The Nix

This is not a book I would have been likely to pick up and read without someone pointing me at it, but I'm glad I did.

The Nix is a story primarily about our protagonist, Stephen, and our runner-up protagonist, his mother Faye. Faye left Stephen as a child and we enter the story with Stephen as an adult learning that his mother has made the national news. The book then ranges around time, letting us learn more about both of their lives, from their perspectives as well as a handful of side characters.

To be honest, I struggled a bit to get into this book. Not that the story wasn't interesting, but I think that this author's writing style took me a while to adjust to. Or perhaps his sense of humor and mine don't quite connect (I read more than one review saying this book was funny, but while I could see it being witty/sarcastic/dry humor, it never made me want to laugh).

All that being said, after I got into it I found the story really fascinating (Faye's story even more so than Stephen's) and the last few chapters really wrapped up the story so nicely, I was very satisfied at the end.

Bonus points! The author is from Iowa and large parts of the story take place there - I found the representation extremely well done. Also bonus points if you have interest in 60s counterculture and particularly the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. Extra bonus points if your family has history in Norway. I also hugely enjoyed the side stories clearly poking fun at World of Warcraft and similar games.