Customer Reviews

Gods of Aberdeen: A Novel

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

In this highly accomplished cautionary tale, Eric Dunne a 16-year-old working class boy, obtains a scholarship to attend the prestigious Aberdeen University in Connecticut. Having been bought up as an orphan in a Stulton tenement, a New Jersey slum, he's more than willing to kiss goodbye to life on the wrong side of the tracks for the esteemed and exultant ivory tower of learning and scholarship.

Eric's budding genius, however, hasn't prepared him for life as a freshman, and he has to hurriedly negotiate the world of academia with the temptations of girls, the incessant hard drinking, and the seemingly never-ending partying. But Eric is overjoyed at being given this opportunity, and secretly hopes to "make a smudge on the burnished wood and marbled floors" of the University's hallowed halls.

Eric eventually gets a job working in the Library for Cornelius, a crazy old librarian who is whispered to be over one hundred years old. Rumor also has it that Cornelius is killing pigeons in his search for immortality; a rumor that is given even more weight when Eric stumbles across a grave of the birds when walking in the woods. Even more suspicious is the decaying corpse of a dead cat found in the local stream.

The young freshman soon becomes involved with a group of spoiled rich kids, and is offered a prestigious job as part of an elite research team headed by Dr. Cade, an aloof, standoffish history professor. Professor Cade "a man of incomparable intellect and linguistic prowess," is currently writing a scrupulously researched three-volume saga about the medieval era, and is of the opinion that Eric, with his meticulous skills in Latin, would be an invaluable addition to the team.

Taking up residency at Dr. Cade's home alongside the teacher's reverential group - including the alcoholic Howie, the sexuality ambivalent Dan, and the scientifically pragmatic Art - Eric begins to notice some creepy goings-on: Howie drinks far too much, and Art appears to be overly obsessed with altering his consciousness through psychoactive drugs. There's medieval experiments being carried out in the attic, incessant talk of the ancient art of alchemy, and the quest for the Philosopher's Stone, the supposed the mythical elixir of eternal life.

Eric is immediately drawn to Art, and during their winter break travels with him to Prague where he learns just how obsessed Art is with learning about the mysteries of everlasting life. Art is rooted in expediency and mysticism. He's a firm believer in the existence of ghosts and malevolent spirits, but when Eric's world unravels after the inexplicable death of a close friend, the young man learns just how pragmatic and hardheaded the enigmatic Art actually is.

Micah Nathan fills the pages with historical and literary allusions, with references to Chaucer, Constantine, Charlemagne, and St. Augustine flourishing throughout the narrative. The book is full of mysteriously moody and gothic intrigue, with Eric having to face a new crisis almost at every turn. Every new tragedy puts another manacle around the poor boy's wrist and demands the he "build up the calluses to bear it."

The Gods of Aberdeen is engagingly beautiful and exquisitely written (the decriptions of Prague in winter are particulary redolent). It's not just a coming-of-age story for young Eric, but also a story involving the ramifications of maintaining an insular academic mentality. This is what happens when these trust-funded, child-like collegians, who have unwittingly anointed themselves the "Gods of Aberdeen," are ultimately left to their own devices.

Nathan effectively shows them up for who they really are - a bunch of unhappily flawed and spoilt bookworms, who are also remarkably unscrupulous and amoral, A group of students who are ultimately inept at negotiating the real world. It's all very chilling and unsettling, and profoundly disturbing; but it also makes for an absolutely terrific and riveting read. Mike Leonard June 05.

I don't normally read thrillers, so when a friend of mine recommended Gods of Aberdeen, I started reading the book warily--and could not stop turning the pages. This is no ordinary thriller. Set in the rarefied and gothic atmosphere of an exclusive New England college, this is the story of an untimely death, as well as of a young man's journey of self-discovery. Nathan's considerable powers of description allow the reader into the high pressure world of Aberdeen and its mysterious academic cabal, but also into the inner life of Eric Dunne, a sixteen-year-old prodigy who, while researching medeival history, learns much about fear, mortality, and the darkest corners of the human heart.

So here we are, folks, with yet another boy-goes-to-college-meets-smart-kids-faces-moral-dilemma first novel. Why should we care? Why should we even bother?

I didn't want to like this book. I wanted to snicker at what I believed was an obvious riding-of-the-coattails. "Rule of Four," "Prep," you name it, it's already been done, right? And then I opened the first page...and Nathan had me at "I remember Aberdeen College well."

Call me a sucker for good prose. Call me easily seduced by brutally honest portayals of spoiled youth. Call me a fan of writers who take a subject (in this case, alchemy) I know absolutely *nothing* about, and by the end of their book I feel like an expert.

