Finished the first story. Return to the Lucy Barton story. MC has his barn burn down. He loses everything and becomes school janitor. Meets up with young Barton girl, befriends her (sort of). Now she is a successful author, though back then she was a battered child. MC goes out to visit her brother. He learns that perhaps the elder Barton burned down his barn, killed his cows, etc. out of spite for having been caught masturbating, and also out of PTSS from WWII concentration camps. MC has never told anyone that he felt God spoke to him on the night of the fire, telling him to value his family and people over all. Now he tells Barton this . . . and is immediately doubted. O'Henry ending, almost. For years he wouldn't tell anyone of his religious experience; it was his secret. Now he has told his wife and the Barton son about it . . . but he no longer believes that God spoke to him. His lack of faith becomes his new secret.
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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