Customer Reviews

Aberrations

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Set in Shreveport, LA, this novel is a very intriguing story about senior college student Angel Duet's halting, even painful, efforts to overcome what, to this point, has been a rather foggy, difficult life due to daily occurrences of narcoleptic reactions [sudden lost of muscular control and/or deep REM sleep]. Adding complication to her life is the mysterious loss of her mother when she was quite young, about which her otherwise helpful father remains tight-lipped. Things change for Angel in this summer of her twenty-first year.

Angel has always been drawn to a wall in her home where her mother's photographs of clouds are vaguely mindful of a variety of real-world objects. The author consistently turns to the imagery of clouds to explain the elusiveness of reality for Angel who must separate out her narcoleptic experiences including vivid dreams. That summer, the arrival of her father's new, lawyer girlfriend Carla, who tampers with her mother's photos, and her increasingly close association with two of her young co-workers, Tim and Kimmy, on a summer agricultural project propel Angel on a course of opening up and self-discovery.

In particular, Tim, a rather free-speaking individual and unwilling to allow Angel to play victim, expands her social world by introducing her into the gay bar scene and homosexual experience as well as using drugs as an alternative to her physician-prescribed regimen. She even casts aside the most sympathetic male in her life, Mac, a married doctor with whom she is having an affair, to begin her first honest romance. Most importantly, for Angel these new experiences have given her some confidence to pursue the most distressful aspect of her life, that is, the disappearance of her mother.

The author captures so well the difficulties of Angel's life: coping with the daily intrusions of her disease; not knowing who to trust with her increased vulnerability; her constant search for a substitute for her absent mother. In some respects, the author's focus on Angel's struggles leaves out some basics. For example, Angel is an elusive presence: her physical appearance is barely mentioned. Apparently, she has a certain appeal based on the attraction of Mac, a real ladies' man. The author's somewhat uneven insertion of Southern speech patterns is mildly annoying. More generally, the writing is simply superb - many insightful bits.

Ultimately, the book is guardedly hopeful. Angel's condition does place demands on others. Furthermore, she starts to appreciate that others have their own struggles, especially her father. It may be a difficult journey, but if Angel is an example, it is possible to find stability in the midst of the confusion of an unfortunate situation, even to the point of determining those who genuinely love. It is a remarkable story; it's inspiring to see a character exhibit so much grit.

This book was recommended by a colleague, another R.N. I'm usually disppointed by authors that try to incorporate medical concepts into a complex story line but this author did not disappoint. The medical concepts were accurate throughout the entire story. The book follows Angel, a young woman afflicted with narcolepsy. Angel is coping with the loss of her mother and dealing with a legacy of family lies she is now determined to uncover. Angel's search for answers leads her to some unlikey discoveries, including most importantly, self-discovery. Igive this book high marks...a great read!

To start off i think i should explain that i have Narcolepsy so this book of course will hit more personal notes with me than it might with those who do not suffer but i don't think that should deter anyone, this book is great in its own right, it just spoke to me more because of the connection i shared with the main character.

I recently met the author at a conference where i bought her book, i wasn't too sure what i was to expect, especially from someone who didn't have narcolepsy but i was intrigued nonetheless.

From the very first chapter it was clear to me that a lot of research had gone on before pen was put to paper, the character of Angel is an unbelievably accurate portrayal of someone with Narcolepsy, the way that the author explains all the difficulties that go hand in hand with this syndrome just add to the richness of this book.

I could not put this book down, it meant a lot to me. The story itself is captivating and well written, as with most well written books i started to feel attached to the characters.

To have captured so clearly the way that a syndrome can affect all aspects of a sufferers life without having the first hand knowledge is to me the sign of a great author.

I will definitely be paying attention to any future publications of hers.

I read this recently and really enjoyed it. While I have no personal experience with narcolepsy, I found it informative and thought provoking. It seems to start slowly but it certainly builds quickly and before you know it you are finished and looking around like "what just happened?" There are a number of well fleshed out characters and a lot to like about this novel.

As Billy Joel once said, "Honesty is such a lonely word". Aberrations is a book which brought this subject to mind. It speaks to a desire which all humanity shares: we just want someone to be honest with us. Angel Duet is a character who is achingly human: passionate yet flawed, struggling with physical limitations compounded by the damage dishonesty can do to the human heart, and still hoping, ever searching, always hungering to find the truth. I absolutely love Penelope's writing style; she pulled me in from the very first paragraph and made me want to keep reading. This book is at once engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking. Penelope, please keep them coming!

Penelope Przkop's book, Aberrations, is a vivid look into the aberrations in all of us. Angel Duet is a flawed character surrounded by and attracted to other flawed individuals. Rather than painting a picture of life as it should be, Przkop challenges us to cope with life as it is--raw, real, and sometimes uncomfortable to acknowledge. Her blend of literary reflection and suspenseful storyline keeps the reader riveted. I just had to know what Angel Duet's father was hiding!

~Scott Heydt
[...]

What I found most enjoyable about this novel was the exploration of the need for truth. Ms. Przekop makes good use of the idea of being trapped by lies - almost everyone in the novel is harmed by the lies they live with. Watching Angel "wake up" enough to begin to recognize the lies, and become transformed through her journey to truth was enlightening. And I liked that Carla wasn't the "evil stepmom" but the agent for introducing truth. This is a "southern" novel, and some of the vernacular was intrusive for me - I kept being surprised by "thang". Also, I was uncomfortable with Angel's thoughts that a baby would make everything different - that she would have someone to fill that "mother" need. Too many girls have babies to "get" something, instead of "give" something. Fortunately, Angel has a good support system to make sure her baby is well-cared for. My copy has a great set of book club questions.

A must read book! I had a hard time putting the book down and what a surprise ending!

Angel's life is certainly not ideal. She has an illness which in many ways disables her. Angel manages to get herself in situations which complicates her life even more. After Angel finds out her life is lies she is determined to find the truth.

This book is a fascinating portrayal of a young woman suffering from narcolepsy, a disease that means she can pass out at any moment. It's embarrassing, it's limiting (she cannot drive) and even when she's awake, she's tired all the time. It reads as if the author herself has narcolepsy (or a close relative with it), but apparently she educated herself by spending time in narcolepsy discussion groups. As I read the story, I felt that I was getting a real understanding and empathy for what it's like to live with this condition.

However there's much more to the story. Angel, the protagonist, lost her mother at a young age and longs desperately for a motherly presence in her life. Unfortunately she has an "evil stepmother" who acts as if the narcolepsy is just an excuse for laziness.

There are secrets everywhere. What really happened to Angel's mother? Not only does Angel crave the feeling of Mother, but she is also on a quest for The Truth (with a capital T). The suffocating atmosphere of the small Southern town means plenty of people have something to hide. Who is secretly gay? Who is secretly cheating on his wife? But beware: the truth may not always set you free.

Although Angel's life could be seen as tragic, the author makes it so much more: a warm and compelling tale of personal growth.

I was immediately drawn into the plight of protagonist Angel Duet, a 21-year-old narcoleptic obsessed with uncovering dark family secrets. Angel is a flawed but likable character who brings readers along on unpredictable journey.
I read the novel in preparation for the author's visit to the middle school where I teach. While the book is definitely geared at adult readers, Przekop has much to offer any audience of aspiring writers. I look forward to reading her future work.