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How Lucky
For readers of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Nothing to See Here, a first novel as suspenseful and funny as it is moving, the unforgettable story of a fiercely resilient young man living with a physical disability, and his efforts to solve a mystery unfolding right outside his door.
Daniel leads a rich life in the university town of Athens, Georgia. He's got a couple close friends, a steady paycheck working for a regional airline, and of course, for a few glorious days each Fall, college football tailgates. He considers himself to be a mostly lucky guy--despite the fact that he's suffered from a debilitating disease since he was a small child, one that has left him unable to speak or to move without a wheelchair.
Largely confined to his home, Daniel spends the hours he's not online communicating with irate air travelers observing his neighborhood from his front porch. One young woman passes by so frequently that spotting her out the window has almost become part of his daily routine. Until the day he's almost sure he sees her being kidnapped...
Daniel leads a rich life in the university town of Athens, Georgia. He's got a couple close friends, a steady paycheck working for a regional airline, and of course, for a few glorious days each Fall, college football tailgates. He considers himself to be a mostly lucky guy--despite the fact that he's suffered from a debilitating disease since he was a small child, one that has left him unable to speak or to move without a wheelchair.
Largely confined to his home, Daniel spends the hours he's not online communicating with irate air travelers observing his neighborhood from his front porch. One young woman passes by so frequently that spotting her out the window has almost become part of his daily routine. Until the day he's almost sure he sees her being kidnapped...
290 pages, Hardcover
First published May 11, 2021
1475 people are currently reading
31874 people want to read
About the author
Will Leitch
17 books443 followersWill Leitch lives in Athens, Georgia with his family and is the author of seven books, including the novels Lloyd McNeil's Last Ride, How Lucky and The Time Has Come. He writes regularly for New York, MLB.com, The New York Times and the Washington Post. He is the founder of the late website Deadspin. He also writes a free weekly newsletter that you might enjoy at williamfleitch.substack.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,804 reviews
August 21, 2021
Will Leitch's new novel,
How Lucky
, is an utterly unforgettable, beautiful book about hope, friendship, and survival.
If you were to look at Daniel, you’d assume he was miserable. Since childhood he’s lived with a degenerative disease that has confined him to a wheelchair, mostly unable to speak, and he knows ultimately that this will be his death sentence.
But while Daniel may not be living the kind of life people envy, he has a full life. He has friends and a strong support system of people who care about him, a job for a regional airline, and living in Athens, Georgia, he loves to experience the jubilation of college football and how it transforms everything.
“Real life, mercifully, isn’t a thriller. Those things don’t happen to you, and they don’t happen to me. My life is nothing but small moments, and so is yours. We don’t live in a series of plot points. We should be thankful for that. We should realize how lucky we are.”
One morning Daniel sees a young woman walking down the street past his house. She does this every day. But on this day he sees her get into a car, and the next day he hears she has gone missing.
What could have happened to this woman? Daniel wants to tell the police what he knows, but will they believe someone like him? What Daniel doesn’t realize is he’ll set a chain of events in motion which could threaten his life—but he’d probably do it anyway for the sake of the young woman.
How Lucky is suspenseful, uplifting, funny, poignant, and utterly charming. It has elements of Rear Window but it’s a story all its own, with one of the most engaging and wonderful protagonists I’ve ever seen. It makes you think, it’ll make you smile, and if you’re like me, you’ll probably tear up.
Leitch did such a great job creating these characters and definitely did his research on what it's like to live with a disability like Daniel's. And extra points for commentary on the fact Glenn Close STILL hasn’t won an Oscar!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
If you were to look at Daniel, you’d assume he was miserable. Since childhood he’s lived with a degenerative disease that has confined him to a wheelchair, mostly unable to speak, and he knows ultimately that this will be his death sentence.
But while Daniel may not be living the kind of life people envy, he has a full life. He has friends and a strong support system of people who care about him, a job for a regional airline, and living in Athens, Georgia, he loves to experience the jubilation of college football and how it transforms everything.
“Real life, mercifully, isn’t a thriller. Those things don’t happen to you, and they don’t happen to me. My life is nothing but small moments, and so is yours. We don’t live in a series of plot points. We should be thankful for that. We should realize how lucky we are.”
One morning Daniel sees a young woman walking down the street past his house. She does this every day. But on this day he sees her get into a car, and the next day he hears she has gone missing.
What could have happened to this woman? Daniel wants to tell the police what he knows, but will they believe someone like him? What Daniel doesn’t realize is he’ll set a chain of events in motion which could threaten his life—but he’d probably do it anyway for the sake of the young woman.
How Lucky is suspenseful, uplifting, funny, poignant, and utterly charming. It has elements of Rear Window but it’s a story all its own, with one of the most engaging and wonderful protagonists I’ve ever seen. It makes you think, it’ll make you smile, and if you’re like me, you’ll probably tear up.
Leitch did such a great job creating these characters and definitely did his research on what it's like to live with a disability like Daniel's. And extra points for commentary on the fact Glenn Close STILL hasn’t won an Oscar!!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
January 19, 2021
“How Lucky is a gem: a riveting plot and a narrator who is charming, engaging, and downright inspiring. Will Leitch brilliantly juggles hilarity and horror. I loved this novel — every page.”
December 9, 2021
3.5 Stars
Another shelf warmer that I picked up from the library.
Saw the cute little house cover with a blurb from Stephen King "A fantastic novel.....You are going to like this a lot." I'd say, "I liked it, and I was thinking about it for a few days after I finished it."
Unique and a bit quirky.
Daniel suffers from a a progressive genetic disorder, spinal muscular atrophy. He is confined to a wheelchair, but is able to live in his home with the help of some care workers that visit daily. He also has a job, working social media for a commuter airline (interesting emails)!
One morning he sees a woman being pulled into a car.
He has seen her walking by his house every morning for the last two months. Same time, same place.
Later, he sees the news report of a missing woman, Ai-Chin. He remembers "That is the girl. And that was the car." He finds himself a "witness".
A lot of the story is explaining the debilitating disease and learning about how it affects his day to day life. The mystery is woven into Daniel's story.
The end felt sudden, rushed and was kind of shocking.
Pick it up for something different, some light suspense, learning about SMA and resilience, a quick and thought-provoking read.
Not a thriller, but has a "I can't stop reading it" kind of feel (even with some slow parts). It's different.
Library loan/ Dec 2021
Another shelf warmer that I picked up from the library.
Saw the cute little house cover with a blurb from Stephen King "A fantastic novel.....You are going to like this a lot." I'd say, "I liked it, and I was thinking about it for a few days after I finished it."
Unique and a bit quirky.
Daniel suffers from a a progressive genetic disorder, spinal muscular atrophy. He is confined to a wheelchair, but is able to live in his home with the help of some care workers that visit daily. He also has a job, working social media for a commuter airline (interesting emails)!
One morning he sees a woman being pulled into a car.
He has seen her walking by his house every morning for the last two months. Same time, same place.
Later, he sees the news report of a missing woman, Ai-Chin. He remembers "That is the girl. And that was the car." He finds himself a "witness".
A lot of the story is explaining the debilitating disease and learning about how it affects his day to day life. The mystery is woven into Daniel's story.
The end felt sudden, rushed and was kind of shocking.
Pick it up for something different, some light suspense, learning about SMA and resilience, a quick and thought-provoking read.
