Book review number 6, the final book I read in January.

Title: Marcelo in the Real World

Author: Francisco X. Stork

Published: 2011

Read: January 2016

Here’s the quick back story on this one … my friend Kate (Kate who first recommended The Hunger Games to me and I am forever in her debt for that), recommended a long long time ago. How do I know? I wrote it down in OneNote in a file I titled “Books from Kate.” Late last year she recommended it to me again and so I finally added it to my library list.

Not gonna lie. I put it down a few times within the first 25% of the book or so. Marcelo is a 17 year old entering the summer before his final year in school. He shows characteristics of Asperger’s, with a knack for reading and memorizing scripture and internal soundtrack playing in his mind. Rather than spend the summer at his special school doing something he loves (working with horses), he finds himself working in the mailroom of the law firm that his father co-owns.

I kept putting it down because of the people that Marcelo meets. People are mean! But the interesting part is that the author adds in additional elements: a legal case, a smart and talented girl in the mailroom. Interesting discussions on faith and God via a Rabbi who acts as a teacher and therapist. What won me over is how Marcelo’s innocence plays into recognizing right and wrong in a topsy-turvy world.

Nice and smooth prose. Easy to read (it is a young adult book). While the antagonistic characters were fairly formulaic, Stork provided enough back story to make it interesting. And the good guys (Jasmine and Rabbi Heschel come to mind) were full of thoughtful dialogue that added to the richness of Marcelo’s character.

Recommended to: Young Adult fans