I am Radar by Reif Larsen

[Megalion]

Hefty tome that I should have thought twice about picking up to alternate with my read of Captive Paradise, a history of Hawaii.

I'm not sure how I feel about it.

I'm strongly reminded of my experience reading Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age: or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer. After the first read, I felt similarly vague. They both had multiple narratives going on with different main characters. They ultimately joined together but I was left wondering if I missed something.

What made Diamond Age become a 5 star favorite was re-reading it after a while. And then again. Each time, pieces fell into place and I started to see the real picture. Maybe that would be true for I Am Radar  but it's not the mid 90s anymore where I re-read books endlessly for lack of real inspiration or inclination to try and find new authors.

YET.

The stories in this book are good. We begin with Radar who has the unique distinction of being born to white parents. Yet with the darkest skin color ever seen. Blacker than the blackest African.

Everyone is mystified. Even if Kermin wasn't his biological father, how would his mother's genes allow for such a dark color?

Doctors after doctors are consulted but no one has an answer. Then one day, a mysterious letter arrives from Norway. They have a technology that may resolve the issue. The issue being the fact that in day to day life, everyone assumes Radar is adopted. They live in a community of Serb immigrants who think Radar is something of the devil. This technology will turn Radar white.

And that's just the start of it all.

The book is divided into parts. Each of which shifts focus to another person, time, and place as I described above.

Added to the overall mix, is a lot of discussion of sciences, philosophy and existentialism. It's not often that a fiction  book has a bibliography. This one has an extensive one!

I may not yet be able to figure out what it all really meant but the journeys were worth it so I'll give this 4 stars.

[Anita]

Fascinating.

I've never heard of this one. It actually sounds like it would be a good book club book if it wasn't for the length . . .how did you hear of this one, Megalion? It's not a title that I've ever heard of before.