Not a thriller, but has a "I can't stop reading it" kind of feel (even with some slow parts). It's different.
Library loan/ Dec 2021
June 14, 2021
I loved this book so very much. I loved it!
Daniel lives in the college town of Athens, Georgia. One of my dear friends is from Athens, attended UGA, and was married there, and if you are like her and have a love for that special place, this author clearly shares your same love in this book! It was a great setting to share Daniel’s story.
Daniel has a degenerative disease, and he narrates his story. But first, he needs to tell the reader about the possible kidnapping he witnessed. Right from the very start there’s an underlying thread of tension because Daniel may have witnessed a real crime while looking out his front window.
But at the heart of the story is Daniel’s heart. His goodness, warmth, and positivity. He educates the reader on spinal muscular atrophy, but even more so, the microaggressions and not-so-microaggressions those with physical disabilities are confronted with. I’ll never forget my time spent with Daniel or this most memorable and engaging story.
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Daniel lives in the college town of Athens, Georgia. One of my dear friends is from Athens, attended UGA, and was married there, and if you are like her and have a love for that special place, this author clearly shares your same love in this book! It was a great setting to share Daniel’s story.
Daniel has a degenerative disease, and he narrates his story. But first, he needs to tell the reader about the possible kidnapping he witnessed. Right from the very start there’s an underlying thread of tension because Daniel may have witnessed a real crime while looking out his front window.
But at the heart of the story is Daniel’s heart. His goodness, warmth, and positivity. He educates the reader on spinal muscular atrophy, but even more so, the microaggressions and not-so-microaggressions those with physical disabilities are confronted with. I’ll never forget my time spent with Daniel or this most memorable and engaging story.
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
April 15, 2022
This is a Suspense Mystery that is told from the point of view of a young man with Type 2 SMA named Daniel. This book feels like you are in the mind of Daniel, and you really get to feel what it is like to be him. I really love that this book show that so well. The mystery was really good, and the build up was really good. I really glad I read this book. I really did not know what I was jumping into when I picked this book up, but it was a ride like no other. Daniel's character was really developed, and his character was so great. I also loved the woman that helps him named Marjani. Her character was everything, and I loved her so much. This book is way more then a fast pace action pack Mystery because it opens the eyes of the readers to what it is really like to have disabilities which is so great. I do not know about SMA myself, so I cannot say if it is correct in this book. I picked this as my Book of the Month book of May, and right after I picked it I got approve for it on Netgalley. I cannot say how much I really love this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harper) or author (Will Leitch) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
https://www.mybotm.com/zr12wnytgc8?sh...
https://www.mybotm.com/zr12wnytgc8?sh...
April 25, 2022
Cringey and uncomfortable. This book is trying to pander to progressive ideologies, but it comes off as disingenuous, preachy, and offensive. I wouldn’t recommend it.
Before I tear this book apart, let me say what I liked about it. I loved the premise. A mystery with disability rep is right up my alley. I also loved the writing style. Daniel breaks the fourth wall to talk to us for most of the story. The short, causal sentences really made it feel like we were hearing Daniel’s thoughts. This writing style and the book’s short chapters made it propulsive and easy to read.
The actual story was meh. The mystery plot takes up only a fraction of the book. The rest of the book is spent teaching us about SMA, giving Daniel a long and needless backstory, and just following Daniel around for a week. I think this book would have done better to rebrand itself as a day-in-the-life type story and leave the mystery out of it. I did appreciate learning about SMA, but the rest just felt like filler. We learned more about random people in Daniel’s past than we learned about the kidnapper or his victim. At some points I felt as though Leitch was simply writing his friends into the novel for fun and that’s why there were so many characters that went nowhere. Also, a pet peeve of mine is when the conflict of the story is primarily due to miscommunication. Miscommunication is the only thing going on here and it’s frustrating as hell. If there wasn’t any miscommunication, the book would only be 20 pages long.
So now, why did I hate this book?
1. Disability Erasure
Daniel lost the ability to speak a few years before the start of the book. He communicates with people by slowly typing out words on his computer that a robotic voice reads aloud (think Stephen Hawking). However, Daniel’s closest companions, his home health aide Marjani and his best friend Travis developed a different way of communicating with him… telepathy.
I don’t know what Leitch was thinking. This isn’t a magical realism book, it’s a realism book. I totally get and would expect close companions to intuit Daniel’s needs, but what was happening was full, complex thoughts and dialogue going back and forth between Daniel and Marjani/Travis.
This made me rageful. I do not have SMA, nor do I know anyone with SMA. I do have a disability but nothing resembling SMA. My disability never magically disappeared during crucial ‘plot points’ of my life. I don’t understand why this telepathy was even needed, couldn’t Leitch just replace “said” with “typed”? Was it that Daniel typed so slowly that he couldn’t effectively communicate what was needed in the allotted time for the story? As if he had… a disability?
2. Preachiness & Not Your Story to Tell
As said earlier, I did appreciate learning about SMA, but I was aggravated by the multitude of passages telling us how society treated Daniel so differently and poorly. It felt like a generic after-school special about inclusion. Part of me agreed with everything that was being said. I mean, who wouldn’t agree that we need to be a more tolerant society? Who doesn’t need to self-reflect on their own privilege?
But another part of me was like, dude, you magically erased this guy’s disability because it was difficult for you to write about, so... STFU. Also, everything that was being said was very generic. You could replace ableism with any other -ism and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. It was at this point that I googled Leitch’s connection with SMA; his young son has a friend with the disease. In my opinion, nobody should write an authoritative, firsthand account about what it’s like to be part of a marginalized group, if you’re not in that group.
3. Ableist Language
I’ll give you an example. Daniel, who has used a wheelchair his entire life, is describing Travis as being talkative, so much so that people usually get worn out and just leave the conversation. Here’s the analogy Daniel goes with:
Umm, what?
4. Woke Tokenism & Still Being Offensive
This whole book feels like it’s trying to be woke but in actuality it was being offensive. Great, your main character is disabled, don’t take away his disability. The girl who was kidnapped was Asian; the book has a few throw away lines about how the outcry for a white girl would have been greater, but that’s literally it. The entire conflict of the book is based around her kidnapping but we learn little about her. It felt as though her race was merely used as a shallow plot device, which is gross.
There were a few lines about fighting the patriarchy, but by-and-large the book spoke about women in such a demeaning fashion. At one point, Leitch even refers to women as “foals”. 🤢
Everything just felt so thoughtless that even innocent comments made me livid. Like when Daniel was wondering if Marjani (who is muslim, wears a headscarf, and abstains from alcohol) was in the kitchen cooking bacon.
5. References
This is petty compared to everything else I wrote but I’m gonna add it in here anyway because it took me out of the book constantly- the old pop culture references. Daniel is 26 years old in 2019; the pop culture references he uses make him sound like he’s a grandpa. If Daniel was a movie buff or 1980’s pop culture aficionado, the references would make sense, but he’s not. I have never heard a young millennial/ old gen z person talk like this. I didn’t understand a single reference. I looked up half of them and figured the other half would just be an inside joke I would never understand… and the football references, omg, like water torture.
👭
Before I tear this book apart, let me say what I liked about it. I loved the premise. A mystery with disability rep is right up my alley. I also loved the writing style. Daniel breaks the fourth wall to talk to us for most of the story. The short, causal sentences really made it feel like we were hearing Daniel’s thoughts. This writing style and the book’s short chapters made it propulsive and easy to read.
