The Speed of Dark
by Elizabeth Moon
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Book Summary Information
Author: Elizabeth MoonEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Published: 2005-06-28
ISBN: 0345481399
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Reviews of The Speed of Dark
Book Review: I liked it but it was missing something
Summary: 3 Stars
There is a lot to like about this book. It's intelligent, thought provoking stuff. It is about more than just Autism - it pokes at the whole idea of personal change and whether it is important to embrace change or oppose it.
But at the same time, there is a warmth that is lacking in this novel. Granted, that may be by design - seeing things from the main characters point of view is an exercise in seeing something from the point of view of a colder (for want of a better word) personality. But still... It feels lacking.
I also take exception to the end of the novel. I don't want to post a spoiler here, so I will try to talk around it. And actually this is a good point of the novel - I disagree with the main character and his choices, but the author gave me enough information to fully flesh the main character out enough for me to actually disagree with him. But it does not change the fact that I have serious disagreements with the way this book ended.
Overall, this is a good book. It's not a simple read and it is not quick. But it is worth reading.
Summary of The Speed of Dark
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
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.
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