human behavior and perception. All the while, the plot takes you along two points of view: Wil, who just got kidnapped from an airport, and sixteen-year old Emily, who lives on the street and makes her money playing card tricks on tourists. The writing leaves a lot to be desired because while the author places an importance on words, he does it with a very staccato-like pacing in his writing with short sentences to convey more significance than is actually portrayed. The other thing that left me wanting were the characters themselves; neither of whom were the least bit interesting or empathetic. I didn't care what happened to either of them and ultimately what kept me reading was the inverse storyline: how did they get to where they are? Which I suppose is what the author intended, I just wish the book had more going for it than the quest to answer one question.

More than anything else, the execution was lackluster. The author crafted the story very much like a B-rate action movie, and I think it could be a good potential for an adaptation. It was so full of plot holes, however, that you would be enjoying the momentum more than you would the actual story as is common of most action movies. The romantic element seemed just that, a plot device to conveniently wrap the story around these characters. There were two romantic storylines, one of which was so completely absurd and thrown in at the last minute as two explain the motivations of one of the more prominent characters. When he revealed he truly did have feelings I was a bit shocked, mostly because there was absolutely nothing that even hinted he could have an emotional tie to his romantic interest.

I'm giving this book a likable rating for the concept and creative narrative the author constructed around lexicons and his more than overt commentary on a right to privacy in an increasingly digitalized and surveilled world.

Overall, I would only recommend this if you're looking for a fast-paced read with a cool idea; not looking to get invested in the characters or legitimate answers. (This book left me a bit salty, can you tell? Because while it was a relatively action-packed story, it didn't actually feel like it went by quickly. Since I didn't really enjoy a lot of the author's directions for where he took the story, I spent more time thinking about the negatives than I did enjoying the read.)