The actual story was meh. The mystery plot takes up only a fraction of the book. The rest of the book is spent teaching us about SMA, giving Daniel a long and needless backstory, and just following Daniel around for a week. I think this book would have done better to rebrand itself as a day-in-the-life type story and leave the mystery out of it. I did appreciate learning about SMA, but the rest just felt like filler. We learned more about random people in Daniel’s past than we learned about the kidnapper or his victim. At some points I felt as though Leitch was simply writing his friends into the novel for fun and that’s why there were so many characters that went nowhere. Also, a pet peeve of mine is when the conflict of the story is primarily due to miscommunication. Miscommunication is the only thing going on here and it’s frustrating as hell. If there wasn’t any miscommunication, the book would only be 20 pages long.
So now, why did I hate this book?
1. Disability Erasure
Daniel lost the ability to speak a few years before the start of the book. He communicates with people by slowly typing out words on his computer that a robotic voice reads aloud (think Stephen Hawking). However, Daniel’s closest companions, his home health aide Marjani and his best friend Travis developed a different way of communicating with him… telepathy.
I don’t know what Leitch was thinking. This isn’t a magical realism book, it’s a realism book. I totally get and would expect close companions to intuit Daniel’s needs, but what was happening was full, complex thoughts and dialogue going back and forth between Daniel and Marjani/Travis.
This made me rageful. I do not have SMA, nor do I know anyone with SMA. I do have a disability but nothing resembling SMA. My disability never magically disappeared during crucial ‘plot points’ of my life. I don’t understand why this telepathy was even needed, couldn’t Leitch just replace “said” with “typed”? Was it that Daniel typed so slowly that he couldn’t effectively communicate what was needed in the allotted time for the story? As if he had… a disability?
2. Preachiness & Not Your Story to Tell
As said earlier, I did appreciate learning about SMA, but I was aggravated by the multitude of passages telling us how society treated Daniel so differently and poorly. It felt like a generic after-school special about inclusion. Part of me agreed with everything that was being said. I mean, who wouldn’t agree that we need to be a more tolerant society? Who doesn’t need to self-reflect on their own privilege?
But another part of me was like, dude, you magically erased this guy’s disability because it was difficult for you to write about, so... STFU. Also, everything that was being said was very generic. You could replace ableism with any other -ism and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. It was at this point that I googled Leitch’s connection with SMA; his young son has a friend with the disease. In my opinion, nobody should write an authoritative, firsthand account about what it’s like to be part of a marginalized group, if you’re not in that group.
3. Ableist Language
I’ll give you an example. Daniel, who has used a wheelchair his entire life, is describing Travis as being talkative, so much so that people usually get worn out and just leave the conversation. Here’s the analogy Daniel goes with:
It’s like “the way you wait for an elevator too long, realize it’s never coming, and just take the stairs.”
Umm, what?
4. Woke Tokenism & Still Being Offensive
This whole book feels like it’s trying to be woke but in actuality it was being offensive. Great, your main character is disabled, don’t take away his disability. The girl who was kidnapped was Asian; the book has a few throw away lines about how the outcry for a white girl would have been greater, but that’s literally it. The entire conflict of the book is based around her kidnapping but we learn little about her. It felt as though her race was merely used as a shallow plot device, which is gross.
There were a few lines about fighting the patriarchy, but by-and-large the book spoke about women in such a demeaning fashion. At one point, Leitch even refers to women as “foals”. 🤢
Everything just felt so thoughtless that even innocent comments made me livid. Like when Daniel was wondering if Marjani (who is muslim, wears a headscarf, and abstains from alcohol) was in the kitchen cooking bacon.
5. References
This is petty compared to everything else I wrote but I’m gonna add it in here anyway because it took me out of the book constantly- the old pop culture references. Daniel is 26 years old in 2019; the pop culture references he uses make him sound like he’s a grandpa. If Daniel was a movie buff or 1980’s pop culture aficionado, the references would make sense, but he’s not. I have never heard a young millennial/ old gen z person talk like this. I didn’t understand a single reference. I looked up half of them and figured the other half would just be an inside joke I would never understand… and the football references, omg, like water torture.
👭
April 24, 2021
"Stay kind, kid. No one will see it coming."
If Fredrik Backman decided to try his hand at a creative retelling of The Girl on the Train, I imagine the resulting novel would look very similar to How Lucky. Will Leitch has achieved a near-impossible level of perfection, blending winsome, self-deprecating sarcasm with deeply-humanizing empathy.
"You don’t owe anyone anything. They help you because they love you. Why else does anyone help anyone? Letting someone help you is the nicest thing you can do for anyone."
In How Lucky, Daniel spends most of his time at home. He works remotely as a customer service agent for a regional airline and interacts with most of his friends online, as he also happens to have spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that has caused his body to deteriorate and leaves him confined to a wheelchair.
"I make a mental note: No more Batman underwear. Disabled people have a hard enough time with people thinking we all have the mental capacity of children without them seeing me in Batman underwear. Leave me alone."
One day, Daniel believes he witnesses a crime from his front porch. He wants to help local authorities figure out what happened, but because his disease makes verbal communication difficult, he decides to take matters into his own hands, setting off a chain of events that manage to be both slapstick and incredibly dangerous - in more ways than one.
"The world is just a cavalcade of surprises."
Daniel is funny, self-aware, perpetually grateful, and gives stellar representation to a community of people with disabilities. His best friend, Travis, and primary caregiver, Marjani, are devoted, selfless, and compassionate. How Lucky made me laugh out loud, over and over again, and kept me on the edge of my seat in suspense, and had me near tears more than once.
"I am blessed. I am blessed because I am going to go long before any of them do. I am not going to have to grieve for them, because they are going to have to grieve for me."
Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Anxious People, and Good Eggs will fall in love with this book, and with Leitch's compelling narrative style. The unflinching hope, optimism, and intrinsic goodness seen in the first-person narrator, Daniel, will absolutely restore your faith in humanity, and the beautiful portrayals of friendship and devotion will warm your heart.
"I have not suffered. I have lived!"
——
A huge thank-you to Will Leitch, Harper, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
——
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!
If Fredrik Backman decided to try his hand at a creative retelling of The Girl on the Train, I imagine the resulting novel would look very similar to How Lucky. Will Leitch has achieved a near-impossible level of perfection, blending winsome, self-deprecating sarcasm with deeply-humanizing empathy.
"You don’t owe anyone anything. They help you because they love you. Why else does anyone help anyone? Letting someone help you is the nicest thing you can do for anyone."
In How Lucky, Daniel spends most of his time at home. He works remotely as a customer service agent for a regional airline and interacts with most of his friends online, as he also happens to have spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that has caused his body to deteriorate and leaves him confined to a wheelchair.
"I make a mental note: No more Batman underwear. Disabled people have a hard enough time with people thinking we all have the mental capacity of children without them seeing me in Batman underwear. Leave me alone."
One day, Daniel believes he witnesses a crime from his front porch. He wants to help local authorities figure out what happened, but because his disease makes verbal communication difficult, he decides to take matters into his own hands, setting off a chain of events that manage to be both slapstick and incredibly dangerous - in more ways than one.
"The world is just a cavalcade of surprises."
