Lorin Barber
Autor(a) de The Secret Life of Copernicus H. Stringfellow
Obras por Lorin Barber
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This reminded me of a Matilda story for grown-ups. Nick is a super-genius who has such a great intellectual ability that he is able to perform telekinesis. I thought this was an interesting premise and was interested to see what challenges this kind of guy faces. I'm a huge fan of super-intelligent characters, so I thought this book would be my kind of thing.
It's great that Nick is such a nice guy. Throughout the entire book, he is constantly doing good deeds for people, such as giving them jobs, helping them heal, and saving them from danger. It did bother me that when explaining his good deeds and his outlook on life, Nick tends to get incredibly preachy. I prefer it when actions speak for themselves.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I'd thought I would. The main problem was the lack of overall conflict. There was nothing to really tie all the events in the book together except for Nick's magical abilities to solve all problems life throws at him. What I love about having super smart main characters is that they usually have to overcome something extraordinary. I was looking for a challenge that would take Nick an entire novel to overcome. As it was, all the conflicts presented were too easy. For him, there was no real challenge. There were a very few instances when Nick's abilities weren't enough to solve the conflict right away, but these things were still relatively quick to be resolved, usually lasting no more than a couple of chapters.
I also thought the writing was a bit awkward. There is a lack of integration of dialogue and narrative. Either conversations go on for pages, or there are pages of narratives. No in-betweens. I also thought it strange that each character gets a full stats run-down upon introduction: exact height, color of eyes, color of hair, physical figure, etc. I wanted to attribute it to Nick's analytical mind, but even that didn't fully work, as the story isn't entirely from his perspective.
Overall, this was disappointing for me. I thought it was a great idea and the novel did have some enjoyable moments, but not enough.
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.*… (mais)
It's great that Nick is such a nice guy. Throughout the entire book, he is constantly doing good deeds for people, such as giving them jobs, helping them heal, and saving them from danger. It did bother me that when explaining his good deeds and his outlook on life, Nick tends to get incredibly preachy. I prefer it when actions speak for themselves.
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I'd thought I would. The main problem was the lack of overall conflict. There was nothing to really tie all the events in the book together except for Nick's magical abilities to solve all problems life throws at him. What I love about having super smart main characters is that they usually have to overcome something extraordinary. I was looking for a challenge that would take Nick an entire novel to overcome. As it was, all the conflicts presented were too easy. For him, there was no real challenge. There were a very few instances when Nick's abilities weren't enough to solve the conflict right away, but these things were still relatively quick to be resolved, usually lasting no more than a couple of chapters.
I also thought the writing was a bit awkward. There is a lack of integration of dialogue and narrative. Either conversations go on for pages, or there are pages of narratives. No in-betweens. I also thought it strange that each character gets a full stats run-down upon introduction: exact height, color of eyes, color of hair, physical figure, etc. I wanted to attribute it to Nick's analytical mind, but even that didn't fully work, as the story isn't entirely from his perspective.
Overall, this was disappointing for me. I thought it was a great idea and the novel did have some enjoyable moments, but not enough.
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.*… (mais)
Copernicus H. Stringfellow, or Nick to his friends, is a strange fellow in many ways. His looks certainly set him apart, but what is really different is his intellect. He's nothing short of a genius, and he uses this intelligence to help those around him. Armed with his official brain food, the Twinkie, Nick has determined to help as many people as possible using his wealth and special abilities. This time though, Nick may meet a group of people that can help him just as much.
What a fun book! It does an excellent job of immediately grabbing you into the story. It is fairly unique as far as stories go too. Nick is a bit of an oddball, but he's very lovable. He seems a bit like a super hero in some senses and an awkward geek in others. He definitely has a wonderful perspective on people. Nick's ability to see past the surface to the true person inside is something we could all learn from. Nick forms a family of sorts, and what a great group of characters they are. I appreciate their diversity, and they certainly seem like a group of people I'd love to have helping me out. It's also great to see that even with all of Nick's intelligence and abilities, he still has things to learn from his new friends. It helps to show that we all have something to contribute.
