A real screamer. Paul Newman is alcoholic former athlete fighting with his unloving father and his wife (Elizabeth Taylor). He won't sleep with Liz because of the death of Scooter, his buddy, which he blames on her. Weird plot--she sort of seduces Scooter to get Paul Newman (Brick) to see that his good friend isn't so good, but then changes her mind and doesn't sleep with him. (!?) Scooter then calls Paul Newman who hangs up on him--what a phone call I was thinking of sleeping with your wife and --. After Newman hangs up, Scooter jumps out the window. (All off screen.) At the end, Newman reconciles with both Dad and Liz, deigning to sleep with her. Ha! What a sacrifice!
Follows Sadie and Sam (Mazer) from childhood to mid-thirties when both are feeling old and a bit out of it in the gaming world. Characters are well-rounded, develop throughout the novel in interesting way. Plot is involved but sensible. Not a single, "Oh, come on!" moment. The book could have been faster paced. Odd, since the main topic is video games which are not for their speed of engagement and Gabrielle Zevin clearly knows her video games. Recommended by Michael Connelly in an interview. He also has Bosch pick up the book in his novel, Resurrection Walk, as Bosch tails a possible witness to a crime as she moves through a bookstore. Sadie and Sam do not get together at the end, which is good. Marx killed by homophobic nutcase who really wants to kill Sam, but Sam isn't there. Marx is father of Sadie's child.
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