Daniel is funny, self-aware, perpetually grateful, and gives stellar representation to a community of people with disabilities. His best friend, Travis, and primary caregiver, Marjani, are devoted, selfless, and compassionate. How Lucky made me laugh out loud, over and over again, and kept me on the edge of my seat in suspense, and had me near tears more than once.
"I am blessed. I am blessed because I am going to go long before any of them do. I am not going to have to grieve for them, because they are going to have to grieve for me."
Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Anxious People, and Good Eggs will fall in love with this book, and with Leitch's compelling narrative style. The unflinching hope, optimism, and intrinsic goodness seen in the first-person narrator, Daniel, will absolutely restore your faith in humanity, and the beautiful portrayals of friendship and devotion will warm your heart.
"I have not suffered. I have lived!"
——
A huge thank-you to Will Leitch, Harper, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
——
Follow @letteredlibrary on Instagram!
August 3, 2022
This book was a fast, interesting read that pulled me in from the start but lost me in the middle. I learned a lot about Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). It almost became the whole reason for this book. But I kept reading, and the mystery finally started taking precedence and added some excitement to this book.
An engaging read that goes a little too far (In my opinion) in beating us over the head about this little known disease. I like learning new things, but I don't particularly appreciate being preached to.
*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.
An engaging read that goes a little too far (In my opinion) in beating us over the head about this little known disease. I like learning new things, but I don't particularly appreciate being preached to.
*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.
July 10, 2021
A Fantastic novel....You are going to like this a lot. - Stephen King
Uncle Steve is correct; I did like it a lot!
I saw this book on display at work. The title and cover got my attention and then the blurb from Stephen King. I sampled the first page or two and I was immediately hooked. I hadn't even read the inside flap until I was about 20 or so pages into the book.
It's more than a mystery with a kidnapping. It's also a story about hope, strength, and unconditional love. There is some violence and a couple of trips to the hospital. The characters are wonderful, except for the sociopathic kidnapper, but all of them were well-developed. I absolutely adore Daniel. He's intelligent, funny, and full of life. I hadn't even heard of SMA before reading this. It felt like the author had a strong understanding of what it's like to live with SMA —the physical and emotional challenges, the stereotypes.
I'm so glad that I impulsively checked out this book and read it. It's a quick read, but one that got me out of a reading slump. I didn't read much in June, but this book got me back into it. I hope I see more stories from Leitch with these characters.
Highly recommended!
May 6, 2022
Recommended: sure, for other people
For folks curious about life with SMA as a wheelchair-user, for a light mystery heavy on character introspection, for small laughs about dark things
Thoughts:
I can't really believe I'm rating this as "just ok" but that is indeed what's happening. I can't really pinpoint what missed for me with this book. Objectively I can look at it's components and think it would probably be good, but ultimately I just wasn't that into it. Reading it wasn't a chore, but I guess I just never really connected with the characters nor the plot.
Probably unsurprisingly, what did the most for me was the insight into an experience for someone with SMA who uses a wheelchair. The author is not in that situation himself, but grew up with others who were and had close relationships with some folks with SMA, so I hope that it is a fair and accurate imagining. Daniel's voice was so funny! When he commented on the absurdity from an outside view of a bulky man dropping a disabled kid, I cracked up at his piercing depiction and loved the way he could find a way to smile at even an objectively overall horrible situation.
And yet, still. By the last quarter I was speeding through so I could be done because I just wanted to wrap it up. The ending took a turn or two that I absolutely did not expect which was greatly appreciated, and overall the quality of this book is high. But my experience of it? That, for whatever reason, was "Eh." (One small thing I didn't terribly like were the moments when the narrative was directed at "you" and addressed to "you." That's largely hit or miss with me.)
Edit on 12/23/21
You know what I forgot to mention here? The boots. THE BOOTS. That was something I don't think I can forgive in this book for how bafflingly stupid it was to ignore. More than anything, I really hated that. Also, the fact that the author knows someone with the condition feels like maybe too tenuous a grasp to write like this. It makes me feel kind of uncomfortable with my chuckles earlier, because it's kind of like, are you exactly qualified to be representing this experience? Hmmm...
~See more reviews and book talk at MyBookJoy.com!~
For folks curious about life with SMA as a wheelchair-user, for a light mystery heavy on character introspection, for small laughs about dark things
Thoughts:
I can't really believe I'm rating this as "just ok" but that is indeed what's happening. I can't really pinpoint what missed for me with this book. Objectively I can look at it's components and think it would probably be good, but ultimately I just wasn't that into it. Reading it wasn't a chore, but I guess I just never really connected with the characters nor the plot.
Probably unsurprisingly, what did the most for me was the insight into an experience for someone with SMA who uses a wheelchair. The author is not in that situation himself, but grew up with others who were and had close relationships with some folks with SMA, so I hope that it is a fair and accurate imagining. Daniel's voice was so funny! When he commented on the absurdity from an outside view of a bulky man dropping a disabled kid, I cracked up at his piercing depiction and loved the way he could find a way to smile at even an objectively overall horrible situation.
And yet, still. By the last quarter I was speeding through so I could be done because I just wanted to wrap it up. The ending took a turn or two that I absolutely did not expect which was greatly appreciated, and overall the quality of this book is high. But my experience of it? That, for whatever reason, was "Eh." (One small thing I didn't terribly like were the moments when the narrative was directed at "you" and addressed to "you." That's largely hit or miss with me.)
Edit on 12/23/21
You know what I forgot to mention here? The boots. THE BOOTS. That was something I don't think I can forgive in this book for how bafflingly stupid it was to ignore. More than anything, I really hated that. Also, the fact that the author knows someone with the condition feels like maybe too tenuous a grasp to write like this. It makes me feel kind of uncomfortable with my chuckles earlier, because it's kind of like, are you exactly qualified to be representing this experience? Hmmm...
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July 27, 2021
Why oh why don’t I post timely reviews for books I enjoy??????
Yeah, that’s probably why.
The comparison to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime was the hook that got me crying over my ARC denial for this one. Okay, that’s not accurate. The house on the cover was the hook (duh) and the comparison just helped seal the deal.
The best thing about this story is there is NOT an unreliable narrator. You see, the main character Daniel isn’t trapped in his house due to some psychosis and he doesn’t think he sees something while in a drunken stupor. Nope. Daniel is just like you and me. He sees a missing poster and then thinks “hmmmmm, maybe I saw that girl” but also “or maybe the girl I saw just looked similar to that girl.” Also, while Daniel is housebound, it is due to a debilitating physical condition rather than agoraphobia or something else that could render him housebound. And although there were a couple of times where I was screaming at my Kindle . . . .
All is forgiven if I get a modernization of my all-time fave . . . . .
Especially one that doesn’t even use that namedrop to sell books!
Yeah, that’s probably why.
The comparison to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime was the hook that got me crying over my ARC denial for this one. Okay, that’s not accurate. The house on the cover was the hook (duh) and the comparison just helped seal the deal.
The best thing about this story is there is NOT an unreliable narrator. You see, the main character Daniel isn’t trapped in his house due to some psychosis and he doesn’t think he sees something while in a drunken stupor. Nope. Daniel is just like you and me. He sees a missing poster and then thinks “hmmmmm, maybe I saw that girl” but also “or maybe the girl I saw just looked similar to that girl.” Also, while Daniel is housebound, it is due to a debilitating physical condition rather than agoraphobia or something else that could render him housebound. And although there were a couple of times where I was screaming at my Kindle . . . .
All is forgiven if I get a modernization of my all-time fave . . . . .
