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One Extraordinary Time
During August of 2001, life is carefree for Freddy Will. His life changed after 840 million dollars came his way, courtesy of an enormous bank error, along with witnessing the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. This waiter becomes an unexpected national hero. Romance, suspense, tragedy and humor are all in this action packed Historical Fiction.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2013
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 12, 2026
Where to begin?
First, I didn't finish this book. I stopped after a ~certain word~.
But it didn't matter because this was already a slog to read. I was trying to make it through, more as a testament of my endurance and as a study tool: why was this so painful and boring to read? What made it so dull?
It's because you never truly get the characters. All interesting, emotional moments are kind of glossed over, but it DOES capture the tacky waiter humor well, as well as the banality of political discussion at family cookouts. Listen, I shouldn't be eager for 9/11 to happen.
Then it was 9/11. And 9/11 was a total let down, but we did have the main character run into the buildings briefly... for some reason. Nothing happens. There was more of a story in that "Breaking: A second Tesla has hit the World Trade Center" tweet.
When the main character (I can't remember his name. There are so many characters and they all blend together) starts sending bank checks to the families, there's no cut-away to see how people react to receiving a massive check. We don't see how they plan to spend it. Maybe some people decide to pay-it-forward and spread happiness to others, which would solidify what I think is the theme for this book. Also, don't say "People are receiving surprise envelopes" when people are getting anthrax sent to them. It's confusing. There's a better way to structure this if you want the contrast.
But I stopped at ~62% in.
Wanna know why? Because the author DROPS THE FUCKING N-WORD. HARD R.
Listen, I get it. I've read books with slurs in it. Yes, it's a word people use and it's sometimes considered acceptable, but usually it doesn't come out of FUCKING NO WHERE, especially when this book makes a point to censor "God." No seriously, every swear word (and slur) is spelled out, but God is "G-d." I feel like the man in Life of Brian and want to go, "Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah!" The wrong word was censored, bro.
This isn't the book for it. The author isn't skilled enough to handle dialogue. I was already casting some side-eye at the "China Wok" owner and how he was portrayed. No, I don't care if the character who said the slur was black. It was unnecessary. Maaaybe in a better book, it could fly, but not in this one. It already took me months to get this far, and I'm done.
edit: I FORGOT. There were OTHER slurs! But at least there, the character was being racist and tossed out of the restaurant. If the author hadn't censored "God," I probably wouldn't be as irritated.
First, I didn't finish this book. I stopped after a ~certain word~.
But it didn't matter because this was already a slog to read. I was trying to make it through, more as a testament of my endurance and as a study tool: why was this so painful and boring to read? What made it so dull?
It's because you never truly get the characters. All interesting, emotional moments are kind of glossed over, but it DOES capture the tacky waiter humor well, as well as the banality of political discussion at family cookouts. Listen, I shouldn't be eager for 9/11 to happen.
Then it was 9/11. And 9/11 was a total let down, but we did have the main character run into the buildings briefly... for some reason. Nothing happens. There was more of a story in that "Breaking: A second Tesla has hit the World Trade Center" tweet.
When the main character (I can't remember his name. There are so many characters and they all blend together) starts sending bank checks to the families, there's no cut-away to see how people react to receiving a massive check. We don't see how they plan to spend it. Maybe some people decide to pay-it-forward and spread happiness to others, which would solidify what I think is the theme for this book. Also, don't say "People are receiving surprise envelopes" when people are getting anthrax sent to them. It's confusing. There's a better way to structure this if you want the contrast.
But I stopped at ~62% in.
Wanna know why? Because the author DROPS THE FUCKING N-WORD. HARD R.
Listen, I get it. I've read books with slurs in it. Yes, it's a word people use and it's sometimes considered acceptable, but usually it doesn't come out of FUCKING NO WHERE, especially when this book makes a point to censor "God." No seriously, every swear word (and slur) is spelled out, but God is "G-d." I feel like the man in Life of Brian and want to go, "Jehovah, Jehovah, Jehovah!" The wrong word was censored, bro.
This isn't the book for it. The author isn't skilled enough to handle dialogue. I was already casting some side-eye at the "China Wok" owner and how he was portrayed. No, I don't care if the character who said the slur was black. It was unnecessary. Maaaybe in a better book, it could fly, but not in this one. It already took me months to get this far, and I'm done.
edit: I FORGOT. There were OTHER slurs! But at least there, the character was being racist and tossed out of the restaurant. If the author hadn't censored "God," I probably wouldn't be as irritated.
Displaying 1 of 1 review