Yes, this book is about the search for the Philosopher's Stone. But to place it in the category of an academic mystery would be a mistake. The Philosopher's Stone is Nathan's MacGuffin, a plot device used to show us the loss of innocence of 16 year-old Eric Dunne, a freshman at Aberdeen College. Eric's a poor orphan from New Jersey, and Aberdeen College is an ivy-covered liberal arts college in Connecticut. There's a mysterious death, a quest for the ultimate truth, and along the way Eric grows up. We grow up with him.

Alchemy is about transformation, which mirrors the central theme of this book. Eric Dunne arrives at Aberdeen College, and leaves an adult. He's heartbroken, lied to, given booze and drugs and basicallly everything else that happens to naive freshman, and we're with him all the way. Damn if this book didn't make me miss college...and also realize I'm glad college is over.

So where do I place this book among my literary faves? Surprisingly high, considering it's a debut novel from a young author. Nathan's descriptions can be a bit much at times, and the first third of the novel moves slowly, but we are rewarded for our patience. You can see Nathan becoming a more confident writer (especially Part II), and as Nathan's skills grow, so does Eric Dunne.

I'm hesitant to call this book my favorite beach read of the summer, because it's more than that. It's not light reading, nor is it dense, overstuffed prose. It's quite unlike anything I've ever read before...call it Umberto Eco with a plot we can actually all relate to. Or call it a beach book for the intelligent reader. Either way, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. And watch out for dark ponds.

This beatifically written novel has a riveting plot to match its eloquent prose. Nathan, whom I understand became a self-taught expert in Latin and toxicology while researching his book, writes about history and science with an almost academic rigor - all the while, weaving a compelling tell about friendship, murder, sex, and the search for immortality. If you are going on vacation this summer, and you want a totally engrossing read, this is your book.

Neither the life-changing opus some readers claimed nor the amateurish fraud purported by the obviously (and curiously) spiteful, this book served it's purpose well: it kept me company over the course of one week. I'm a fan of coming-of-agers as it is, yet find myself often disappointed by the usual themes played out ad nauseum.

The interesting thing about this book is the checklist of typical themes presented in a fresh manner. Kirkus said this book makes its cliches sing together in beautiful unison, and I agree. Loss of sexual innocence? Check. Betrayal? Check. Socioeconomic divisions played out on a fancy-pants college setting? Check. Nathan didn't bore me, as I feared. Instead he took risks with well-travelled genre material, and in my opinion, his risk paid off.

So what we have here is a young, orphaned boy far more intelligent than emotionally secure, sucked into a group of other smarties at a New England college, searching for the secret to immortality. Said secret takes the form of an ancient manuscript(s), and their search for said secret occupies half the novel. The other half is occupied by the young boy's coming of age. He parties, has sex, gets confused, and makes some terrible decisions. Like I said, on paper not the most intriguing (or original) concept, but Nathan pulls it off.

I suspect some of the negative reactions to Nathan's book is a response to his uncomfortable (but nevertheless intriguing) subplot of sexual ambiguity between male friends, along with threads of sexual abuse that silently wind throughout the novel. Again, not your usual topics for a coming-of-ager, and with these sort of risks come the inevitable backlash. But what's that old saying...better to be looked over than overlooked. Nathan's writing evokes strong emotions, and I hope his next tale forges its own genre path.

I think we may have something here...a book that actually manages to be both well-written with a juicy plot to match. Did I just say "juicy?" Indeed.

Many authors seem to have a difficult time balancing plot with their literary aspirations. Not so, this book. Mr. Nathan treads the fine line between John Knowles and Dan Brown, and he does so with uncanny confidence and acumen. Gods of Aberdeen works on many levels: as a coming-of-ager it's brutally honest without resorting to maudlin/cheap laughs. As a scholarly thriller it's erudite without being stuffy, and it appeals to the highest common denominator rather than dumbing things down.

The gist of the story is this: Eric Dunne, a 16 year-old prodigy, leaves the slums of New Jersey and attends Aberdeen College. Eric, it seems, is quite the Latin expert, and attracts the attentions of Aberdeen's famous professor, Dr. Cade. Eric also attracts a group of students who are searching for the Philosopher's Stone (no, not a Harry Potter rip-off but the real deal. Nathan does a terrific job inserting medieval history and alchemy into the tale). Unfortunately this search leads to some very bad things, and Eric finds himself caught between the world of a college freshman and the world of too-smart-for-their-own-good students. Throw in some nubile coeds, a smattering of drugs and alcohol, and you have the makings of a dark collegiate thriller.

Of course there are moments when it becomes clear Mr. Nathan is a young novelist a bit too eager to strut his stuff--but we can forgive him for that because he's given us an intelligent, honest novel, with enough plot to satisfy the most jaded beach-reader, and enough character depth to please the most jaded artiste. In a publishing world where hype never fails to disappoint, this is one instance where the prose speaks for itself. A stunning debut from a gifted writer.