Especially one that doesn’t even use that namedrop to sell books!
May 16, 2021
I would never have picked this book if not for Book of the Month. I am so glad I did.
The main character, Daniel, has spinal muscular atrophy. He tells the story from his perspective, which is one I hadn't encountered before. The author did a wonderful job of educating readers on SMA and life as a disabled individual. He really brought Daniel to life. The author also made me laugh aloud and I was legitimately concerned for Daniel during the more harrowing scenes. The characters in this book are *generally* good people who are trying hard in life. It made me happy.
I am so glad I read this and hope it gets the attention it deserves.
The main character, Daniel, has spinal muscular atrophy. He tells the story from his perspective, which is one I hadn't encountered before. The author did a wonderful job of educating readers on SMA and life as a disabled individual. He really brought Daniel to life. The author also made me laugh aloud and I was legitimately concerned for Daniel during the more harrowing scenes. The characters in this book are *generally* good people who are trying hard in life. It made me happy.
I am so glad I read this and hope it gets the attention it deserves.
May 8, 2021
Okay so first I do love the representation. I don't know really anything about SMA and we get a lot of background information. But this book would have been way better if the author kept out the kidnapping plot and went with something else. The way the book is marketed is that is the main plot but really it's only about 35% of the book with the rest being all about Daniel's life with SMA and growing up with it.
Also Daniel, as fun as he is as a character, is an absolute idiot. I think my biggest thing with this book is if I ever went missing I hope the person who sees me go missing isn't as dumb as Daniel. He doesn't really say anything for a couple of days. Then instead of going to the cops he posts something on Reddit! and Daniel (and the author) seem to have this thing about how the cops aren't really doing much or seem to care, but like buddy, you're also doing the bare minimum. Oh, I called once today, well good enough. And then this idiot starts talking to the kidnapper when he emailed him. and like keeps talking to the guy. and then at the very end has the audacity to be like "she's alive because of me!"
Also not necessarily the author's fault but something about a white main character, a Chinese girl being kidnapped, and a bit of white savor-y complex with everything going on right now just isn't sitting right with me. I don't know, every once in a while there was a line in the story that just felt like he was trying too hard and I didn't care for that either.
Also Daniel, as fun as he is as a character, is an absolute idiot. I think my biggest thing with this book is if I ever went missing I hope the person who sees me go missing isn't as dumb as Daniel. He doesn't really say anything for a couple of days. Then instead of going to the cops he posts something on Reddit! and Daniel (and the author) seem to have this thing about how the cops aren't really doing much or seem to care, but like buddy, you're also doing the bare minimum. Oh, I called once today, well good enough. And then this idiot starts talking to the kidnapper when he emailed him. and like keeps talking to the guy. and then at the very end has the audacity to be like "she's alive because of me!"
Also not necessarily the author's fault but something about a white main character, a Chinese girl being kidnapped, and a bit of white savor-y complex with everything going on right now just isn't sitting right with me. I don't know, every once in a while there was a line in the story that just felt like he was trying too hard and I didn't care for that either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2021
Journalist Leitch must know someone with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SPA) for him to write such a compelling story of the 26-year-old man with this debilitating disease. His main protagonist is a charming, optimistic young man that has a job despite being unable to move most of his body. His primary caretaker is the perky Pakistani Marjani. His life-long friend Travis visits him frequently.
One day he witnesses the student Ai Chin get in a brown Camaro and is later reported missing. She is a Chinese National that has just recently arrived in the States. Daniel has difficulty getting the attention of the police despite his perseverance. So, he posts what he knows on Reddit. Bad idea. It attracted the attention of the kidnapper and now Daniel is in trouble.
The story is slow-moving, but I did learn a lot about SMA.
One day he witnesses the student Ai Chin get in a brown Camaro and is later reported missing. She is a Chinese National that has just recently arrived in the States. Daniel has difficulty getting the attention of the police despite his perseverance. So, he posts what he knows on Reddit. Bad idea. It attracted the attention of the kidnapper and now Daniel is in trouble.
The story is slow-moving, but I did learn a lot about SMA.
August 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this! How Lucky was engaging from the first page to the last. It was full of humor, kindness, and great characters. I adored Daniel and his perspective on life so much. All of the side characters in this book were delightful as well. It was also great to see some disability rep and learn more about Spinal Muscular Atrophy. I want more contemporary fiction like this. Highly recommend.
November 27, 2021
This is a gem of a novel. I've been subscribing to Will Leitch's weekly newsletters for a while now, and he's such a big-hearted writer that I had expected to love his latest book, and I did.
"How Lucky" is the story of Daniel, who suffers from a disease that confines him to a wheelchair and doesn't allow him to speak. In the first chapter, Daniel witnesses a young woman being abducted in his neighborhood, and we quickly see how difficult it is to communicate and be taken seriously when everyone dismisses you.
For me, one of the most fraught scenes in the novel happens early on, when a police officer visits Daniel's home to get information in the case. Daniel is eager to share what he knows to try and help the missing girl, but the detective sees Daniel in the wheelchair and realizes that he can't communicate without using a text-to-sound device, and immediately ignores him and starts to leave. It was so frustrating how impatient the officer was, and that he just assumed Daniel was mentally deficient. But the reader knows the truth — Daniel is smart and observant and funny. Just give him a minute already!
While there is an engaging mystery/thriller aspect to this book and the story zips along, because Daniel is such a big-hearted character, there is also a lot of love and warmth in the novel, and that's what I liked best. I would heartily recommend "How Lucky" to anyone who enjoys a good novel, and the audiobook performance by Graham Halstead is excellently done.
Oh, and Will Leitch is such a nice guy that if you send him a letter saying how much you like his writing, he will send you back a handwritten note. That's charm for ya.
Favorite Quote
"I'm telling you, there is nowhere else I've been or am going that will ever be better than right here and right now."
"How Lucky" is the story of Daniel, who suffers from a disease that confines him to a wheelchair and doesn't allow him to speak. In the first chapter, Daniel witnesses a young woman being abducted in his neighborhood, and we quickly see how difficult it is to communicate and be taken seriously when everyone dismisses you.
For me, one of the most fraught scenes in the novel happens early on, when a police officer visits Daniel's home to get information in the case. Daniel is eager to share what he knows to try and help the missing girl, but the detective sees Daniel in the wheelchair and realizes that he can't communicate without using a text-to-sound device, and immediately ignores him and starts to leave. It was so frustrating how impatient the officer was, and that he just assumed Daniel was mentally deficient. But the reader knows the truth — Daniel is smart and observant and funny. Just give him a minute already!
While there is an engaging mystery/thriller aspect to this book and the story zips along, because Daniel is such a big-hearted character, there is also a lot of love and warmth in the novel, and that's what I liked best. I would heartily recommend "How Lucky" to anyone who enjoys a good novel, and the audiobook performance by Graham Halstead is excellently done.
Oh, and Will Leitch is such a nice guy that if you send him a letter saying how much you like his writing, he will send you back a handwritten note. That's charm for ya.
Favorite Quote
"I'm telling you, there is nowhere else I've been or am going that will ever be better than right here and right now."
June 2, 2021
I gave this book two stars because of the awareness it brings to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Without that, it would have been a one star rating. I felt like the author used his main character to air his own grievances. It felt forced and unnecessary for the story line. The final scene with the book's bad guy was horrendous and difficult to read. There were so many good points the author was trying to make, but I personally felt like he missed the mark on almost all of them.
