| Author: |
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Elizabeth Moon
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| Title: |
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The Speed of Dark |
| Moochable copies: |
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No copies available |
| Amazon suggests: |
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| Recommended: |
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| Topics: |
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| Published in: |
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English |
| Binding: |
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Mass Market Paperback |
| Pages: |
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384 |
| Date: |
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2005-06-28 |
| ISBN: |
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0345481399 |
| Publisher: |
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Del Rey |
| Weight: |
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0.45 pounds |
| Size: |
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1.0 x 4.15 x 6.85 inches |
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| Description: |
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Product Description
In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past. Most genetic defects will be removed at birth; the remaining during infancy. Unfortunately, there will be a generation left behind. For members of that missed generation, small advances will be made. Through various programs, they will be taught to get along in the world despite their differences. They will be made active and contributing members of society. But they will never be normal.
Lou Arrendale is a member of that lost generation, born at the wrong time to reap the awards of medical science. Part of a small group of high-functioning autistic adults, he has a steady job with a pharmaceutical company, a car, friends, and a passion for fencing. Aside from his annual visits to his counselor, he lives a low-key, independent life. He has learned to shake hands and make eye contact. He has taught himself to use “please” and “thank you” and other conventions of conversation because he knows it makes others comfortable. He does his best to be as normal as possible and not to draw attention to himself.
But then his quiet life comes under attack. It starts with an experimental treatment that will reverse the effects of autism in adults. With this treatment Lou would think and act and be just like everyone else. But if he was suddenly free of autism, would he still be himself? Would he still love the same classical music–with its complications and resolutions? Would he still see the same colors and patterns in the world–shades and hues that others cannot see? Most importantly, would he still love Marjory, a woman who may never be able to reciprocate his feelings? Would it be easier for her to return the love of a “normal”?
There are intense pressures coming from the world around him–including an angry supervisor who wants to cut costs by sacrificing the supports necessary to employ autistic workers. Perhaps even more disturbing are the barrage of questions within himself. For Lou must decide if he should submit to a surgery that might completely change the way he views the world . . . and the very essence of who he is.
Thoughtful, provocative, poignant, unforgettable, The Speed of Dark is a gripping exploration into the mind of an autistic person as he struggles with profound questions of humanity and matters of the heart.
From the Hardcover edition.
Amazon.com Review
Corporate life in early 21st-century America is even more ruthless than it was at the turn of the millennium. Lou Arrendale, well compensated for his remarkable pattern-recognition skills, enjoys his job and expects never to lose it. But he has a new boss, a man who thinks Lou and the others in his building are a liability. Lou and his coworkers are autistic. And the new boss is going to fire Lou and all his coworkers--unless they agree to undergo an experimental new procedure to "cure" them.
In The Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon has created a powerful, complex, and believable portrayal of a man who varies radically from what is defined as "normal." The author insightfully explores the nature of "normality," identity, choice, responsibility, free will, illness and health, and good and evil. The Speed of Dark is a powerful, moving, illuminating novel in the tradition of Flowers for Algernon, Forrest Gump, and Rain Man . --Cynthia Ward
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| Reviews: |
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Julia (USA) (2009/04/23):
I really enjoyed this book, so much that I had difficulty putting it down and read it nearly all in one shot. Emotionally gripping, and incredibly insightful - this novel actually changed my previously strongly-head perspectives on some issues. While I have not known anyone autistic personally, I'd always considered it something undesirable. I'd thought about if I found out I were pregnant with a child of that level of disability (Down's, for example) - would I abort? And I would have, but now I don't think that I would. Seeing the world from Lou's eyes was so revealing; as an autist, he was no less valuable a person than anyone normal, and I would argue in fact, a much better person than most normal people. I found this a personally valuable lesson, one which broadened my standards for judging other people's worth. Technically sci-fi, the world is futuristic with the technology and some dystopic elements such as global warming to prove it, but those aspects of the setting don't become apparent at first. Initially, it feels contemporary, and it's certainly in the very near future. But I did like the tech that Moon introduced; I'm a scientist and I found it well-researched and believable as well as interesting, so Moon's own background definitely shows through. There is quite a bit of scientific language and discussion generally, which I felt further enriched the story. Fundamentally the novel examines psychological and philosophical topics - the nature of existence, of individuality, of the relationship between brain chemistry and personality - and for me, this makes it a fine example of science or speculative fiction. I can't imagine anyone would read this and *not* ponder these issues as a result. It's a rare book that can be both intellectual in this manner and evoke the reader's emotions strongly as well. Several times I felt myself on the verge of tears, a tightness in my throat, and I often felt strong anger towards people who mistreated Lou, because I empathised so strongly with him. Moon succeeds in placing the reader in both Lou's thoughts AND feelings - truly remarkable. So, why not 5 stars, you might wonder? Well, I found the ending, which I won't spoil, somewhat anti-climactic, and I can't personally truly love any book that doesn't end satisfyingly. It felt rushed and slightly incredulous to me. My other criticism lies with Moon's repeated use of the 'What's the speed of dark?' question; this felt forced and did not add to the story in my opinion. Instead it distracted and struck me as affected. Nonetheless, I'm thankful that I've read this and would heartily recommend it to others.
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| URL: |
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http://bookmooch.com/0345481399 |
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