One thing I found to be a bit jarring was the detailed description you got of every character almost as soon as they were introduced. While it was nice to have such a thorough description and history, sometimes it pulled me out of the story just a little bit. I just wish that could have flowed a bit better. In the end that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book though. This book is fun and whimsical. It almost feels like a fairy tale at times. You can't help but cheer for Nick and his entire crew. I would love to hang out with all of them for a while and just talk. They have some fascinating conversations. I thought this was a really enjoyable book. It helped me gain some perspective on how I judge people and how I can do more to help others. I really look forward to reading more about Nick.
Galley provided for review.… (mais)
What a fun book! It does an excellent job of immediately grabbing you into the story. It is fairly unique as far as stories go too. Nick is a bit of an oddball, but he's very lovable. He seems a bit like a super hero in some senses and an awkward geek in others. He definitely has a wonderful perspective on people. Nick's ability to see past the surface to the true person inside is something we could all learn from. Nick forms a family of sorts, and what a great group of characters they are. I appreciate their diversity, and they certainly seem like a group of people I'd love to have helping me out. It's also great to see that even with all of Nick's intelligence and abilities, he still has things to learn from his new friends. It helps to show that we all have something to contribute.
One thing I found to be a bit jarring was the detailed description you got of every character almost as soon as they were introduced. While it was nice to have such a thorough description and history, sometimes it pulled me out of the story just a little bit. I just wish that could have flowed a bit better. In the end that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book though. This book is fun and whimsical. It almost feels like a fairy tale at times. You can't help but cheer for Nick and his entire crew. I would love to hang out with all of them for a while and just talk. They have some fascinating conversations. I thought this was a really enjoyable book. It helped me gain some perspective on how I judge people and how I can do more to help others. I really look forward to reading more about Nick.
Galley provided for review.… (mais)
Estatísticas
- Obras
- 1
- Membros
- 8
- Popularidade
- #1,038,911
- Avaliação
- 3.8
- Críticas
- 3
- ISBN
- 1
Published By: SweetwaterBooks
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:
"The Secret Life of Corpernicus H.Stringfellow: Surreptitious Superhero" by Lorin Barber was a very interesting enjoyable read of a man who became rich, brilliant and had great powers. Copernicus(Nick) Stringfellow was true genius who was kind and wanted to make good... always trying to set things right around him. Sometimes it seem like Corpernicus had all the different languages and OMG that random trivia...but he got through it all by meeting and helping the right ones that needed his help. I loved his outlook on life..for Nick would make friends with those who needed him..."he would help anyone without wanting anything in return.
The author offers the reader quite a list of themes being introduced throughout the novel like: murder, harassment, child and domestic abuse, plane crash, some romance, and even some family dynamics going on.... so be prepared for those topics that will come up. And when picking up the read you will find out what's up with those 'TWINKIES that Nick loved?'
The characters were really something...some comical, serious and unique...from Nick, Prescilla, Dr.Theodore Furney, Molly, Natalie, Jamie Preston, Jemima, Tilly,Cassy, James, Cathy, Chuck, Carole, Yukiko, Monica Furney, Brad Clawson, Mrs.Lebon, Mrs. Dealva, Gina, Detective Terry Kimura, Frank Brunk, Russ Pauley, Uncle Stan, Aunt Lily,Dr.Cyris Vashkow, Lisa, Dr.Tanner, Matt,to Brian and I am sure I have left several people out so...this is where I say you must pick up the good read of "The Secret Life of Corpernicus H. Stringfellow" and see just what secret he held so close.
This author does a wonderful job as grabbing your attention and keeping you turning the pages till the end...and wow what a ending. Yes, Nick may be considered a odd ball but but he is also very lovable and yes a super hero in every sense of the word.
If you are looking for a hilarious, touching and interesting read you have come to the right place. "The Secret Life of Corpernicus H. Stringfellow: Surreptitious Superhero" I would recommend to you as a good read.… (mais)