June 30, 2021
It’s obvious that if there is something strange in your neighborhood, or if there’s something weird and it don’t look good you are going to call the Ghostbusters forthwith so they can deal with your spectral infestation. However, who are you going to call if you have an invisible man sleepin’ in your bed? Well that would be Ghostbusters too. But if you are looking for a really good book to read full of the feels and the suspense who would you call then? Definitely not the Ghostbusters, Drs. Spengler and Stantz likely only read paranormal trade publications and it is obvious Dr. Venkmanthan just reads the TV Guide magazine when he is sitting on the pot. So if you are looking for a really good book I would suggest you call author Will Leitch at home and ask him to send you a free copy of his new book How Lucky. It is really good, and if you ask super nicely he might autograph it and include some homemade baked goods. The narrator of Will Leitch’s How Lucky is 26 year old Daniel. Daniel suffers from type II spinal muscular atrophy. SMA is one of those truly horrific medical conditions that happens when your genetic code goes a little wonky. This degenerative disease affects the muscles, soon you are unable walk, speak, moonwalk, swallow, or breath, often leading to premature death. But Daniel is not some kind of Gloomy Gus bemoaning his fate as he tools around in his electric wheelchair, in fact he is upbeat and happy. He has good friends and family. He appreciates and loves the caregivers who bath, dress, and care for him. He feels he is lucky living his life in his college town of Athens Georgia. And then just when you think you have a gripe on where this heartwarming story is going, a Chinese exchange student goes missing. Daniel thinks he may have seen her taken. Suddenly, the novel transforms into Hitchcock’s’ The Rear Window, but instead of Jimmy Stewart confined to a wheelchair with a busted leg, our protagonist cannot talk or move, and the slightest trauma may stop him from breathing! To say the final pages are tense would be the understatement of the century, like saying bears are scary or that I look “just OK” with my shirt off. Bears are horrifyingly unstoppable murder machines and the work my trainer Gustav has put into my workout has just been off the charts. I should really pay him more. Why I have already received early interest about joining the Las Vegas Chippendale male revue (if only I can come up with a solution to my glitter allergy). If you are looking for a well-written suspenseful novel with substance, and memorable characters then get on the phone now and give Leitch a call so he can send you How Lucky right away!
July 15, 2021
10/10 recommend listening to this audiobook - WHAT A NARRATOR! *immediately Google searches other books narrated by Graham Halstead*
I don't think I have ever been so charmed by a main character! Sweet Daniel, our narrator, is funny, intelligent, optimistic, and entertaining - and this made for a fascinating "kidnapping whodunit" story - with Daniel as the only witness.
Will Leitch wove together an intricate story of Daniel's life prior to the time the book was written and stitched it in seamlessly with what was happening presently in the story. I couldn't stop listening to the story or falling in love with Daniel, Patrick, and Marjani. It was so nice to read of people who were kind and supportive, giving Daniel the love and support he needed in his daily life.
I recommend this book for many reasons: excellent disability representation, a "glass half full" narrator, stellar supporting cast, the creativity of the writing, and so much more. I loved it and I think many will, too!
I don't think I have ever been so charmed by a main character! Sweet Daniel, our narrator, is funny, intelligent, optimistic, and entertaining - and this made for a fascinating "kidnapping whodunit" story - with Daniel as the only witness.
Will Leitch wove together an intricate story of Daniel's life prior to the time the book was written and stitched it in seamlessly with what was happening presently in the story. I couldn't stop listening to the story or falling in love with Daniel, Patrick, and Marjani. It was so nice to read of people who were kind and supportive, giving Daniel the love and support he needed in his daily life.
I recommend this book for many reasons: excellent disability representation, a "glass half full" narrator, stellar supporting cast, the creativity of the writing, and so much more. I loved it and I think many will, too!
July 17, 2021
I read How Lucky for a book club I’m going to. In some ways I liked it. I did like that the main character had a disability. However, it’s clear the author really just wanted to write about this disability. I thought the whole kidnapping plot was incredibly dumb and forced. For one thing, nothing really happened the first half of the book. And then I thought the ending was super dramatic. Kind of laughably so.
I’m a speech language pathologist, irl, and my specialization is in the area of assistive technology. So at first I was super excited that Daniel uses an iPad to communicate in How Lucky. But I was ultimately unsatisfied. I really wanted to know what app he was using (of course, I want details!). Also, I could not believe the author had him communicate telepathically to his friend and care giver. No joke. They have full on conversations. If it were kind of routine communication I might have understood more. They know each other. They have a routine. But no. It’s things like, “Travis, I saw that missing girl get into a car.” I would have liked to see Daniel have to use his device to communicate atypical information to his friend. One of the biggest issues in compliance with AAC use is that communication partners very familiar with an individual often feel like they know what the nonverbal person is communicating. And often, that is not true, or not as much as they think. I’ve worked with parents who found out their child really hated their “favorite” snack because of access to AAC. So that element really annoyed me.
Also, like The Ivies, How Lucky is injected with a bunch of annoying progressive politics. Of course the killer is a straight white racist man. All those straight white men and their inevitable racism. I wish I could read books or watch shows that don’t constantly have politics injected into them. I’m tired of it.
I’m a speech language pathologist, irl, and my specialization is in the area of assistive technology. So at first I was super excited that Daniel uses an iPad to communicate in How Lucky. But I was ultimately unsatisfied. I really wanted to know what app he was using (of course, I want details!). Also, I could not believe the author had him communicate telepathically to his friend and care giver. No joke. They have full on conversations. If it were kind of routine communication I might have understood more. They know each other. They have a routine. But no. It’s things like, “Travis, I saw that missing girl get into a car.” I would have liked to see Daniel have to use his device to communicate atypical information to his friend. One of the biggest issues in compliance with AAC use is that communication partners very familiar with an individual often feel like they know what the nonverbal person is communicating. And often, that is not true, or not as much as they think. I’ve worked with parents who found out their child really hated their “favorite” snack because of access to AAC. So that element really annoyed me.
Also, like The Ivies, How Lucky is injected with a bunch of annoying progressive politics. Of course the killer is a straight white racist man. All those straight white men and their inevitable racism. I wish I could read books or watch shows that don’t constantly have politics injected into them. I’m tired of it.
June 25, 2021
2.5⭐
I had a feeling about 80-90 pages in that this book was just going to be "meh" for me. I did enjoy aspects of it but I probably could of DNF'd it and been just fine. 😬
This book was a very fast paced read and it kept my interest for a little while but it lost me kind of in the middle. There was sooooo much I didn't care about. I think I was hoping it would be much more of a thriller than a cutesy friendship book and a little bit of mystery/thriller.
I will say it was interesting learning about SMA because I knew absolutely nothing about it but also be aware that a LOT of the book is basically informing you about it.
I had a feeling about 80-90 pages in that this book was just going to be "meh" for me. I did enjoy aspects of it but I probably could of DNF'd it and been just fine. 😬
This book was a very fast paced read and it kept my interest for a little while but it lost me kind of in the middle. There was sooooo much I didn't care about. I think I was hoping it would be much more of a thriller than a cutesy friendship book and a little bit of mystery/thriller.
I will say it was interesting learning about SMA because I knew absolutely nothing about it but also be aware that a LOT of the book is basically informing you about it.