Thomas Wilson

Part coming-of-age, part thriller, this debut novel follows the college freshman year of 16 year-old Eric Dunne, a brilliant orphan who escapes his foster family in New Jersey and attends Aberdeen College in the fictional town of Fairwich, Connecticut.

He soon makes friends with a group of intelligent upperclassmen in Aberdeen's medieval history department, and after adjusting to their rarified way of life (booze, fine dining, discussions about Chaucer, etc.), Eric discovers they're searching for the Philosopher's Stone (an ancient formula that supposedly holds the secret of immortality). Under the tutelage of the aloof Professor Cade, this coterie of intelligent but ultimately misguided students find themselves in a terrible mess, and Eric is caught in the middle.

Nathan's descriptions of campus life, and his descriptions of the campus itself, are nothing short of phenomenal. The characters are fully developed and well-designed, from 16 year-old Eric to the ancient and mysterious librarian Cornelius Graves. I was most impressed with Nathan's dialogue -- although college was a long time ago for me, I felt like I was a freshman again, seeing Aberdeen through Eric's eyes, and having my heart broken along with him. I adored this book, and recommend it to anyone who loved their college days, enjoys a good thriller, or just wants to curl up with a good book.

This book has become one of my favorites. Half "Dead Poets Society," half "The Secret History," it follows the (mis)adventures of Eric Dunne, a young freshman at Aberdeen College in Fairwich, CT. Eric is an orphan (Dickensian influences are apparent) who gets seduced by a group of wealthy students and becomes involved in their obsession with alchemy.

Rather than summarize the plot like everyone else, I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book (taken from the prologue):

"I went back to Aberdeen because I hoped it could return something of mine it had taken long ago. But I realized such places never give back what they take. It's a toll they exact, and when the debt has been paid, you know your time is done not by the clang of any bell, but by the soft rustle of apathy. Nostalgia becomes a dark lens, the promise of immortality sheds its skin, and you find yourself gliding, unseen, under the shadows of the giants in your life, who have grown too tired to take notice."

Enough said. Read this book.

A friend handed me this book last week, and recommended I read it in long stretches. She said this is a book that should be sipped and savored, and having just finished, I can say she was absolutely right.

Nathan moves the story along at the perfect speed, taking his time developing both the characters and the setting. He allows the reader to immerse themselves in the world of Aberdeen College, and we feel as though we are the main character, Eric Dunne. We come of age with Eric, we discover the dark secrets of Aberdeen College with Eric, we feel Eric's alienation and his struggle to belong. Nathan's descriptions of the New England landscape are exquisite, and his portrayals of college dorm life are dead-on.

The plot: Eric Dunne, a 16 year-old orphan from New Jersey, attends Aberdeen College, an exclusive, idyllic school in Connecticut. His first month at school meets a group of sophisticated upperclassmen, and because of his Latin expertise, he's asked to join their project. Their project is research for Aberdeen College's most prestigious professor, Dr. William Cade, for his book series on the Middle Ages. Eric soon discovers his new friends are also searching for the Philosopher's Stone, an alchemical substance rumored to bestow immortality. During their obsessive search for the Stone (including an incredible chapter where Eric, over winter break, visits an ancient monastery in Prague), an alchemical experiments goes awry, and Eric finds himself caught up in tragedy. I don't want to spoil the fun, but it's a heart-breaking plot twist, and one that kept me absolutely glued to the book until the end.

The only thing that detracted from my reading experience was Nathan's many references to medieval literature, but I suspect for those who know a lot more about the Middle Ages than I, these references would be welcome.

I'm not sure what to call this book--a thriller, a mystery, a coming of age tale--but I don't think it matters what you call it. It's a fantastic read, and I can't wait for Nathan's next dark tale.

I think we may have something here...a book that actually manages to be both well-written (VERY well-written, in fact) with a juicy plot to match. Did I just say "juicy?" Indeed.

Many authors seem to have a difficult time balancing plot with their literary aspirations. Not so, this book. Mr. Nathan treads the fine line between John Knowles and Dan Brown, and he does so with uncanny confidence and acumen. Gods of Aberdeen works on many levels: as a coming-of-ager it's brutally honest without resorting to maudlin/cheap laughs. As a scholarly thriller it's erudite without being stuffy, and it appeals to the highest common denominator rather than dumbing things down.

Of course there are moments when it becomes clear Mr. Nathan is a young novelist a bit too eager to strut his stuff--but we can forgive him for that because he's given us an intelligent, honest novel, with enough plot to satisfy the most jaded beach-reader, and enough character depth to please the most jaded artiste. In a publishing world where hype never fails to disappoint, this is one instance where the prose speaks for itself. A stunning debut from a gifted writer.