June 24, 2021
Wonderful characters with authentic voices. Would love another one with the same group.
May 24, 2021
unimpressive writing, ignorant comments (unchallenged, of course). the kidnapping of the asian girl as a plot device almost felt insensitive and was dealt with in a very off-handed manner. after all this my brain automatically disregarded the light that this book threw on SMA. overall a very disappointing read.
October 25, 2021
I was a bit nervous for this one! We've got a middle-aged white guy writing from the POV of a protagonist with a pretty specific disability (SMA, a degenerative disease*) that he doesn't share, and I wasn't familiar with Leitch as a writer, but this was the only BOTM the month it came out that interested me, so I took a chance, and I'm glad I did! I thought the whole thing was very sensitively done, and I thought Daniel ended up being a great character. SMA is something that he lives with, but he as a person is not his disease, and he has an extremely rich inner life, and a pretty rich outer one as well. He has a great caregiver, a loving mother, a job that he can do from home that supports him well, and a great best friend. He also loves the place he lives, and he has a measure of independence that makes him feel satisfied with his life.
*The author's notes share that the author is familiar with SMA because his son's best friend has the disease.
Daniel is pretty much homebound, although he can leave the house with assistance, and he has a very specific routine. He begins seeing a girl outside his house at the same time every morning who appears to be walking to class (he lives in a college town), and one day he sees her get into a car with a man. The next day the girl has made the news as having disappeared, and Daniel suddenly has to decide what to do about the knowledge he has.
This book is sort of a hybrid creation: part character study, part mystery/thriller, part general fiction. Daniel sort of falls backwards into investigating the crime, and accidentally becomes involved in a way he didn't expect. The book takes care to navigate how his SMA and life in a wheelchair complicates suddenly being involved in the plot of a thriller, but we also see pretty clearly a slice of Daniel's life, and how his SMA does and doesn't affect his everyday existence. My favorite part was probably the relationships that Daniel has with Travis, his stoner best friend who he's known since he was a baby, and his caregiver, Marjani. He loves both of them, and they both love him, even though the dynamics are different as one is a friend and one is an employee. Daniel is realistic about his medical condition and what it means for his future, but the book never descends into maudlin territory.
I do really recommend this one.
*The author's notes share that the author is familiar with SMA because his son's best friend has the disease.
Daniel is pretty much homebound, although he can leave the house with assistance, and he has a very specific routine. He begins seeing a girl outside his house at the same time every morning who appears to be walking to class (he lives in a college town), and one day he sees her get into a car with a man. The next day the girl has made the news as having disappeared, and Daniel suddenly has to decide what to do about the knowledge he has.
This book is sort of a hybrid creation: part character study, part mystery/thriller, part general fiction. Daniel sort of falls backwards into investigating the crime, and accidentally becomes involved in a way he didn't expect. The book takes care to navigate how his SMA and life in a wheelchair complicates suddenly being involved in the plot of a thriller, but we also see pretty clearly a slice of Daniel's life, and how his SMA does and doesn't affect his everyday existence. My favorite part was probably the relationships that Daniel has with Travis, his stoner best friend who he's known since he was a baby, and his caregiver, Marjani. He loves both of them, and they both love him, even though the dynamics are different as one is a friend and one is an employee. Daniel is realistic about his medical condition and what it means for his future, but the book never descends into maudlin territory.
I do really recommend this one.
May 21, 2021
How Lucky was a quirky, fast read!
It was enjoyable in the sense that I honestly had no idea where the story was going the entire time, so I was looking forward to the ending. There are so many lines and quotes embedded in this novel that I wanted to capture and keep in my heart forever. I loved the organization of the chapters and how we bounced around from the present to the past.
I just can't quite figure out what genre this was. It seemed as if it tried to do a whole lot of things instead of focusing on the complexity and depth of ONE thing. The banter and one-liners and the embodiment of all the characters were good...but the plot seemed way too sporadic for my taste. This honestly could've been one of the "points" of the book, and if that was the case, it was not clear enough for me to actively notice and appreciate.
This reminded me a lot of Nothing to See Here (without the fantastical element) which I also could not get into. It was missing a certain degree of entertainment that I need in order to truly enjoy a book at its fullest (this is a personal preference, but undeniable mine).
I think a lot of people are going to LOVE this one because the merit is there--I would recommend it to some, but it just was not one that I loved.
3.25/5
It was enjoyable in the sense that I honestly had no idea where the story was going the entire time, so I was looking forward to the ending. There are so many lines and quotes embedded in this novel that I wanted to capture and keep in my heart forever. I loved the organization of the chapters and how we bounced around from the present to the past.
I just can't quite figure out what genre this was. It seemed as if it tried to do a whole lot of things instead of focusing on the complexity and depth of ONE thing. The banter and one-liners and the embodiment of all the characters were good...but the plot seemed way too sporadic for my taste. This honestly could've been one of the "points" of the book, and if that was the case, it was not clear enough for me to actively notice and appreciate.
This reminded me a lot of Nothing to See Here (without the fantastical element) which I also could not get into. It was missing a certain degree of entertainment that I need in order to truly enjoy a book at its fullest (this is a personal preference, but undeniable mine).
I think a lot of people are going to LOVE this one because the merit is there--I would recommend it to some, but it just was not one that I loved.
3.25/5
April 16, 2024
Daniel is spectacular! I love him as a character. I love his rawness and realistic approach to his disability, living with SMA(spinal muscular atrophy). I have to admit that I had not known much about SMA before reading this book, and I can't even imagine dealing with such a debilitating condition.
Daniel seems to be the only witness willing to talk to anyone who saw a Chinese foreign exchange student (Ai-Chin) kidnapping. As he tries to find out more on his own due to his sense of honor, the reader gets to see the mystery unfold and learn about his resiliency and the massive heart of Daniel.
The other characters in Daniel's daily life were also interesting to get to know, and I enjoyed his best friend, Travis, and his full-time care provider, Marjani.
The pacing of this book is well done, and it was hard to put down. Overall, It was a good solid book. However, the ending was a bit hard to read with all that happens and how you know the inevitable future.
4 Stars for me.
Daniel seems to be the only witness willing to talk to anyone who saw a Chinese foreign exchange student (Ai-Chin) kidnapping. As he tries to find out more on his own due to his sense of honor, the reader gets to see the mystery unfold and learn about his resiliency and the massive heart of Daniel.
The other characters in Daniel's daily life were also interesting to get to know, and I enjoyed his best friend, Travis, and his full-time care provider, Marjani.
The pacing of this book is well done, and it was hard to put down. Overall, It was a good solid book. However, the ending was a bit hard to read with all that happens and how you know the inevitable future.
4 Stars for me.
August 28, 2021
Possibly the very worst book I’ve tried to read. The story does not progress from page 32 to page 200. I finally stopped reading. If you want to learn about SMA disability and hear the author whine about politics then this is the book for you.
May 15, 2021
2.5/5
Altogether, this was alright.
I am always immediately interested in variations on Rear Window, and when I read the synopsis for this book I was instantly engaged in the premise. Rather than our protagonist being stuck inside with a broken foot, our protagonist has a medical issue that impedes 'typical' communication, requiring him to talk to others via an assistive device. On top of that, he uses a wheelchair and can't get around without it. It was a new twist on the classic story, and I was eager to see how the plot developed.
However, something in the execution here fell flat and I'm having a tough time pinpointing what happened. For a story centered around being the sole witness to a crime and trying his best to communicate himself to others, to harboring secret emails with the alleged perp and to openly admitting to not being able to physically defend himself, there was very little tension building. There certainly was one moment nearing the 3rd Act that made me drop my jaw, but otherwise the story dragged along, limiting a lot of excitement. While I was happy to learn about SMA, a disease I never even knew existed prior to picking this book up, I found the author describing the disorder with a lot more detail and fervor than he did the primary plot. By the time we actually got into the thick of the plot, it didn't seem as though our protagonist took the situation seriously, limiting his thoughts to 'Hm maybe I'll get around to calling the police on this guy' and then going to a football game. The build up was so sluggish that by the time we got to the climax, it all felt a anticlimactic and over too soon.
I think I also had some difficulty with the style presented. There was this strange thread of logic throughout that insisted that rather than our protagonist use his communication device to routinely talk with his close friends and family that they are able to communicate via.....I mean, it's telepathy is what it really is. That logic was introduced within the first 15 pages, immediately it brought me out of the story, and then persisted for the rest of the book. It was at that point that the tone felt confusing....is this some sort of magical realism then? Are we to believe this book is fantasy adjacent? Certainly telepathy isn't real, so why is this so readily acceptable to these characters?
All in all I still enjoyed aspects of this book. The premise was engaging, the set up was promising, and the author certainly displayed knowledge and respect when discussing SMA to the audience. But, here's some last minute food for thought: I couldn't help but continually wonder while reading if this should have been an Own Voices story? Some scenes described by the author admittedly made me feel uncomfortable knowing they were written by someone able bodied. Now without flipping back to earlier pages I can't recall those scenes in my head, but absolutely while reading them they didn't quite feel right.
Altogether, this was alright.
I am always immediately interested in variations on Rear Window, and when I read the synopsis for this book I was instantly engaged in the premise. Rather than our protagonist being stuck inside with a broken foot, our protagonist has a medical issue that impedes 'typical' communication, requiring him to talk to others via an assistive device. On top of that, he uses a wheelchair and can't get around without it. It was a new twist on the classic story, and I was eager to see how the plot developed.
However, something in the execution here fell flat and I'm having a tough time pinpointing what happened. For a story centered around being the sole witness to a crime and trying his best to communicate himself to others, to harboring secret emails with the alleged perp and to openly admitting to not being able to physically defend himself, there was very little tension building. There certainly was one moment nearing the 3rd Act that made me drop my jaw, but otherwise the story dragged along, limiting a lot of excitement. While I was happy to learn about SMA, a disease I never even knew existed prior to picking this book up, I found the author describing the disorder with a lot more detail and fervor than he did the primary plot. By the time we actually got into the thick of the plot, it didn't seem as though our protagonist took the situation seriously, limiting his thoughts to 'Hm maybe I'll get around to calling the police on this guy' and then going to a football game. The build up was so sluggish that by the time we got to the climax, it all felt a anticlimactic and over too soon.
I think I also had some difficulty with the style presented. There was this strange thread of logic throughout that insisted that rather than our protagonist use his communication device to routinely talk with his close friends and family that they are able to communicate via.....I mean, it's telepathy is what it really is. That logic was introduced within the first 15 pages, immediately it brought me out of the story, and then persisted for the rest of the book. It was at that point that the tone felt confusing....is this some sort of magical realism then? Are we to believe this book is fantasy adjacent? Certainly telepathy isn't real, so why is this so readily acceptable to these characters?
All in all I still enjoyed aspects of this book. The premise was engaging, the set up was promising, and the author certainly displayed knowledge and respect when discussing SMA to the audience. But, here's some last minute food for thought: I couldn't help but continually wonder while reading if this should have been an Own Voices story? Some scenes described by the author admittedly made me feel uncomfortable knowing they were written by someone able bodied. Now without flipping back to earlier pages I can't recall those scenes in my head, but absolutely while reading them they didn't quite feel right.
February 23, 2021
In “How Lucky”, by Will Leitch, twenty-six year old, Daniel, is the kind of first-person narrator who is talking directly to YOU, the reader. He could be sitting across from you telling you this amazing story. Leitch’s execution of this intimate narrative style is perfect, I “became friends” with Daniel.
Daniel has Type 2 SMA, a degenerative disease that I’ll let him explain to you. He lives alone (but with help from some great characters) in Athens, Georgia, which is a college town. One morning he sees a young woman get in a car with a man, and soon she is reported missing. Did Daniel witness a kidnapping? One of the symptoms of his advanced SMA is difficulty communicating; how will he make known what he saw?
You’ll have to suspend your disbelief around some of the plot points, but it’s easy to do because Daniel’s voice and point of view are so compelling. He’s full of up-to-date cultural references, progressive social commentary, insight into Americans with disabilities (at least from one perspective), and a ton of humor.
There is quite a bit of suspense and a cinematic climax that’s worthy a film treatment. This is a fast-paced, action-packed, thoroughly entertaining, novel.
Daniel has Type 2 SMA, a degenerative disease that I’ll let him explain to you. He lives alone (but with help from some great characters) in Athens, Georgia, which is a college town. One morning he sees a young woman get in a car with a man, and soon she is reported missing. Did Daniel witness a kidnapping? One of the symptoms of his advanced SMA is difficulty communicating; how will he make known what he saw?
You’ll have to suspend your disbelief around some of the plot points, but it’s easy to do because Daniel’s voice and point of view are so compelling. He’s full of up-to-date cultural references, progressive social commentary, insight into Americans with disabilities (at least from one perspective), and a ton of humor.
There is quite a bit of suspense and a cinematic climax that’s worthy a film treatment. This is a fast-paced, action-packed, thoroughly entertaining, novel.
April 6, 2021
How Lucky by Will Leitch. Thanks to @harper and @netgalley for the e-Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Daniel has a nice home, decent job, and very loyal friends. He’s also unable to talk, care for himself, or move without his wheelchair. When a local college student goes missing, he may be the only witness. Explaining what he saw and being taken seriously is the only problem.
This book was incredible! Just the unique and clever type of read I needed. I loved that the main protagonist was disabled and learning about his daily life. I absolutely just fell in love with him; really ALL the supporting characters in this book. This was a special special read that left me with a smile and tears in my eyes. No doubt it’s too early to say, but I think this will be my favorite April read (it’s 4/5 as I write this). I’ll be recommending this to many and am thankful I got early access to it!
“One of the many annoying things about being disabled is the obligation I always feel to make you feel better about your reactions to me.”
“If we communicated solely with emojis, there would be no wars.”
How Lucky comes out 5/11.
Daniel has a nice home, decent job, and very loyal friends. He’s also unable to talk, care for himself, or move without his wheelchair. When a local college student goes missing, he may be the only witness. Explaining what he saw and being taken seriously is the only problem.
This book was incredible! Just the unique and clever type of read I needed. I loved that the main protagonist was disabled and learning about his daily life. I absolutely just fell in love with him; really ALL the supporting characters in this book. This was a special special read that left me with a smile and tears in my eyes. No doubt it’s too early to say, but I think this will be my favorite April read (it’s 4/5 as I write this). I’ll be recommending this to many and am thankful I got early access to it!
“One of the many annoying things about being disabled is the obligation I always feel to make you feel better about your reactions to me.”
“If we communicated solely with emojis, there would be no wars.”
How Lucky comes out 5/11.
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